The uniqueness and benefits of beads typical of the Dayak

by Ian Apokayan on October 28, 2012 2:08 pm
 (https://www.facebook.com/notes/ian-apokayan/keunikan-dan-manfaat-dari-manik-manik-khas-suku-dayak/364099950351378) 

The beads are made of stones, bones, grain, and plastic with a variety of shapes, small size coupled with the middle hollowed out for threads to become ornaments to beautify an object or even as a means of beautifying themselves. Especially for the Dayak tribe in Kalimantan (Borneo), the beads have become part of everyday life ranging from clothes to decorate regional specialties and complementary accessories, such as bracelets, necklaces, ornaments in the head and so on. In Borneo, beads very much available even to remote hinterland. In Central Kalimantan, beads are often associated with a variety of beliefs, especially by religious Kaharingan.In general it can be described using the beads in Borneo include the bride jewelry, tools to pay a fine, medium of exchange, a symbol of social status, by the nobility used to buy slaves, embellished tunic and necklace shaman, placed on the lips of the dead as a tomb stock. Beads such agit equator, bead necklace Simbang sambi, sa'sawak beads.But the existence of objects which in English is called "bead" turned out for the largest island of Indonesia in Borneo is not just decoration, but it is widely used for other purposes such as processed as a talisman or a repellent reinforcements. The beads assessed sacred objects to also be a means of ceremonies, medical facilities, provision of death, as a medium of exchange or dowry can even beads symbolize the social status of their owners.

Jewelry beads, was named one of the themes for the craft to be one of the symbols of adhesive to the culture of Borneo, because almost all the symbols Kalimantan always use beads as jewelry. The beads are usually used as a sweetener in traditional dresses, the jewelry lady Dayak tribe, as a wall decoration, pottery decoration development even now beads are also used for handbags, wallet, and cell phone holster or a pencil or pen.The beauty of beads is dependent on the materials used, shapes, dyes and manufacturing techniques. Based on the record, the beads are made of various materials that are widely known such as rocks, glass, ceramics, metals, shells, bone, ivory, wood, sap wood, seeds, beads, and other materials.The beads include the oldest relic, because based beads were found there is made of mixed materials such as those found at Tell Arpachiyah Mesopotamia (4000 BC) made of limestone and beads made of stone relics of Pharaonic dynasty.According to history the oldest beads found in France, at the archaeological site of La Quina about 38,000 BC.While the initial center of the bead-making in Mesopotamia and Egypt around 65,000 BC. While in Indonesia beads supposedly been around since prehistoric times, namely the hunt after the discovery of old beads in a cave in East Java Sampung.

Benefits beads

Based on the record, to understand the purpose and meaning of stones in color beads color beads actually depends Dayak themselves, beads were presented in each of the Dayak traditional ceremony usually colored red, green, yellow, blue and white. Each color has a meaning and a different privilege, because that is in the Dayak community, if the color of the red stone beads then this is a symbol of the meaning of life, if the blue stone beads have meaning across the power source that does not easily fade.If the color yellow symbolizes the meaning of this stone beads depict the grandeur and sacred, and if the color is a green stone beads have meaning and essence of the completeness of the universe, whereas if the color stone beads are white then it symbolizes a meaning picture symbol of the sanctity of one's faith to the creator. In addition to the meaning of the Dayak color stone beads are different to the type of stone beads, origin of materials used is always kornelin, rock crystal, onix, striped agate, chalcedony and amethyst. In view of the Dayak people, stone beads made of amethyst and agate is believed to have magical privileges therein.At the beads agate beads that have a cross image footprint starlings, for example, believed to guarantee the wearer safely to any destination travel a lot so it would make a great souvenir. While the agate beads with red and white line drawings (sardoniks) are believed to make the wearer immune to stone bead bullets.In general, the use of beads made of agate stone can also heal the sick and bring good harvests for farmers. So it is with the use made of amethyst stone beads, this thing is also believed to help cure diseases, detoxifying poisonous due to animal attacks and burns to the wearer.The beads are used as a repellent reinforcements, the owner can avoid interference from evil spirits or beings smooth, used for traditional ceremonies as assessed beads have the power, used for the treatment of beads assessed to repel the forces of evil. Scarcity beads have a high value, so that it will raise the degree or status of the owner, because the beads have the power because it is also used in preparation of death.