Dayak People

Dayak people or Daya or Dyak are the indigenous people of Borneo Island, Indonesia. They live in groups in mountains, outbacks and they are such a terrestrial group, a group who live in land, not in marine zone. Dayak people are divided into some sub-ethnics that have different language and even different way of living. Shortly, Dayak is referred to the 6 tribes of Dayak, they are Kenyah Kayan Bahau, Ot Danum, Iban, Murut, Klemantan and Punan. Those six clusters were subdivided into approximately 405 sub-clusters. Although devided into hundreds of sub-clusters, Dayak group have similar cultural, traits in particular ways. These characteristics become the deciding factor if a sub-tribe in Borneo which can be incoperated into the group of Dayak.

Dates back to the history, in the year 1977-1978, the Asian continent and the island of Borneo, which is part of the archipelago are still together, allowing the mongoloid races of the Asian mainland to wander through and up through the mountains of Borneo to the mountains which is now called “Muller-Schwaner Mountain”. Dayak people was true the Borneo indigenous. However, after the Malays from Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula came, they increasingly retreated back inside. Moreover arrival of the Bugis, Makassar and Javanese in time of Majapahit Empire. Dayak people was living scattered through out the territory of Kalimantan in the span of time, they have spread through the rivers to downstream and then in habit the coast of Borneo Island.

It was analyzed that Dayak people had to build

 an empire. In the oral tradition of dayak, often called “Nansarunai Uak Jawa” which means, A kingdom of dayak Nansarunai was destroyed by Majapahit. This was occur between the years 1309-1369. The incident resulted the Dayaks get inurgency and dispersed, some of them was get into the hinterland. The next big flows occur when the influenced of islam that originated from the kingdom of Demak, with the influx of traders Melayu around 1608. 

In the past the Dayak people were the tribe who practicing th ancient tradition of headhunting. After conversion to Islam or Christianity and unheadhunting legislation by the colonial powers, the practice was banned and disappeared. Nevertheless, some said that Dayak people practicing canibalsmonly when the war is occur and their life is in danger. In other word, practicing canibalsm is not the term of the way of living or part of culture, but it is just the consequences that Dayak people have for someone’s disturbance within their groups.

Dayak people have various types of weapon which commonly used for hunting and war in ancient time, or for everyday use such as in the fields. For example blowpipe(sipet), Saber, Lonjo (spear), Shield (Telawang ) and Spurs. Originally, the main icon from Dayak wapon is Sumpitan and Mandau. Mandau was being used to cup the enemies head in ancient time, when the war was occur. While sumpitan is still exist until present time, and there is no antidote from the poison in sumpitan. Sumpitan is such a bamboo wooden stick along the 1,9 meters to 2,1 meters. Sumpitan should be made of hard wood such us ironwoo, tampang, lanan, etc.

More about Dayak people, they also use tattoo in their culture.

Tattoo for dayak people is referred to religion, social status in society, as well as appreciation for a person. Therefore, the tattoo can not be made arbitrarily. There are certain rules in making a Tattoo or Parung, good selection of pictures, the social structure of the tattooed and the tattoo placemen. The belief that the meaning of making tattoo is used to be a torch when the death occur. The more they have tattoo, the more they are lighten when they die. Still making a tattoo can not be made as much in vain, because it must comply with customs rules. This culture have existed long ago. Tattoos for the Dayak community is not just decoration, but it has very deep meaning. Because tattoos for the Dayak community should be made at will because it’s a party of tradition, a persons social status in society, as well as the appreciation rate on the ability of a person. there are certain rules In making a good tattoo picture choice, social structure someone wearing tattoos and tattoo placement.

For the Dayak tribes who lived around Borneo and Sarawak in Malaysia, the tattoo around the fingers indicate the person who likes to help the tribe as healers. The more tattoos on his arms showing him more and more help and more wise in the science of medicine. For the Dayak Kayan in Kenya and East Kalimantan, many people describe the tattoo is already strong wender. Each village has a different motif tattoo, tattoo indicating the numberof owners have visited many villages.

For everyday living, Dayak people nowadays are depend their life in agricultural things like planting the rice field, plnting bananas or palm oil. Following the modernity that come up nowadays, Dayak people are more to be modern society, but still hold the heritage to be the real dayak.

Some women at dayak tribe also have tradition unique. Having long ear. Much longer than woman’s ear generally. Having long ear is one of characteristics of Dayak Tribe. At ancient time, centuries ago having long ear is not only done by women, but men too. But now only some dayak women that have it. Process to make long ear take time for years. To make ear long, the ear must be give burden. The burden is bracelet from metal, usually copper.the burden will be always added every year as ear accessories. That’s why the ear become long. Much longer.

Long ear is symbol beauty of Dayak Woman. More longer the ear, more beautiful the woman. Long ear also symbolizes social status of woman.only certain women that can have  acccessories from copper that expensive enough. Besides long ear is symbol that the woman is not slave because of lost the war or can not pay deb. Long ear with the accessories also sign how old a Dayak Woman. We can know a Dayak woman’s age by counting total accessories in her ear. If total accessories are 60, it means she is 60 years old. It can be understood because plercing was done when she was baby. Then baby’s ear is given bead as accessories. Then a bead is added every year. After rather adult, accessories that added havier from copper.

Unfortunately, dayak women start to leave the tradition. Only less defend the tradition. Their age rate more than 50 years old. They usually live in Rurai Kalimantan. Even the women that have long ear before cut their ear because of shy. And the young doesn’t want to do it. They assume that having long ear us out of date.