Kadayans don't tatu themselves

Written by Arimi Sidek

Thursday, 12 June 2008

The practice of tatu is so widely spread throughout Borneo that it seems simpler to give a list of the tribes that do not tatu, than of those who do. Kadayan of Bruni 3, 1912 The practice of tatu1 (sic.) is so widely spread throughout Borneo that it seems simpler to give a list of the tribes that do not tatu, than of those who do. We can divide such a list into two sections: the first including those tribes that originally did not tatu, though nowadays many individuals are met with whose bodies are decorated with designs copied from neighbouring tribes; the second including the tribes (mostly Klemantan) that have given up the practice of tatu owing to contact with Mohammedan2 and other influences. A. 1. Punan 2. Maloh 3. Land Dyak B. 4. Malanau 5. Miri 6. Dali 7. Narom 8. Sigalang (down−river tribes of Ukit stock) 9. Siduan 10. Tutong 11. Balait 12. Bekiau (traces of a former practice of tatu occasionally found) 13. Bisaya 14. Kadayans Footnote: 1The exact spelling of Dr Charles Hose in reference to modern day term of 'tatoo'. 2 Just in case that you are not aware of, whenever you came across with the term 'Mohammedan' anywhere in this website - and also in most of western materials - it should be read as 'Islam'. Western researchers were too stupid to differentiate between prophet Muhammad (pbuh) own ideas and the saying of almighty God. Source: Hose, Charles & McDougall, 1912. The Pagan Tribes of Borneo. Borneo at the end of 19th Century, by Dr Charles Hose (1863-1929) and McDougall, William (1871-1938). The book is no longer copyrighted in the USA and now obtainable under Project Gutenberg.