 During the 16th century , Bintulu was named " River de Burulu " by Portuguese cartographers . There are several legends surrounding the name Bintulu . During the Brooke dynasty , the indigenous Iban people practised headhunting to maintain their social status in the community . They threw the heads into the Kemena River , after which the heads had to be collected from the river . The practice of collecting the heads was known as " Mentu Ulau " ( picking heads ) in the local native language . Another story relates that two Iban warriors named Bernik and Jelab built houses along the river . They and their followers frequently carried out preservation of severed heads near a small river stream branching off from Sebezaw River because the river bank was flat and wide . Therefore , the small river stream was named " Mentu Ulau " river . Outsiders who came to Bintulu subsequently pronounced the name as " Mentulau " , and later the name evolved into " Bentulu " and , finally , " Bintulu " . 
 During the 16th century , Bintulu was named " River de Burulu " by Portuguese cartographers . <a href='dey_it' title='1'><mark>There</mark></a> are several legends surrounding the name Bintulu . During the Brooke dynasty , the indigenous Iban people practised headhunting to maintain their social status in the community . They threw the heads into the Kemena River , after which the heads had to be collected from the river . The practice of collecting the heads was known as " Mentu Ulau " ( picking heads ) in the local native language . Another story <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>relates</mark></a> that two Iban warriors named Bernik and Jelab built houses along the river . They and their followers frequently carried out preservation of severed heads near a small river stream branching off from Sebezaw River because the river bank was flat and wide . Therefore , the small river stream was named " Mentu Ulau " river . Outsiders <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>came to Bintulu subsequently pronounced the name as " Mentulau " , and later the name<a href='been_done' title='4'><mark></mark></a> evolved into " Bentulu " and , finally , " Bintulu " . 
During the 16th century , Bintulu was named " River de Burulu " by Portuguese cartographers . It is several legends surrounding da name Bintulu . During the Brooke dynasty , the indigenous Iban dudes practised headhunting to maintain their social status in the community . They threw the heads into the Kemena River , after which tdaheads had to be collected from thdaiver . Thedaactice of collecting the dads was known as " Mentu Ulau " ( picking heads ) in the local native language . Another story relate that 2 Iban warriors named Bernik and Jelab built houses along the river . They and their followers frequently carried outt preservation of severed heads near a small river stream branching off from Sebezaw River because the river bank was flat and wide . Therefore , the small river stream was named " Mentu Ulau " river . Outsiders came to Bintulu subsequently pronounced the nda as " Mentulau " , and later the nadadone evolved into " Bentulu " and , finally , " Bintulu " .