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.

Graves Century 18 Biggest Found

Human skeleton in an urn in the grave site urns District Sangasanga, Kutai regency, East Kalimantan, on Saturday (5/6). The research team from the Institute of Archaeology Banjarmasin found 52 urns containing human remains in excavations for 21 days. The tomb is thought to have existed since the 18th century.

Monday, June 7, 2010 - Tenggarong, KOMPAS - Archaeological research team found the grave human-18th century the largest in Sub Sangasanga In, Sangasanga district, Kutai regency, East Kalimantan. The grave was in the form of 52 tajau or jar containing a human skeleton, three skeletons were intact.


Burial Research Team Leader Tajau Sangasanga Sugiyanto Bambang told reporters on Saturday (06/05/2010), said the graves tajau, jars, or martavan is already on the 18th century and became the largest ever found in Indonesia.

Chinese urn patterned carvings from the 16th century until the 18th century. Plates from the 18th century. Bone and soil samples sent to a laboratory in Jakarta to determine the age and type of grave human race.

Three jars were intact now secured at the Museum of the Red and White Sangasanga. The rest broke into pieces and dumped back at any time to further research dismantled. Each jar contains the framework of a single individual with no possessions.

Framework in secondary burial jars is a pattern on the Dayak traditions. Secondary means that the body buried in the ground until transferred to the jar with traditional rituals. The number of individuals in the urn depict a minimal number of animals sacrificed.

Head of Archaeological Heritage Preservation Hall Dublin Tri Edi Haryantoro ask Kutai regency government to secure the status of the excavation site.

Sangasanga known as the Dutch heritage. There were residential oil and gas company employee nod of the 19th century. There, a battle between Indonesia and the Netherlands in the early period of independence. (BRO)


from : http://hurahura.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/kuburan-abad-ke-18-terbesar-ditemukan/

Principal characteristics of Dayak culture

Principal characteristics of Dayak culture (part 1)

          The division of Dayak tribes in large groups based on similarity adat law, language or rites of death shows a diversity of natural enough considering the geographic and demographic conditions of Borneo. But we can menelusiri some basic characteristics that are typical of the show cultural similarities among all the Dayak tribe in Kalimantan.

      1. Longhouse (Lamin, betang, hall, Lawu hante) 

      All the Dayak tribe, except for forgiveness of the living tribe wanders, initially stayed in long houses called Lamin, betang, hall, Lewu hante, etc.. Typical characteristic of this long house: built on poles high enough; in it there is always a large room used for the common interest, such as indigenous ceremony, where guests spend the night and so on. , Each family occupying one room, while an unmarried bachelor general the room to sleep. Newly married couples to build additional rooms in the house that long. That's why this longhouse can grow and become longer and longer.

      This long house to function as:

      - A refuge from all kinds of danger, whether from wild animals as well as of other enemies;

      - Centers around the life of the tribe, because that's where all the ceremonies, which involves both physical and spiritual life, are maintained; from there they moved on to earn a living and over there they bring good fortune;

      - The symbol of a harmonious communal life; in longhouses no shortage and there is no excess; overall occupant is responsible for maintaining the common welfare;

      - Centers of education and youth development. In the language maayan, this hall is called the "hall mantawara, jaru mantaajar" which means the halls of education, where teaching. In its disposal to say: "if the girls could not mengayam the bachelor can not make rope and forged spears, take kebalai education and teaching space, so that's pretty sweet clever mengayam mamapu gallant man makes a spear.". 

      2. weapons: Saber and blowpipe

      Typical weapons and owned by all ethnic Dayak is Saber, which is not owned by the tribe-other susku in Indonesia. A kind of long knife, a small base of a thick section, and then increasingly broad and slightly curved. At the end melancip. Groove along the blade is decorated with carvings and sometimes filled with silver or brass. Heads or upstream saber is made of wood or horn, also carved. Similarly, a knife sheath made of carved wood, and sometimes from animal skin. A very unique from this saber, was when he tied waist, then the sharp blade is always directed upward / downward into and not just as the weapons of other kinds of knives. And this only happens on the saber. It gives practical instructions on how to use the science of battle. With one pull out a direct attack, by not using hand rocking motion from top to bottom.

      Blowpipe is also a typical Dayak weapon, which is made of ironwood (iron wood) that is very hard to sustain endurance kelurusannya. These weapons used for hunting and war dangan use Damak. Damak have a poisonous and some are not. There was poison bebagai types, from nature just as the tranquilizer to the direct lethal. About this blowgun weapons I do not know for sure if also owned by the tribe-other susku in Indonesia. But certainly all Dayak tribes have and know this blowgun weapons. When hunting firearms as a tool of society drawn, we see how the blowpipe berfingsi again.


      3. webbing

      Crafts households in the form of woven (especially from rattan) are from all ethnic Dayak. The unique woven Adri is seen in 2 (two) forms, namely: a. sleeping mats and mat ceremony, and b. strapless transport basket. Sleeping mats and matting ceremony at umumnay finely woven rattan janinan with motifs taken from the mythology of the tribe. Each motif has its own name and meaning.


      While wicker basket, especially given the transport basket roped to shoulder, in my opinion uniquely owned by the Dayak tribe. Basket transport function and usefulness of this variety, there is for clothing, rice, firewood, etc.. Usefulness seemed in fine form-roughly the making, so did his little basket-BESA.

Principal characteristics of Dayak culture (part 2)

      Source: http://bilayuk.blogspot.com/2008/04/kebudayaan-orang-dayak.html


      4. earthenware

      Vessel, jars, pottery belangan since thousands of years is part of the tradition of Dayak tribes in Borneo. The function of this vessel also varied, from the storage of rice, palm wine and other objects up to the place where the corpse. Forms and motifs that exist in this vessel also vary as well that determine its use. He is also a symbol of wealth and social status of a person. Among certain tribes vessel is one of the conditions as "dowry".


      5. swidden system

      Consistent shifting (switching) is a uniform culture among the natives of Borneo. Although this is not to say typical Dayak, because the system there are fields everywhere in Indonesia, but there are aspects which can be categorized as typical of Dayak culture. This is apparent in terms of indigenous farming:

      - Request permission from the chief / head of the indigenous peoples;

      - Search the forest by following certain provisions, both in terms of knowledge about nature, as well as in terms of the trust if the forest that will be worked out that will bring happiness or accident;

      - Ceremonial opening of forests and subsequent cultivation such as cutting, burning and cleaning;

      - Rice cultivation system "sowing" is using a wooden stick to make holes in the ground which is then filled with rice seed;

      - Heavy jobs such as opening early and penugalan usually done in mutual cooperation by the entire population; work is done in turns in each and every lading. Thus the need for labor can be addressed together;

      - Menuaipun work done again in a mutual assistance;

      - Events of sowing and reaping is considered fun event, and because it is almost always accompanied by song and dance.


      Although there among the Dayak tribes who has used this system, rice fields, with irrigation and the use of plows pulled by water buffalo, as among the tribes Lun Daye in Karayam - Kaltim and tribal Kalabit, but in general are all familiar with the system shifting. System fields are already memeperhitungkan crop rotation cycle, with the former shifting kembalii plant with strong plants such as coffee, rubber and fruit trees. Also by letting the former land back into forest underbrush so as to obtain the return of fertility levels are adequate, then after a period of a new cycle of 4-6 years is expected to return. Therefore, shifting (moving) can not dikambinghitamkan as a cause of forest destruction or the environment.


      6. position of women in society


      Geological system in the Dayak is parental, where the father-mother's lineage is considered equal. This is different from the patrilineal system (paternal line / male) or matrilineal system (maternal lineage / woman). Therefore, the Dayak people in fact women have an equal footing with men. Whether in social life and religious life of women prominent enough role. When compared with other religions like Christianity that requires very long time to awaken women to be pastors. Then in the Dayak community had since semulanya the wnaita role as shaman (priest, prietress). Among the tribe Maayan instance, position balian death (wadian Matei) just held you lady. 

      SAA Position ii women guaranteed in the law adapt, as in the indigenous law of marriage. Basically susku marriage among the Dayak is monogamy. The existence of polygamy is a situation that is not normal, extraordinary circumstances or out of the ordinary. If it happens there are provisions that give the advantage to adapt the first wife. If there perjinahan, there are strict penalties in indigenous law. Usually quite detailed settings, such as:

      - Perjinahan (free sex) with a married woman, even this more differentiated between women who already have children with no children.

      - Perjinahan committed by a man who was his legal wife is different from the man who is not married, and many more indigenous provisions which essentially would guarantee the status of the women. 

      7. dance


      In traditional societies, tdilaksanakan always in the context of ritual and ceremonial. But there are also dances are held on public occasions, such as mutual assistance in time of rice planting and harvest time. The dance is basically a seleberasi life. Therefore as far as I know, law among indigenous Dayak tribes prohibit the holding of dances during a certain period after the death. At the end of the death rite, which marks the return to life, the party was held a festive dances. 

      Dancing among the Dayak tribe is not devoted to the specialist dancers, but basically always a folk dance, where everyone, men and women, young and old participated. Philosophy of dance is always pointing to the celebration of life, freedom from fear of death and any sense of personal grief, he describes the dramatic climax of a transition from death to life.


      As a folk dance, although there are patterns of dance movement, but each applicant is free to conduct improvised-improvised according to their own variations. No motion dictated by the shape of the dance. All dances among the Dayak tribe memperluhatkan face of popular dances, that is, not an expression of feudal, such as keratin and similar dances. Freedom in the dance show held inprovasisasi the competitive aspects of the creative.


      As a result of the demands of today's kemoderenan, what else in the process of doing tourism, then the free movements that have dikoreografikan into movement groups, conducted by the dancers in a geometric pattern with joint motions. The problem of how to find a way for the vital force and originality of the dance can be continued and maintained.


      Cultural development in order to improve the living standard


      With megemukakan principal characteristic which indicates the similarity of culture in the Dayak tribes of Borneo does not mean that there are only 7 (seven) cirri which can be found. Principal characteristic that I mentioned most of the material culture diambildari embodiment (physical) and only 2 (two) who are spiritual culture (non-physical). Would find even more characteristic that if we multiply together the spiritual culture, such as for instance culture mengayau, insane views about the origin of ethnic, religious systems, etc..


      Culture as a result of human cultivation also contains a set of positive values ​​and who live in the community. It is these values ​​that will determine the philosophy of life (lebensanschauung) and view of the world (weltanschauung). Therefore culture is experienced as the power of integrative and provide identity for the supporters. The problem faced now how to maintain the strength intergratif culture in order to build the people's economy by improving living standards of quality.


      Hopefully can menampah knowledge all my friends.
good evening