The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

2IO PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
diversity of plan is exhibited by the houses of Ibans.
An Iban community seldom remains in the same
house more than three or four years ; it is, no
doubt, partly on this account that their houses are
built in a less solid style than those of most other
tribes. The timbers used are lighter ; the house is
not raised so high above the ground, and the floor
is usually made of split bamboo in place of the
heavy planks used by Kayans and others. The
plan of construction is less regular. The numerous
slight supporting piles pass through the floor of
the gallery in all sorts of odd positions ; the only
part that is kept clear of them being a narrow
gangway that runs from end to end of the house ;
it adjoins the private chambers, and is about four
feet in width ; it is called tempuan.
Some of the Klemantans make houses very
inferior to those of the Kayans in respect to size,
solidity, and regularity of construction ; lashed
bamboos largely replace the strongly morticed timber-work
of the better houses ; but the worst
houses of all are made by those Punans who have
recently adopted the agriculture and settled habits
of the other peoples.
Other Kinds of Wood-working
The building of houses and the shaping of boats
are by far the most important kinds of wood- working
; but there are many small articles of wood in
the making of which much skill and ingenuity are
displayed. Among these the shields and parangsheaths
deserve special mention. The former have
been described in Chapter X.
The sword-sheath is made from two slips of
hard wood, cut to fit together exactly, leaving a
space accurately shaped for the lodgment of the
sword-blade. The two slips are neatly lashed