Book description
Drawing on the vast repertoire of 'oral literature' of the Iban,
this book shows how Iban women ritualised art in such a way that textiles
drove men to take heads. The Iban people of Borneo had no scholastic
aptitude tests to help them assess the intellectual capacity of a
prospective mate and so they turned to art. Women looked for an
intelligent and courageous man to protect them and pass on his gifts to
their children. The performance indicators were a trophy head and
demonstrable artistic talent. Men simply sought an intelligent woman.
The performance indicator was the completion of the complex woven design in
ikat, sungkit or pilih which displayed well formed hooks throughout the
design. Consequently, art was consciously used by the Iban as a marker
of intelligence and a basis for sexual selection.
Iban Art - Sexual selection and severed heads tells its story with
humour and frequent rhyming translations of Iban verse to bring to life the
rich cultural heritage which enabled the Iban to be one of the most
successful groups living in Borneo - at least until the colonial powers
arrived.
About the author
Dr Michael Heppell, School of Political and Social Inquiry,
Faculty of Arts, Monash University.
Michael Heppell spent two years in Sarawak studying Iban dispute
management between 1971 and 1973. During his fieldwork, Michael
was referred by other Iban to Limbang Anak Melaka as someone
with a profound knowledge of Iban history and customs. Enyan
Anak Usen was pictured in this book as she was a skilled weaver who
was proposed by the Iban.
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