Borneo Dance
Editors note: Many of us from the West have sat through a dance performed by natives without having a clue of what they mean. They look interesting but the symbols of the movements escape us. Here, we attempt to explain those movements.
Most of the literature asserts the dance has derived from headhunting. Only those tribes which practised headhunting had refined and codified rituals.
“The room partially lighted with damar torches-the clang of noisy instruments – the crowd of wild spectators-the screams of encouragements to the performers-flowing hair and rapid evolution of dancers formed a scene I wish could have been reproduced by such a master as Rembrandt or Caravaggio” -Rajah James Brooke
“…as the music quickened, he drew his bright parang and leapt violently forward, weaving and dodging, with immense exertion, cutting and striking, parrying unseen blows with his mimed shield. For a small second, his ghostly form was off guard, tripped on the shingle, and heir to the lordship of all of the Kenyah of Nanya Sinyut claim victory with one malicious blow.”- O’Hanlon
The feathers are attached to the headdress of the male and on the headbands of the females and fastened on the middle fingers of the girls. The dances are described
“The long feathers sweep over the bodies in alternating curves, a dance that began in a crouching position and opened gradually upwards as she rose…a celestial bird…the two fans of the tail feathers of the Rhinoceros hornbill, at the end of her outstretched arms joined above the head.” Rajah James Brooke
In former days, a leopard or bearskin cape was worn over the shoulders, chest and back of the dancer with a seat mat attached to the back of the loincloth. Warriors thus attired for battle and with decorated shield and parang would pantomime seeking each other.
“through the entanglement of tropical vegetation…the dancer is extraordinary, for however high they jump or however far their stride may be, these Dyak dancers are graceful and noiseless as panthers” Rajah James Brooke
There are no set steps to the solo dancer. The preparation involves a visible drawing inward with intense concentration which some have described as calmness and serenity. This mental attitude creates a powerful impression, almost trancelike, an embodiment of the spirit.
In the dancing, control is maintained at the groin area which enables the dancer to sustain movement in the torso and legs while rising, sinking, balancing, pivoting and spiralling cross-legged to the ground.
The most prominent part of the body parts used were the hands and legs bending and rotating at the wrists. They shaped and carved the space reaching out to shoulder level, elbows slightly bent. The head was raised occasionally, seemingly glancing upward.
The feet seemed to roll occasionally from the outer edge of the sole to the inner. The delicacy of foot placement was facilitated by the semi crouch position and strong tension at the body centre.
Sometimes, a loud shriek was shouted arbitrarily but only three times during the dance. Random jumps were made by the male dancer. The women refrained from screaming and jumping making gentler stamps every once in a while. The dance did not travel in space but rather turned around in place. The dancer always faced the audience. The agility of a particular dancer was depended on the amount of control so that strong young men appeared to give a powerful performance.
Many people have pointed out the dancers give an obvious bird or warrior image. The Hornbill is said to embody the war god. However, the author states in non-headhunting groups it is neither a war nor bird image but a vine image. Many of the large rainforest trees have Liana vines attached to them with the base of the vine attached to the trunk of the tree. The placing of the dancers’ feet resembles the delicate part where the vines attach to the trunk. The trunk then becomes the torso of the dancer. The Liana vine represents the arms extending outwards. The bird’s nest ferns resemble the cap and feathers worn by the dancer.
The dancing for tourist groups leads with a cacophony of different dance steps combined from the different peoples to please the tourists. These mixed-up dance steps do not reflect the dance of old.
From: Some features of the solo dance that maintain its variability from tribes in transition in Sarawak by Juliette T. Crump in the Sarawak Museum Journal December 1991
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