Contribution of Women in Longhouse Tourism

摘要

This paper looks at Sarawak Iban's longhouse as research area to investigate the contribution of women in tourism. Quite often, we address tourism in Iban longhouse and the role of Iban women through tourism activities such as cooking for tourist, housekeeping, preparation and display of traditional music and dance performance, traditional costume presentation, chanting of poems (folklore) and selling of handicraft. It is hope that through this short paper, the contribution of Iban in this area would be recognized. The role of woman not only plays an important part in supplementing income to their household in far off rural community but also enhance the preservation conserving the authentic culture of Iban community, one of the largest ethnic group in Borneo and certainly the largest race in Sarawak.