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 Punans are simple-minded, shy, and retiring people, and the other
nomads even more so. The first-named are more attractive on account of
their superior physique, their candid manners, and somewhat higher
intellect. The natural food of both peoples is serpents, lizards, and all
kinds of animals and birds, the crocodile and omen birds excepted. With
the Bukats, rusa must not be eaten unless one has a child, but with the
Punans it is permissible in any case. The meat of pig is often eaten when
ten days old, and is preferred to that which is fresh. In this they share
the taste of the Dayak tribes I have met, with the exception of the
Long-Glats. I have known the odour from putrefying pork to be quite
overpowering in a kampong, and still this meat is eaten without any ill
effect. Salt is not used unless introduced by Malay traders. And evidently
it was formerly not known to the Dayaks.
None of these jungle people steal and they do not lie, although children
may do either. They were much afraid of being photographed and most of the
Bukats declined. A Bukat woman had tears in her eyes as she stepped
forward to be measured, but smiled happily when receiving her rewards of
salt, tobacco, and a red handkerchief. It had been worth while to submit
to the strange ways of the foreigner.
Both tribes are strictly monogamous and distinguished by the severe view
they take of adultery, which, however, seldom occurs. While it is regarded
as absolutely no detriment to a young girl to sleep with a young man,
matrimonial unfaithfulness is relentlessly punished. Payment of damages is
impossible. The injured Punan husband cuts the head from both wife and
corespondent and retires to solitude, remaining away for a long time, up
to two years. If the husband fails to punish, then the woman's brother
must perform the duty of executioner. The Bukats are even more severe. The
husband of an erring wife must kill her by cutting off her head, and it is
incumbent on her brother to take the head of the husband. At present the
Punans and Bukats are relinquishing these customs through fear of the
Company.
The Bukats told me that they originally came from the river Blatei in
Sarawak, and that Iban raids had had much to do with their movements.
According to their reports the tribe had recently, at the invitation of
the government, left the mountains and formed several kampongs in the
western division. One of them, with short stubby fingers, had a broad
Mongolian face and prominent cheek-bones, but not Mongolian eyes,
reminding me somewhat of a Laplander.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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