The Ibans originally had no written language of their own until education was first introduced into Sarawak(Borneo) more than a century ago. They had to recall important events through memory. To help them to remember better,they sang (berenong). Thus, Information was handed down orally from one generation to the next. The basic facts of the story remain unchanged over the years except for some minor digressions and there to suit the story teller.
According to some narrations in Iban song (renong) pertaining to migration, the Ibans originally migrated from Java Island to Borneo while other come from Kamoja ( sounds like Kampuchea ), from the word call Bukit ( Mount) Mensuat or Wat. The reason for their migration was they did not want to be ruled by a fierce and stonger tribe called Kamarau ( sounds like Khmer Rouge) .
The Iban leader named Datu Ayu and his follower got themselves together into some rafts set sail to whar ever direction the wind could blow them but eventually they arrived in Merudu Bay in Sabah. While intending to settle down in the Merudu Bay areathey were subject for frequent raids by the people of Sulu Island ( now part of the Southern Philippines).
As they could no longer tolerate the terrible life there they got into the rafts again this time they arrived at what is now known as Bintulu. Datu Ayu nick name was Kemena by his people. Kemena River, the main waterway of Bintulu, was maybe named after him or he after the Kemena River. Datu Ayu planned to settle in bintulu and make his political base and administrative center, but the Brunei Sultanate was so powerful then that Datu Ayu and his followers were compelled to move elsewhere.
When Datu Ayu died, his eldest son Au and his followers move over to sambas ( now Indonesia Borneo ) intending to follow another Iban named Beji and his followers who had already settled there. On reaching Kepuas ( river ) Au could not lacate Beji as the latter had moved over to a place called Setapang. When Au died, his son Mergi succeeded him. At the same time Mergi was working with the Majapahit Goverment and was called mentri ( minister ) Mergi. Mergi had an administrative authority of Gempanang area, supposed to be rich in mineral deposits. When Mergi died, his second son Tumpang took over. At that time Majapahit Goverment was defeated by another rival and Mentri Tumpang fled to the uooer Kepuas River. After the death of Tumpang son Datu Sambau succeeded him. Being unpopular with the people Datu Sambau had few supporters and followers and was wvwntually replaced by his son Bingkal.
Like his father before him, Patinggi Bingkal was also not a popular leader as he was inclined to exploit the people. Patinggi Bingkal had no male heir to succeed him. His daugther Dayang Ridu had no right, following local Iban customs and traditions, to succeed the father as a leader of the people.
Dayang Ridu afraid that her people will be under the control of the tribes, decided to leave the Kepuas area and find new settlement elsewhere. At this time they ( ibans ) did not know how to make dugout canoes so they used rafts instead.
However, being without any experience in handling rafts particularly through the swift-following waters of the Gempanang River, their rafts broke to pieces. Dayang Ridu lost of her gold ingots and ornaments. Being superstitious of already having a bad start ( jai burong ), Dayang Ridu and her followers decidednto move on overland instead of continuing by rafts through the dangerous waterways. Leaving the Gempanang Area, Dayang Ridu and her followers walked overland and eventually reach merakai ( which is still on the present side of Indonesia Borneo ). From Merakai they moved on to cross the mountain range and over to kumpang Lemanak, now Sri Aman Division.
However, Dayang Ridu and her followers once again made rafts and moved down-river, still to the unknown. When they arrived at the mouth of the River Skrang, The Tide came in. They followed the tide up the Skrang River which carried the as far as Nanga Plasok. But then the Skrang area was already inhabit by other people. Dayang Ridu and her followers agreed to pushed further inland following a stream called Enteban, then its tributary Galau and eventually arrived and settled at Nanga Geraji, atributary of River Pandih ( about two miles from Betong in the saribas Dsitrict). at the same time Dayang Ridu was still a spinter. She took one of her slaves named Kulong of a Beketan tribe to be her husband, To do so Dayang Ridu paid Kulong's brother one jar ( Alas ) not as a dowry but as a redeeming price, so that he no longer to be considered a slave.
It believed that the Ibans who descend from Dayang Ridu and her former-slave husband Kulong have existed in sarawak for fifteen generation to the present day.
