Not long ago an Iban Methodist Minister was elected a Penghulu (Chief) amongst the Iban people of Sarawak. This can truly be considered an honour for the Methodist Church, but behind this recent history is another man’s story.

In 1939 two missionaries were appointed to work with the Iban people. The two men went ‘upriver’ to work in the Kapit district. At that time Kapit was almost a jungle. Both missionaries underwent some harrowing experiences. One of them, the Rev Lucius Mamora, a Batak from Indonesia almost lost his head in a conspiracy, but he was saved by a timely warning from Tuai Rumah (headman) Kudi who helped him escape.

Kudi later became a real friend to the Christians and later his son Nuing became the first Iban preacher. It was Nuing who was elected Penghulu. Yet had it not been for his father’s bravery and kindness the story might have been very different.

Recently we visited Kudi and he told us that he had a message which he wanted to pass on to his fellow Ibans and other people. Kudi wants to express his gratitude to God for making such a difference to his life.

“I have been a Christian for about 15 years and I want to compare Christianity with the old Iban beliefs.

The old Iban believed that there were many outside factors which controlled the lives of humans. It was thought that we were controlled by birds and dreams and almost everything of this earth.

Suppose, whilst we were on the way to our farm by river, that our boat should bump into one of the river banks at the same time as a bird chirped, or if we were chopping firewood and our axe hit the chopping block at the same time as another bird chirped, then we would have to stop what we were doing and go back home. Only if a bird called at the right time and in the right order for example a ‘Ketupong’ first, then a ‘Membuas’ and after that the other birds could go about our daily business. That is the old belief.

When I compare this with Christianity, I feel much safer because there is noth- ing evil now to prevent us from going to our daily work. We rest on Sundays only and work for the rest of the week. Now I am an old man and Sunday is a day I look forward to.

Many people have said to me “You are a Christian. We will test your faith by seeing whether you get rich or not.” But you just cannot make tests like this. Faith has nothing to do with wealth. I became a Christian because it means that God is with me. Now there is nothing to upset my life. I can come and go from my farm or do any other useful thing without being influenced by birds and omens. If we believe that God is with us all the time, then there is nothing that can ruin us.

Take this question of wealth. When we were pagans we had to work for our living and so it is with Christianity. Let me put it this way. When we are eating our rice, one of our hands must pick up the grains and put them into our mouths because it is certain that the rice will not go in by itself.

In the Christian faith we cannot just sit back and wait for God to make us rich–we must put our own rice into our own mouths–though God provides the rice. But in the old pagan days we expected the gods to put the rice into our mouths as well.

That’s why we cannot compare the two beliefs in terms of wealth. Now we are free, but before we were controlled in our daily activities.

Children, if you want to follow the Christian faith, I certainly will not stop you. Indeed, I want to lead you, but if you don’t want to join, then I can’t force you. On the other hand whenever anyone enters the Christian faith I am very glad. In Christianity we can go happily about our daily business without any fear of birds and omens.

In the old days we had no-one to show us the way, but now we have many willing helpers. Let us take a look back to our grandfather’s days when they expected to become wealthy through the aid of dreams, ghosts and many other creatures.

But we have learned from the Christian missionaries that wealth and prosperity depend not upon these phenomena but upon hard work and trust in God. Comforts and good education do not come from ghosts!

It makes me very glad to see our young people going to school. From education we learn to improve our standard of living. So I’m all in favour of education.

Look at the way farming is still carried out today using the old methods. A good crop is never certain and there are all sorts of hazards such as falling trees, cuts and snake bites. But our children in school are learning modern methods and life for them will not be a series of hair raising escapes. They can apply what they have learned to farming and so grow up into useful citizens–with good manners and education. Therefore we should follow what other civilised people are doing and not be left behind.

I don’t know whether people will be angry with me for disregarding the old ways, but I have to tell you this. I am a very old man now. That is why I want to tell you about the peace of mind that Chritianity brings. It doesn’t disturb your daily life with birds and omen. Moreover, Christianity is honest. There is no finer belief than Christianity.

That is why I keep telling the Ibans to leave their old ways and beliefs behind them and follow Jesus Christ.

Some of them are too set in their ways and don’t want to leave their old beliefs. But there is no holding back. Take our forefathers for instance–they could only count with their fingers and so were ignorant.

But today we not only know how to count easily but we can read and write as well. We are becoming educated and that helps us to understand the economy as well as other people’s beliefs.

What I want to say is this. Progress has come about through Christianity, for in the old days we were held back by dreams and birds and ghosts. Christ has defeated all these and now we are free.

Today, everything is changing and I can’t make up my mind about some things. For example, in the olden days my father taught me how to kill and to take many heads. I taught my children this in turn–to take as many heads as they could. Then we gave it all up to become civilised.

But then I have seen educated soldiers who came here (during Confrontation). They didn’t have to work nearly so hard as we did and their pay was much higher. What’s more when they killed people they didn’t just take one head but could kill lots at a time. We always had to work hard to take just one head. I don’t know what to make of all this.

Now we are living in a civilised world. Once we were frightened of the dark– our only lamps were crude and feeble. Now we have pressure lamps and electricity and all this is changing. We are saying goodbye to the old ways.

I don’t blame our forefathers for our lack of progress. In the past we were held back by our beliefs, but now we have to follow along with the other people instead of lagging behind.

I have only one more thing to say, and it is this. I am an old man now and I know life and what it is all about. I want to tell you young people that you still have a long way to go. One thing you must do and that is to work hard. The other is that you must believe in Jesus Christ and take God with you always. In this way nothing can have power over you.

Methodist Message
May/June 1968