Water Village

Sea and sky frame a "water village" off the coast of Borneo, Malaysia. These communities are made up of clusters of huts perched on stilts and connected with plank-wood walkways just above water level. Many water villages are full-fledged communities, comprising shops, religious temples, and communal spaces.

Plying the Waters of Rajang River

Crowded into a canoe with full gear, a family plies Sarawak's Rajang River in Malaysian Borneo. The Iban are sometimes referred to as Sea Dayaks because of their affinity for the water, a useful trait on an island dominated by low-lying swampy plains intersected with numerous winding rivers.

Elder Shooting Blowgun

An Iban elder, with ornate tattoos and a towering headdress made from the feathers of hornbills and other local birds, shoots a blowgun during a village ceremony. On his hip, he wears a tube containing darts and the Iban warrior's constant companion, a two-foot-long (61-centimeter-long) decorated sword called a parang ilang.

Iban Woman in Traditional Attire

A young Iban woman wearing traditional ceremonial attire poses among Sarawak, Malaysia's lush forest. Her costume includes numerous silver ornaments, including a necklace, a sash of coins on her sarong, multiple bracelets and anklets, and a tall, ornate silver headdress called a sugu tinggi.

Warrior Dance

An Iban dancer performs an ngajat, or warrior dance, as ceremonially dressed villagers look on. This dance was traditionally performed by a solo male dancer, accompanied by gongs and drums, to welcome warriors home from battle. Now, it is performed primarily as part of the Iban's Gawai Kenyalang, or Hornbill Festival.

Walking the Paddy

A Malay woman carries a yoke laden with rice seedlings to plant in a large irrigated paddy in Malaysian Borneo. Paddy, a term used throughout the world, actually derives from the Malay word padi, meaning rice.

rice paddy planting

An Iban woman plants rice in an irrigated paddy near her village in Sarawak, Malaysia. Among the Iban, the women take the lead in planting, harvesting, and processing the rice, while the men prepare the paddies, determine planting and harvesting times, and guard the crops from pests.