The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

Ill THE PEOPLES OF BORNEO z^
is apparently allied to the Kenyah and Klemantan
tongues.
We propose to deal with the topics of each of
our descriptive chapters by giving as full as possible
an^account-of -the Kayans, and adding to this some
observations as to the principal diversities of custom
and culture presented by the other peoples. For,
if we should attempt to describe in detail each of
these peoples with all their local diversities, this
book would attain an inordinate length. The
Kayans are in most respects the most homogeneous
of these peoples, the most conservative and distinctive,
and present perhaps the richest and most
interesting body of belief and custom and art ; while
many of their customs and arts have been adopted
by their neighbours, or are indigenous with them.
We may conclude this chapter by describing
briefly in general terms the physical characters, and
the habits and customs that are common to all or
most of these pagan tribes.
These peoples present no very great differences
of physical character. All are of medium height
their skin-colour ranges from a rich medium brown
to a very pale cafd-au-lait, hardly deeper than the
colour of cream. Their hair is nearly black or
very dark brown, and generally quite lank, but in
some cases wavy or even almost curly. Their
faces show in nearly all cases, though in very
diverse degrees, some of the well-known mongoloid
characters, the wide cheek-bones, the small oblique
eyes, the peculiar fold of the upper eyelid at its nasal
end, and the scanty beard. In some individuals
these traces are very slight and in fact not certainly
perceptible. The nose varies greatly in shape, but
is usually rather wide at the nostrils, and in very
many cases the plane of the nostrils is tilted a little
upwards and forwards. On the other hand some
individuals, especially among the Kenyahs, have
;