Dayaks << DY aks >> are a group of people most of whom live in Sarawak, eastern Malaysia. The name is also spelled Dyaks. There are three main groups of Dayaks: (1) the Ibans, also called Sea Dayaks, (2) the Bidayuh or Land Dayaks, and (3) the Orang Ulu (people of the interior). The approximately 700,000 Ibans make up about 30 percent of Sarawak’s population. They live along the seacoast and rivers. The 200,000 Bidayuh compose about 8 percent of the inland population. About 140,000 Orang Ulu live inland and make up about 6 percent of the population.
Most Dayaks wear traditional clothing—sarongs (cloth worn as a skirt and tied at the waist) for women and loincloths (cloth wrapped around the hips) for men. Other Dayaks have adopted Western dress.
Most Dayaks live in bamboo houses built on poles, called long houses. The floors are from 6 to 15 feet (1.8 to 4.5 meters) above the ground. Long houses measure from 30 to 1,000 feet (9 to 300 meters) long. Up to 50 families may live in one house, each in a separate room. Most Dayaks are farmers or plantation workers, and their major crop is rice. Some teach school or hold civil service or factory jobs. Others are skilled boat makers or weavers. Most Dayaks follow traditional religions. Some are Christians or Muslims.
