The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

214 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
by the use of a block of wood grooved for the recep-
tion of the strip and pierced with holes opening into
the groove at the required intervals.
The most elaborately decorated and finely plaited
basket-ware is made by some of the Klemantan subtribes,
especially the Kanowits and the Tanjongs,
and the Kalabits, who use, as well as the black dye,
a red dye (PI. no). The last is made by boiling
the seeds of the rattan in water and evaporating
the product until it has the consistency of a thick
paste. The Punans also excel in this craft. These
adepts barter much of their handiwork in this kind
with the people of communities less skilled in it.
This affords yet another illustration of the fact that
the various specialised handicrafts are traditional in
certain tribes and sub-tribes, and are practised
hardly at all or in an inferior manner only by the
other tribes, who seem to find it impossible to
achieve an equal degree of mastery of these crafts.
Hat-making
The large flat circular hat worn by the Kayans
for protection against sun and rain is made by the
women from the large leaves of a palm. It is the
only important handicraft practised by the women
only. The hard tough fluted leaves are pressed
flat and dried, when the flutes form ribs diverging
from the stem. Triangular pieces of the length of
the radius of the hat {i.e, from twelve to eighteen
inches) are cut and then sewn together in a double
layer ; those of the upper layer radiate from the
centre ; those of the under layer are disposed in the
reverse direction, so that their ribs diverge from
the periphery, crossing those of the upper layer at an
acute angle. This arrangement gives great rigidity
to the whole structure. The two layers are stitched
together by threads carried round the hat in con-