Traditional dance

Ngajat dance 
The ‘ngajat’ dance originated from the Iban community and has been passed down from generation to generation. The origin of this indigenous Iban dance is not clearly known but it is believed to have been in existence along with the Iban tribe since the 16^th Century. The Ngajat dance is believed to have been performed by warriors on their return from battles. This dance is now performed to celebrate the most important harvest festival, Gawai Dayak, to welcome important guests to the longhouses and so on.
When performing the dance, the male dancers wear a headgear made from the tail feathers of the hornbill (though nowadays most likely artificial feather may be used, to save the birds). He holds a long sword in one hand and an ornately decorated shield in the other. Around his chest are necklaces made of beads and cowrie shells, and he wore a ceremonial cawat, or loincloth.
There are in fact several types of Ngajat dances, among them:

• Ngajat Induk
• Ngajat Lesong
• Ngajat Semain
• Ngajat Berayah
• Ngajat ““Ngemai antu pala' 

 

Tulak Bala

Tulak bala is usually performed at the end of a fruit season, to drive away sickness in the village caused by the visit of mindo Ngolah and his companions. In the dance, the Tua Gawai (who is believed to be able to see the visiting umot-mindo) will dance together with other dancers (three males and three females). While dancing, they imitate the cries of umot-mindo to appease them so that they would follow mindo Ngolah and his companions to return to the sea happily. The dancers will dance while carrying a young coconut, mayang bai, coconut oil candle panyut, a woven bamboo basket, taya  and a model boat, ajung. The taya and ajung are filled with food offerings, sadis.  At the end of the dance, the Tua Gawai and the dancers will bring the taya and ajung to a stream to send off the sickness, ondam so that they would follow mindo Ngolah and his companions back to the sea.

Tulak bala is also performed to drive away diseases and pests of padi, for example, jarau, bangas and pengu.

Nguguh
 

Nguguoh or simutur or nyigar is a ritual dance performed at the closing of the harvest festival gawai sawa. It is usually performed after midnight to call back the souls ieng of padi that are straying in the farms and also to bring home the padi seeds so that they can be mixed together with the other seeds for the next planting season. This is to ensure that they will have good and bountiful harvests at the next season.

The most significant center of attraction in gawai sowa is a rectangular sort of platform bawal, where food offerings, sadis are placed. There is an ayak padi in the form of two long white cloths, which are attached to two bamboo canes (with leaves) to serve as  a link ayak or steps for the souls ieng of the padi to descend to the storage bin bigamis underneath the bawal.
The dance is performed accompanied by the pulsating rhythm of gongs and drums which  culminates in tantalizing sequence. Lead by the Tua Gawai, followed by the pinginang, dayung boris and other dancers, they will dance around the bawal in clockwise and anti-clockwise movement eight times. At the climax of the dance, the dancers while in a state of trance would receive gifts in the form of padi seeds or stone or other items. These gifts signify blessings from god for their prosperity. Finally, they shake the ayak padi.  In some areas, the pinyigar or pinginang  will climb to the upper eight steps of the bawal and shake the ayak padi. The other dayung boris will birujuo around the bawal.


Wek Jongan

 Wek jongan signifies a dance of revelation and miracle. Based on the legend, there was a little girl by the name of Jongan. One day, her father was struck by an incurable disease and died leaving behind her and her mother. Following her father’s death, her mother felt very sad and lonely. She spent most of her times at her husband’s grave. Eventually, she also fell ill and died. Thus, Jongan became an orphan. She missed her parents very much and was constantly living a lonely and a miserable life. One day, during one of her visits to her mother’s grave, she fell down and was unconscious. In this state, her mother’s spirit came to comfort her by singing and dancing. When she regained consciousness, she was very happy and returned to the village. Later she taught the people in the village how to sing and dance. From that day, onwards the dance was called Wek jongan.



Rejang Padi Ngerejang @ Ngirindiang
 

Rejang padi or ngirindang is performed during gawai tupien, gawai sawa and pinanguh. The purpose of the dance is to gather the paddy souls, simangi padi that may remain in the field and bring them back to the village. The dance is also to bless the new padi seeds for the next planting season.

An altar, sangar is erected in the center of the verandah, awah, where the sadih are placed. These sadih are for the spirit god, tapa, who will be invited to partake them. A smaller altar in the form of a cooped-bamboo, tikarak is placed outside the awah at the open  platform, tanju where food offerings for the evil spirits umot-mindo are placed.
The dance comprising three female and three male dancers will dance around the sangar in clock-wise and anti-clock movement four times. First, all the dancers stand in a line. The female dancers will proceed while the men follow behind. The men dance by bringing woven baskets, containing food offerings and new padi seeds. These are then placed on the altar sangar. The female dancers dance by bringing the coconut oil lamps, panyut in their hands. These panyuts are to light the simangi padi while they are on their way to the village to avoid them travelling in the dark