Since olden days, life among the Ibans has always been very communal. You help me I help you. A former Prime Minister of Malaysia loved to quote the saying.
The pig actually occupies quite a central feature in the socio cultural life of the Iban longhouse.
Whenever a pig is to be slaughtered, a group of relatives would come together to do the deed. Perhaps 6 men are to form the team for the slaughter of the poor animal by the river side.
A good fire is started and wood is collected in a pile.
the ritual will begin by putting the pig in a sack and brought to the river side or karangan (pebble beach). Usually the pig would be killed by a spear through the heart. The person striking the spear has to be very accurate to reduce the crying of the poor victim.
Once the deed is done, the gunny sack is opened up and the blood of the animal drained. Blood is usually not saved by the Ibans for any form of cooking.
The dressing of the animal is done, hairs all burnt and scraped. Then the cutting up of the animal.
If the animal is shared, every part is cut up and portioned for the sharers. If six are to share the pig, six piles will be made on banana leaves or any local leaves. For exxample, the liver would be divided into six portions, the heart also six...and so on. This is the meaning of equal sharing in the Iban culture of sharing of food.
Now back to the head.
The head will be cut off and it is the reward for the team which slaughters the animal and cut up all the meat for the families sharing the pig.
However if the pig is for the whole community, e.g. a wedding, then all the meat will be divided in such a way the cooks want them....
But the head still goes to the slaughter team.
I often wonder if there is a reason behind eating of the head by the slaughter team.
(Note: Source : Ulu Sarawak Iban's Accounts - Unpublished )
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