Dayak tribe of Borneo

The indigenous peoples of the Heart of Borneo are commonly known as Dayak. The term ‘Dayak’ refers collectively to non Muslim or non Malay natives of Borneo in general. The term ‘Dayak’ appeared at the end of the nineteenth century, in the context of the imposition of Dutch colonial rule over the tribes residing in the interior regions of Borneo.

Ethnic Dayak consists of six major ethnic groups and divided into 405 sub small tribe, who live spread across the hinterlands of Borneo including Sabah and Sarawak Malaysia. The Dayak who carved numerous works of art descend from the original inhabitants of Borneo who arrived on there around 35.000 years ago.

Dayak traditions in daily life are farming. Dayak traditions of farming life that have changed-moving from one place to the other, looking for fertile land to grow crops.

Traditional tattooing has been customary among men and women in several groups of Dayak Peoples. They use motif designs of snakes, birds and plants, sometimes combined, to symbolise meanings such as bravery, patience and beauty. The motifs are symbolic of the social class, and of individuals of a certain social standing that are allowed to be tattooed with particular motifs.

Most of the Dayak people still adhere to the belief of the existence of unseen objects in certain places such as rocks, large trees, planting gardens in the forest, lakes, pools, and others are believed to have "magical powers".
Dayak tribe of Borneo