The home-life of Borneo head-hunters

by William Henry Furness

The work of clearing off the jungle is tedious in the extreme, and, if after all the heavy labour, the crops should fail or be destroyed by monkeys, or by birds, or by a beetle called ‘pangau,’ or by blight, the whole household in their discouragement become convinced that they have committed some act to incur the displeasure of the Spirits; therefore, before this arduous work is begun, it is of prime importance to ascertain the exact temper of the Spirits, by observing the actions of certain birds, mammals, and reptiles, all of which are known to the Kayans as ‘Amau,’ and are supposed to be in the confidence of the unseen Powers. It needs but a close observation of bird, beast, and snake to detect the supernal favourable or unfavourable dispositions.

The experienced husbandmen of the household usually select a patch of jungle, which in their opinion will make a good rice-field if the Spirits be favourable; then each family does its share in clearing off the undergrowth.

IBANS FELLING A BUTTRESS TREE.

A TREE’S WIDE-SPREADING, BUTTRESS-LIKE ENLARGEMENTS AT THE FOOT NECESSITATE THE BUILDING OF A SCAFFOLD, WHEREFROM, IN THE FELLING, THE TRUNK MAY BE CUT THROUGH AT ITS SMALLEST DIAMETER. WHEN A TRACT OF JUNGLE IS TO BE FELLED. THE LARGEST TREES ARE CUT PARTLY THROUGH AND LEFT STANDING, SUPPORTED ONLY BY THE TREES AND BY THE INTERLACING VINES ROUND ABOUT; THE LARGEST TREES ON THE CONFINES OF THE TRACT ARE THEN FELLED, AND IN THEIR FALL START ALL THE OTHERS, AND, WITH A SOUND AS OF THUNDER, THE JUNGLE IS PROSTRATED.

During this preliminary stage, when the labour is not as severe as when heavy trees must be felled, the household is not as yet lali; nevertheless, every individual looks out most anxiously for any evil omens. If, on the way to the clearing, a snake called ‘Nipa matei ekoh’ (Dead-tailed snake) is encountered, which has a brilliant red head and a red-tipped tail, or should any one see a deer called ‘Tela-au’ (Cervulus muntjac), or a Civet cat (Arctogale leucotis) called ‘Munin,’ or a Rain bird called by the Kayans ‘Pajan,’ and by the Kenyahs ‘Talajan’ (Platylophus coronatus), they will relinquish the site, and, regardless of the work already done, abandon the place for ever. These four animals are most unfavourable omens when seen near the clearing, and wilfully to disregard their warnings, even at this early stage, not only compromises the abundance and quality of the crops, but also the health, or even the life, of the whole household. Should a man hear a downright warning and yet pay no attention to it, it is natural enough that during the ensuing year he should attribute to this disregard, whatever bad luck or even slight accident might befall him. If on the third day of work on the clearing, the whistle of the Talajan bird is heard near by, the omen is favourable; up to this time it is ill-omened, but now it indicates that the crops will be enormous, and that the rice-houses or granaries must be made of hard, enduring wood, to stand the weight of the rice harvest.

If, during three days, no evil omens have been observed, there is sufficient encouragement therein to proceed to the next stage of felling the heavy timber, and to incite the entire household to co-operate in the search for further requisite auguries.

All the families remain secluded in the long veranda, or in their small private rooms, and sit all day long quite still, smoking and talking; not a soul is allowed to leave the house, or, at most, to go further than the bank of the river, except two men designated as the ‘Laki-Niho,’ (Hawk-men,) whose duty it is to look for a hawk, called ‘Niho.’

While these Hawk-men are engaged in this search, no one must call them by their true names; even an accidental infringement of this rule is punished by a fine of a few beads, or of a coarse china plate. It is the custom of some households for the Laki-Niho not to return to the house during the whole three days’ search for omens; at such times they build in the jungle, near the clearing, a small hut, which they indicate to be permantong, by putting up beside it two poles, called ‘ponkut,’ whereon the bark is stripped into bunches of shavings at intervals down the pole. While living in this hut, members of their own household may communicate with them, if urgent necessity arises, but with strangers, who ought to know from the ponkut, the serious nature of the permantong, they will hold no communication whatever.

Should the hawk be seen on the first day of the search, but not on the two succeeding days, it is unfavourable; nevertheless, they would continue the preparation of the soil, with the expectation, however, of poor crops, which, if from no other cause, would be sure to follow the half-heartedness with which people work when discouraged at the very outset.