The Loincloth of Borneo
The loincloth was worn by the male Dyaks living in Borneo. It was used to cover and hold the genitals while the man is engaged in activities such as hunting, fishing or sitting around the campfire. The loincloth allowed the Dyak to feel the cloth against his genitals while in comparison, European clothing was used to cover everything up.
The author states the loincloth was to separate humans from the animals much like white teeth were coloured by the Dyaks to be unlike the wild animals. The loincloth also separated the sexuality of humans from creatures. Whereas animals mated to anyone within their species, humans had a strong propensity against incest.
The loincloth was to attract attention to the penis. His idea is to control his sexuality in a socially acceptable way whereas the animals of the forest do not.
Barkcloth was probably the first loincloth. A strip of bark was passed between the legs and secured at the waist with a belt.
The loincloth worn by the Dyaks was 10 inches wide and 10-12 feet long. Hold one end in front of you with your hand or chin. The distance it falls determines the length of the apron. Pass the material between your legs and bring it from back to front then from right to left around your waist. Wind it around your waist. Then double the cloth under the part that comes from between your legs and form a loop until the belt and pouch are sufficiently tight. (see diagram)
The standard Borneo loin cloth goes at least twice around the waist and the apron and tail will hang about 2/3 of the way down the legs. The Borneo fashion is to cover broadband of the waist including the navel. If the man is doing a chore where the loincloth could be wet or soiled, he can tuck the bottom parts into the waistband.
Dyaks preferred to use cloth dyed in colours such as red, dark blue or black. About 100 years ago (from 1991) Dyaks preferred white cotton. It would be natural to suppose the women made the loincloths for their men. At night, when courting, when the Dyak man got up to leave, the lady would pull the tail of the loincloth to urge him to return.
In sewing, the women would spend much time decorating the bottom portions of the loincloth and then attach them to the rest of the cloth. These parts were displayed to the public.
The fashion of wearing a loincloth that covers much of the body is an old one. “The sirats (loincloth) of the two of them reached to their ribs…”
Accessories for the loin cloth included bamboo containers for tobacco or blowpipe darts. They were fitted with a carved clip so they could be hooked to the waist of the loincloth. Charms were tied with a string around their waist.
If a man was working or travelling a man could wear a “sirat sabelit” a once wound loincloth. This means it is wound just once around the waist. Sometimes, a mat (tikai burit) is attached to the loincloth just behind the buttocks held in place by a string and makes a portable instant seat.
Poets often called the back of loincloth ujok-ujok because it resembled the roosters tail. The loops in the front of the loincloth signified virility because they imitate the rooster and the hornbill, both manly birds.
Rajah Charles, to keep the races separate, noticed that dress was a factor. The Rajah required the Dyak men to appear in loincloths and appropriate ornaments.
Finally, in the opinion of the author, the “tails” spotted on people in very early accounts of Borneo were the back of loincloths and not tails attached to the people.
From The Loincloth of Borneo by Otto Steinmayer in the Sarawak Museum Journal December 1991
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