Through Central Borneo; an Account of Two Years' Travel in the Land of Head-Hunters Between the Years 1913 and 1917Lumholtz, Carl
History
Through Central Borneo; an Account of Two Years' Travel in the Land of Head-Hunters Between the Years 1913 and 1917
Lumholtz, Carl
Borneo -- Description and travel; Ethnology -- Borneo; Natural history -- Borneo
The hair is not cut nor their teeth. The women wear around the head a ring
of cloth inside of which are various odoriferous leaves and flowers of
doubtful appreciation by civilised olfactory senses. A strong-smelling
piece of skin from the civet cat is often attached to this head ornament,
which is also favoured by natives on the Mahakam.
In regard to ear ornamentation the Penyahbongs are at least on a par with
the most extreme fashions of the Dayaks. The men make three slits in the
ear; in the upper part a wooden disk is enclosed, in the middle the tusk
of a large species of cat, and in the lobe, which is stretched very long,
hangs a brass coil. The ears of the women have only two incisions, the one
in the middle part being adorned with bead strings, while in the lobe up
to one hundred tin rings may be seen. They are tatued, and noticeable on
the men is a succession of stars across the chest, as if hanging on a
thread which is lower in the middle. The stars symbolise the fruits of
durian. The colour of the tatuing is obtained from damar.
Formerly they wore scanty garments of fibre, the man wearing only a loin
cloth, and in case of cold weather a piece of the same material covered
the shoulders and back. The woman had a short skirt folded together at the
back, and both sexes used rattan caps. Besides sago their main subsistence
was, and still is, all kinds of animals, including carnivorous, monkeys,
bears, snakes, etc. The gall and urine bladder were universally thrown
away, but at present these organs from bear and large snakes are sold to
traders who dispose of them to Chinamen. Formerly these people had no
salt.
No cooking utensils were employed. Sago was wrapped in leaves and placed
on the fire, and the meat was roasted. There is no cooking separately for
men and women, and meals are taken irregularly, but usually twice a day.
The crocodile is not eaten, because it would make one mad, nor are
domestic dogs or omen birds used for food. Honey is collected by cutting
down the tree. Their principal weapon is the sumpitan, which, as usual,
with a spear point lashed to one end, also serves as spear and is bought
from the Saputans. Parang and shield complete the man's outfit. On the
Busang only ten ipoh (upas) trees are known from which poison may be
obtained for the blow-pipe darts; to get a new supply a journey of two
days down the river is necessary, and six for the return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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