Reposting brother Adrian Jo Milang’s post, in our quest to combat misreprestatiom of Sarawak Dayaks in the media.
Don’t believe everything you read. Always ask someone from the tribe. PLEASE SHARE AND TAG “HISTORY” IN YOUR COMMENTS
@adrian jo milang
Dear HISTORY
Firstly,
There are Kayans in Kalimantan too. After waves of migrations, we resided at 6 different areas in Sarawak, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia. These areas are in the Mahakam and Mendalam in Kalimantan Indonesia, then Balui, Belaga, Baram and Tubau in Sarawak.
Secondly,
That belief you wrote is according to the MENDALAM Kayan. For us the Sarawak Kayan, tattoos symbolizes wealth and the status of a person.
Sincerely,
A Kayan dude.
P/s : Seng ngalong ket tih meteng kelunan aring, asu seng ngetnup tua. Java' ka' ak pekavuk burak dua' tajo. Abuhkah.
In Sarawak, Malaysia, Kayan women believed that after death, a watchman would examine their souls, before they can cross the bridge into the next world. They believed that their tattoo marks must be completed so it would illuminate a light to lead their souls to the souls of their ancestors.
Kayan girls started getting the tattoo on their fingers and upper part of their feet at the age of ten. After a year, they should have a tattoo on their forearms and thighs. The whole tattoo should be completed before the Kayan women became pregnant. It was considered immodest to be tattooed after having a child.
In the 1950s, the missionaries advised the tribes of Borneo to discontinue such cultural tradition. Today, only the female elders have tribal tattoos.
Do you have a tattoo? What does your tattoo signify?
#ThinkYouKnow
