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
In the latter part of July we went to the near-by kampong, Long Tujo ("a
small animal with many legs"), situated at the mouth of another small
tributary to the Mahakam. Here live Long-Glats who are located below the
other Bahau peoples of the river and are found as far as Batokelau, between
the upper and lower rapids. Though Long Iram is rather distant--five days'
travel down-stream, and, if the river is high, perhaps two months may be
consumed in returning--still its influence was evidenced by the several
umbrellas I saw, all black, an adaptation from the high-class Malays and an
unusual sight in these parts. The kapala of this large kampong resembled a
Malay raja, in that he always carried an umbrella when he walked and looked
pale because the sun was not allowed to shine upon him. Two days later,
when I photographed the ladies performing dances, they had at least five of
these fashionable contrivances.
It may be stated that natives of the Dutch Indies are generally afraid of
the sun. Well-to-do Malays carry umbrellas as a protection against it. In
Batavia I read in the newspapers that the Sultan of Priok, when visiting
an aviation camp, was so overcome by the heat that he had to be carried
away, regaining consciousness on arriving at his quarters. However, the
attack may have been induced to some extent by general lack of exercise
and the indolent life that characterises his compatriots who occupy high
positions.
Even some of the pagan tribes protect their heads, as the Katingans, the
Duhoi, and others, who make beautiful sunshades, which also serve in case
of rain, and this was not learned from the Malays. In the Bornean tribes
that I visited, until the child is old enough to walk, the sun is not
allowed to shine upon it even for a moment. The blacks of Australia, on
the other hand, who are in a state of absolute nudeness, pay no attention
to the sun, though in common with most natives of hot countries they
usually prefer to follow the example of the animals and remain quiet in
the middle of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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