Disrespecting the dead and the living: Iban ancestor worship and the violation of mourning taboos

Traditional Iban religion revolves around the worship of ancestors and the maintenance of cosmic order through the proper observance of rituals and ta boos. Taboo violation is generally met with sanctions said to restore cosmi c and social balance and to avert supernaturally-cause misfortune. From the perspective that religious behaviour involves communication among the livi ng within the context of important social relationships, this article exami nes ancestor worship and the violation of mourning taboos among Iban in Wes t Kalimantan, Indonesia. Of particular focus are the social circumstances b ehind cases of taboo violation and how the breaking of mourning taboos may show disrespect towards the dead and the living. Furthermore, how Iban trea t individual cases of taboo violation reveals much about how social relatio ns structure people's interpretations of disrespect.