Pemanca Wilson Siang Lim
MIRI: The International Conference on Iban Language and Ethnography (ICILE) will be held at the Teacher Training Institute (IPG) Sarawak Miri campus on July 7-8.
Organised by Miri District community leaders and assisted by the IPG Sarawak Iban Language unit, 360 participants statewide are expected to attend the conference which seeks to promote and preserve Iban language, customs and traditions.
“At the moment, we have 360 but many more want to join but we have to turn them away and hope to accommodate them in future when we have a bigger venue,” said organising chairman Pemanca Wilson Siang Lim.
He said other Iban non-governmental organisations would hopefully come together in future to hold a bigger conference.
The working papers to be presented are Jaku Basa Iban (Padang Luna), Penempa Jaki Iban (Dr Nelson Tandang), Pemansang Jaku Iban (Dr Chermaline Osup), Nanka Adat Asal (Dr Nelson Ilan Mesat), Bahasa Etnik di Borneo (Dr Yabit Alas), Pemantapan Terminologi Akademik Bahasa Iban (Dr Bromeley Philip), and Adat Ngulit dan Tebalu Iban (Dr Robert Menua Saleh).
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas is expected to officially open the conference while Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggi is scheduled to officiate at the closing ceremony.