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Updated: June 6, 2025
The Social System The Kayans constitute a well-defined and homogeneous tribe or people. Although their villages are scattered over a wide area, the Kayan people everywhere speak the same language and follow the same customs, have the same traditions, beliefs, rites, and ceremonies.
It must be observed that the Dyak also differs from the Kayan in not being tattooed; and from the Kayan Millanows, &c., in not using the national weapon the sumpitan.
We give first in a condensed form the substance of a long rambling creation-myth current among all branches of the Kayan people. This myth is sung in rhymed blank verse, a fact which is partly responsible for the wealth of names occurring in it. In the beginning there was a barren rock.
Kenyah dog design, copied from a Kayan model. From a tatu-block in the Sarawak Museum. Kayan dog design. From a tatu-block in the Sarawak Museum. Kayan dog design. From a tatu-block in the Sarawak Museum. Kayan double dog design for outside of thigh of man. From a tatu-block in the Sarawak Museum. A=pup. For thigh of man. From a tatu-block in Sarawak Museum.
The most repulsive form, just described, does not seem to interfere with general health. Three of my Kayan carriers thus affected were more muscular and stronger than the rest. One of them was the humorous member of the party, always cutting capers and dancing.
A Kayan community seldom continues to inhabit the same spot for more than about a dozen years; though in exceptional instances houses are continuously inhabited for thirty or even forty years.
Kayan mothers believe that every child must go through this, and that one attack protects against its recurrence; and the rareness of the disease in adults seems to bear out this belief. Most of the children are weaned about the end of their second year. During the next years, until the boy is five or six years of age, he remains always under the care of his mother.
In furnishing iron ready for forging, they were simply supplying in a convenient form an article already in use, and for which there was an urgent demand. In the islands to the south we find that many of the pagan tribes do now, or did until recently, mine and smelt the ore. Beccari tells us that the Kayan of Borneo extract iron ore found in their own country.
I told them I should represent the matter to the Tuan Besar, and that no doubt he will give his chop to each tribe. They all speak well of Bandar Cassim; but his people are bad, and those at Gadong are worse. "14th. At 6h 30m started up the river Kayan toward Tumma, having left Talip with nineteen men to return to Sarawak by way of Samarahan.
Thus the peculiar Kayan custom of tatuing the thighs of women has a close parallel in the tatuing of the thighs of men among all Burmese and Shans; and the Kayans may well have adopted the practice from them.
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