The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

244 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
are largely animal derivatives ; but the artists
themselves seldom are aware of the derivation,
even when the pattern bears the name of its animal
origin ; and as to the names of all, except the most
obvious animal derivatives, even experts will differ.
The frog, the young bird, the human form, and the
lizard are the originals most frequently claimed.
Parts of the animal, such as the head or eye, are
commonly repeated in serial fashion detached from
the rest of its form. And in many cases it is, of
course, impossible to identify the parts of the pattern,
although it may show a general affinity with unmistakable
animal patterns. One such pattern very
commonly used in dyeing is named after Agi bulaUy
the large shrew {Gymnura) ; but we have not been
able to trace the slightest resemblance to the
animal in any of the various examples we have
seen (Pis. 131, 132).
We are inclined to suppose that the I bans have
copied many of their cloth-patterns from the Malays
together with the crafts of dyeing and weaving.
For their technique is similar to that of the Malays
all over the peninsula, and the same is true of some
of their designs. Only in this way, we think, can
we account for their possession of these crafts,
which are practised by but very few of the other
inland peoples. The fact that plant derivatives
predominate greatly over animals in their designs,
whereas the reverse is true of almost all other
tribes, bears out this supposition, for the Malays
are forbidden by their religion to represent animal
forms, and make use largely of plant forms.
Tatu
Tatuing is extensively practised among the
tribes of Borneo. A great variety of patterns are
used, and they are applied to many different parts of