The Ethnic Identity of Sino-Iban in Saribas River and Marup Sino-Iban, Borneo Sarawak

Abstract

When the Chinese immigrants left mainland China to strive for a better life, they finally settled in Borneo Sarawak in the 18th century. They learned the local customs and culture by adapting and assimilating their culture, religion, and lifestyle into the Iban community, the biggest ethnic population through interracial marriage and eventually a new identity is born. The generations from this interracial marriage is known as Sino-Iban. This paper attempts to explore the interaction and integration of sociocultural activities that established this new identity of Sino-Iban that represents who they are in one of the most remote areas in Sarawak, the Saribas River and Tiang Laju Mountains territory that is hardly known and rarely heard of. Information gatherings are based on government documents, journals, scholarly books and articles, and writer’s self-experience as Sino-Iban. It also addresses the language and culture gap of the young generation, who are shying away from using the Iban language and abstain them from practicing the rituals and customs which have been diluted by the dominant practice of Christianity and the influx of modern lifestyle are witnessing the eroding of Sino-Iban cultural traits of this young generation, who have lost interest in preserving their own cultural identity.