I use a pseudonym, because my real name is very difficult to pronounce, to remember, and to spell. And many people who have been talking about me on television have yet to pronounce it correctly.
– Jeff Gannon, American columnist
In my earlier articles I did share at least three times items on Iban names, including misnomers – some involving hilarity. A friend and I went hahaha throughout our recent entire session over few anecdotes.
If one goes from Kuching by road up to Sibu and stops at places like Serian, Balai Ringin, Pantu, Lachau (Keranggas Gayau), Sri Aman, Betong, Saratok, Roban, Jakar, Sarikei or even go to Pakan before Bintangor, the proceed to Julau, Kanowit and then Durin, one would likely come across no less than 40 men who are called ‘Apai Boy’ and their better halves ‘Indai Boy’.
This is the most common in the ‘apai-so-and-so’ tag. I have a number of close relatives who are called by that name, including brother-in-law, who is a former Sarawak football coach; two first cousins in Saratok, at least two friends in Batu Matop longhouse in Julau, a teacher in SMK Julau and an in-law in a Kanowit longhouse and many more. Even when I visited a Temburong longhouse in Brunei, there was one Apai Boy there too.
If one listens to Iban radio channel WaiFM of RTM, there are a few ‘Apai and Indai Boy’ calling to send or being dedicated with song or other messages. But during the days of lawyer Wit Malang who was part time deejay with the channel, he would not entertain those with ‘apai or indai so-and-so’ tag. Many were reluctant to reveal their original names and ended up with their calls being disconnected by him.
Perhaps, out of our courtesy and respect, this tagging practice has become very common and that it has been part of Iban cultural traits. The fact that Iban people are forbidden to say the names of their fathers-in-law and their spouses as well as their siblings and better halves, many end up calling them apai so-and-so or just apai and indai (namely akin to one’s own parents).
Some may be just addressed as apak/abak or mak. For example, if your wife’s cousin is called Ganai, you have to address her uncle and aunty (who are your in-laws) as Apai Ganai and Indai Ganai respectively. For the parents of your wife (who are your father-in-law and mother-in-law) the usual address is simply apai/ayak/apak and indai/ibu/mak just akin to calling your own father and mother. And many are calling the siblings of one’s parents-in-law similarly too.
There is no issue on the in-laws’ name-calling. What confuse Wit, other radio deejays and many members of the public is the widespread use of ‘apai and indai so-and-so’ in listeners’ radio messages. These abundant Apai Igat, Indai Wat, Apai Dom and Indai Umang and hundreds of others are not only confusing but at the same time raising a lot of question marks on the seriousness of the messages as there are so many people with such tags to the extent that the dedications can be for any of them as the one sending the dedication or message is not using his or her own name and that the intended target of the message/song dedication is not specifically named, thereby leaving a mystery.
When listening to song dedications in WaiFM and CatsFM, I am always ready to hear such mysterious happening not well-corrected by most deejays. As such, I totally agreed with Wit during his deejay days a few years ago. Many a time those refusing to acquiesce to his request of using authentic names were cut off. That may be an act of arrogance but there are times when it needs to be done to solve a mystery and it certainly deserves kudos.
At times deejays MA and Ijau of CatsFM as well as other WaiFM deejays are also heard reminding listeners to give real names before entertaining their messages/song dedications. This mystery is of course absent when it comes to messages on funerals and ngetas ulit (end of mourning event). This case shows my fellow Ibans are capable of using our own authentic names and not confining us to the use of ‘apai or indai so and so’.
One Roweena, a regular song requesting fan of WaiFM, despite her high-pitch and at times irritating voice, is using real names for herself and those to whom her song request is dedicated to. She never uses the ‘apai and indai so and so’ tag. Good job Roweena but lower down your pitch a bit.
There are cases when using this Apai Dom or Indai Dom are acceptable – this is when their specific addresses or locations are given; for example, Apai Dom of Number 16A Tong Sang Road, Sibu or Indai Umang of Bebangai Kiba longhouse, Betong.
