Man, Past and PresentKeane, A. H. (Augustus Henry)
History
Man, Past and Present
Keane, A. H. (Augustus Henry)
Anthropology; Ethnology
looked a gradual transformation took place in the creature at her feet.
Slowly, as one sees a ripple of wind pass over the surface of still
water, the tiger's features palpitated and were changed, until the
horrified girl saw the face of her husband come up through that of the
beast, much as the face of a diver comes up to the surface of a pool. In
another moment Patimah saw that it was Haji Ali who was ascending the
ladder of his house, and the spell that had hitherto bound her was
snapped."
These same Malays of Perak, H. H. Rajah Dris tells us, are still
specially noted for many strange customs and superstitions "utterly
opposed to Muhammadan teaching, and savouring strongly of devil-worship.
This enormous belief in the supernatural is possibly a relic of the
pre-Islam State[514]."
We do not know who were the primitive inhabitants of Borneo. One would
expect to find Negritoes in the interior, but despite the assertion of
A. de Quatrefages[515] it is impossible to overlook the conclusions of
A. B. Meyer[516] that no authoritative evidence of their occurrence is
forthcoming, and A. C. Haddon[517] confidently states that there are
none in Sarawak. It might be supposed that the Pre-Dravidian element
found in Sumatra and Celebes might occur also in Borneo, but the only
indication of such influence is the "black skin" noticed among certain
Ulu Ayar of the Upper Kapuas in Western Dutch Borneo[518]. With the
exception of certain peoples such as Europeans, Indians, Chinese, and
Orang-Malayu, whose foreign origin is obvious, the population as a whole
may be regarded as being composed of two main races, the Indonesian and
Proto-Malay. Probably all tribes are of mixed origin, but some, such as
the _Murut_, _Dusun_, _Kalabit_, and _Land Dayak_ are more Indonesian
while the _Iban_ (_Sea Dayak_) are distinctly Proto-Malay. The _Land
Dayak_ have doubtless been crossed with Indo-Javans.
Scattered over a considerable part of the jungle live the nomad _Punan_
and _Ukit_. They are a slender pale people with a slightly broad head.
They are grouped in small communities and inhabit the dense jungle at
the head waters of the principal rivers of Borneo. They live on
whatever they can find in the jungle, and do not cultivate the soil, nor
live in permanent houses. Their few wants are supplied by barter from
friendly settled peoples, or in return for iron implements, calico,
beads, tobacco, etc., they offer jungle produce, mainly gutta,
indiarubber, camphor, dammar and ratans. They are very mild savages, not
head-hunters, they are generous to one another, moderately truthful,
kind to the women and very fond of their children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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