The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

276 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap.
p. 88] is termed trong, the ^%% plant. On the breast and
shoulders some forms of rosette or star design are tatued in
considerable profusion ; they are known variously as
bunga trough the ^%%
plant flower, tandan buahy bunches
of fruit, lukut, an antique bead, and ringgit salilang. A
four-pointed star, such as that shown in Fig. 64, is termed
buah andu^ fruit of Plukenetia corniculata ; since this fruit
is quadrate in shape with pointed angles, it is evident that
the name has been applied to the pattern because of its
resemblance to the fruit. Furness figures examples of
these designs and also Ling Roth [7, p. 88]. We figure
(Figs. 75, ^6, yy) three designs for the
throat known sometimes as katak^ frogs,
sometimes as tali gasieng, thread of the
spinning wheel, and no doubt other meaningless
names are applied to them. Two
of the figures (Figs. 75, yy) are evidently
modifications of the Bakatan gerowit
design, but here they are represented
with the tatu pigment, whilst with the
Fig 77
Bakatans the design is in the natural
colour of the skin against a background
of pigment, i.e. the Dayak design is the positive of the
Bakatan negative. Furness figures two examples of the
throat design, one with a transverse row of stars cutting
across it; the same authority also figures a design for the
ribs known as tali sabit, waist chains, consisting of two
stars joined by a double zigzag line. The same design is
sometimes tatued on the wrist, when it is known as lukut^
antique bead ; it is also tatued on the throat [7, p. 88],
and attention has already been drawn to the probable
derivation of this design also from a Bakatan model.
It is only very seldom that Sea Dayak women tatu, and
then only in small circles on the breasts [7, p. 83] and on
the calves of the legs.
As a conclusion to the foregoing account of Bornean
tatu we add a table which summarises in the briefest
possible manner all our information ; its chief use perhaps
will lie in showing in a graphic manner the blanks in our
knowledge that still remain.
We do not consider that tatu can ever be of much value
in clearing up racial problems, seeing how much evidence
there is of interchange of designs and rejection of indigenous