Between Marginality and Indigeneity: The place of the Ibans in contemporary Brunei society

Paper Abstract: The Ibans are one of the most studied indigenous peoples of Borneo. Their populations spread across the western part to the interior of the island and exist in all national territories, i.e. Indonesian Kalimantan, Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, and Brunei Darussalam. Despite that, the Iban communities in Brunei have not been studied much. Within contemporary Brunei society, the Iban formed a handful of populations estimated to be around 20,000 people. However, unlike the legally recognised indigenous ethnic groups of the sultanate which include the Malay, Dusun, Bisaya, Murut, Belait, Tutong and Kedayan, the Iban has not been classified as one of the ‘indigenous ethnic groups’ (puak jati). This paper aims to explore the place of the Ibans in contemporary Brunei society, which some of them could gain Bruneian nationality, but still, others cannot. In particular, how the Ibans negotiate between their marginality and indigeneity in Brunei society. This paper will explore such negotiations in the contexts of global biodiversity conservation and ecotourism in Brunei. The paper will discuss the livelihoods of the local Ibans, particularly those derived from the Ulu Temburong National Park, where they play significant yet subordinated roles.