The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

CHAPTER XI
HANDICRAFTS
In any account of the arts and crafts of the Kayans,
the working of iron claims the first place by reason
of its high importance to them and of the skill and
knowledge displayed by them in the difficult operations
by which they produce their fine swords.
The origin of their knowledge of iron and of the
processes of smelting and forging remains hidden
in mystery ; but there can be little doubt that the
Kayans were familiar with these processes before
they entered Borneo, and it is probable that the
Kayans were the first ironworkers in Borneo, and
that from them the other tribes have learnt the
craft with various measures of success/ However
this may be, the Kayans remain the most skilful
ironworkers of the country, rivalled only in the
production of serviceable sword - blades by the
Kenyahs.
At the present day the Kayans, like all the other
peoples, obtain their iron in the form of bars of iron
and steel imported from Europe and distributed
by the Chinese and Malay traders. But thirty
years ago nearly all the iron worked by the tribes
^ The Malays of Bruni and the other coast settlements have, of course, used
iron, and perhaps to some small extent forged it, since the time when they
adopted Arab civilisation ; but they have not at any time practised the smelting
of iron ore. Between three and five hundred years ago the principal currency
of the people of Bruni consisted of small oblong flattened pieces of iron
known as sapanggal (about 2 x i x ^ inches) bearing the Sultan's stamp. This
iron was probably obtained from Chinese and other foreign traders, and was
worked up into implements.
VOL. I 193 O