Intro
In this project my main focus is the Sangkarut - a traditional ceremonial waistband from Ngayu tribe in Borneo. This project's main objective was to make a replica and later a reinterpretation of said waistband, which I can’t do without a meticulous research on the matter. While I was trying to find more information and learn about the culture and history of Borneo and its people (where the waistband comes from), I realised this traditional garment is just a starting point to the long history of discrimination and inequality withing the Dayak culture.
Sangkarut
To begin with, let’s explain a bit more about the sangkarut itself. It comes from Dayak culture (Dayak tribes were mostly associated with Kalimantan - Indonesian part of Borneo), specifically the Dayak Ngaju tribe in Borneo. It was most often worn by tribe’s ceremony specialist to various important social engagements, like marriage ceremonies, funerals, blessings etc. Besides that, warrior tribesman would also wear it when going to war or battle. In any case, sangkarut was a shield of sorts, it provided spiritual protection from bad spirits Ito the wearer in trying times.
Originally the waistband would be made from a special fabric that was woven from dried and processed Lamba leaf fibre. On top it would usually be heavily embroidered with abundance of amulets, shells, beads. Often the embroidery would portray symbols important to the tribes religion like for example The Tree of Life (a concept that is a very base to the original beliefs of the tribe) or symbols of e.x. bravery and power.
However the specific Sangkarut that I saw in Wereld Museum in Rotterdam varied from the original designs. It was made from simple cotton and embroidered neatly with white glass buttons, with a very simplistic symbolism. These changes probably come from he times of colonial rule in Borneo, where the European and Christian values where forced upon their traditional culture and religion.
About Dayak history and colization
The Dayak people are indigenous to the island of Borneo, which is divided between Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. "Dayak" is an umbrella term for all the indigenous tribes of borneo. These groups share cultural and linguistic similarities but have distinct customs, belief systems, and practices. Traditionally, the Dayaks lived in longhouses, practiced shifting agriculture, and had complex social structures based around communal living.
The history of the Dayak people has been significantly shaped by the forces of colonization, particularly from European powers. Beginning in the 16th century, European exploration in Southeast Asia brought the region into contact with European traders. The Dutch and the British were the main colonial powers in Borneo. The Dutch controlled much of Borneo's southern and western territories, while the British took control of the northern parts of the island, including present-day Sabah and Sarawak. These colonial powers sought to exploit the island's natural resources, including timber, rubber, and oil, and strived to expand their influence in the region.
During the colonial period, the Dayak people were subjected to various forms of control and manipulation. The British, in particular, employed a policy of indirect rule in Sarawak, relying on local rulers, such as the White Rajahs, to govern the indigenous populations. However, the Dayaks faced significant disruptions to their traditional way of life. In Sarawak, for instance, the White Rajah Charles Brooke implemented policies that altered Dayak land use, often forcing them into a system of labor for the colonial economy. On top of that, the Dayaks’ traditional headhunting practices, which were an integral part of their culture, were suppressed by colonial authorities, who saw it as barbaric. The British, along with other colonial powers, also wanted to integrate the Dayaks into the larger economy by converting them to Christianity, teaching them English, and introducing Western education, which in many cases led to a decline in indigenous customs and languages.
The impact of colonization on the Dayak people was also marked by a lot of violence and disruption. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were numerous uprisings, such as the 1850s' Dayak Rebellions in Borneo, in which indigenous groups fought against both colonial authorities and external economic pressures. These rebellions were often a response to land appropriation, the imposition of foreign taxes, and the forced labor systems. While colonial powers succeeded in crushing most of these uprisings, they were not entirely able to stop the Dayaks' resistance to foreign rule.
Following World War II, both the British and Dutch colonial administrations gradually let go of control over Borneo, and the region entered a period of "decolonization". Malaysia was formed in 1963, incorporating the British territories of Sabah and Sarawak, and Indonesia consolidated its rule over the island's southern portion, including Kalimantan. In the post-colonial era, the Dayak people still face the conquences of the colonial rule, including the loss of land to agricultural expansion and development.
Influence of Christianity
Before Christian influence, Dayak people practiced animism and shamanism, worshipping spirits of nature, ancestors, and engaging in rituals like headhunting. Ofcourse specific customs varied form trube to tribe.
Christian missionaries arrived in the 19th century, particularly in British-controlled Borneo (Sarawak). They aimed to "civilize" the Dayaks by converting them to Christianity, often offering protection and resources in exchange for conversion.
Christianity led to the decline of traditional Dayak religious practices. Missionaries condemned animistic rituals, replacing them with Christian rites such as baptism, church services, and holidays.
Indigenous ceremonies, like harvest festivals and headhunting, were abandoned or modified to fit Christian teachings. Dayaks were thought to view their own traditions as inferior or sinful.
Christian teachings emphasized individual salvation, education, and rejection of "pagan" practices. Mission schools promoted Western values and Christianity, leading younger generations to adopt Christian beliefs over traditional ways.
The influence of Christianity reshaped Dayak culture, with many abandoning ancestral customs. However, this also created a generational gap, as younger Dayaks became more Westernized and Christianized. Now most of Borneo's indeginous communities identify as christian with a slowly growig muslim population.
Modern political struggles of the Indigenous
In today's reality the Dayak communities still have to face many retribiutions of the colonization times. For example, many indigenous communities rely on ancestral lands for their livelihoods, but their rights are often unrecognized by state legal systems in Indonesia (Kalimantan), Malaysia (Sarawak and Sabah), and Brunei. Governments frequently prioritize development projects, such as palm oil plantations, over indigenous claims. This also creates less and less job opportunities for the indigenous as with large scale deforestation, mining and land disspossesion, grows the problem of mistreatment and discrimination within the workforce. Legal battles are expensive and time-consuming, leaving many communities without recourse.
On top of that, Indigenous people have limited political representation in national and regional governments. Their voices are often marginalized in decision-making processes affecting their communities.
For now the indigenous tribes of Borneo are staying resilient and continue to fight the battle against the "modern colonizers", striving to preserve their cultural identity and advocate for land rights and political recognition.
Sources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311983.2019.1665936#abstract
https://environmentalpaper.org/2023/07/borneo-communities-want-their-land-back/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/apr/16/indonesia-endangered-habitats
https://mmc.kalteng.go.id/berita/read/1848/index.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngaju_people
https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ngaju-dayak
