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A Shaded Bend: Life in a Longhouse of the Kenyah Dayak
| Article
# : |
11847 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
1 / 1994 |
2,214 Words |
| Author
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Jacqueline Koch
Freelance writer and photographer Jacqueline Koch resides on
Vashon Island. |
The Kenyah Dayak living in the Apo Kayan highlands of Indonesian Borneo are just one of the many tribes of the island's interior. Sheltered by twenty miles of unnavigable river rapids, they remain one of the few traditional tribes left in Borneo. But the twentieth century is seeping in. Raucous batter-powered tape players blare techno-pop tunes from the porches of traditional longhouses. Plastic curlers and perms have replaced tattoos and heavy earrings hanging from distended lobes, and converted souls convene every Sunday in Christian churches.
Kenyah culture is on the same course as Borneo's great rivers, springing from the isolated heart of the island and flowing toward contemporary, urban Indonesia. As the Kenyah navigate this course, the animistic origins of their spirituality are diluted, and the result is a curious mix of the traditional and contemporary.
Sirih leaf and betel nut
The Dayak village of Long Ampung is an adventurous two-hour flight from the near-coastal town of Samarinda. Landing on a dirt runway flanked by the Kayan River, the plane serves as a biweekly reminder of the twentieth century beyond the highlands and draws a crowd of locals intrigued by its technological mysteries. Some are dressed in Mutant Ninja Turtle and Batman T-shirts. These trendy motifs are awkwardly coordinated with shy faces that peer out from colorful, wide-brimmed Dayak hats.
A handful of well-tended dirt paths meander through Long Ampung. There are no roads or cars; all travel here is on foot or by prahu (canoe). As is customary in small Indonesian villages that lack lodging establishments, we slept under the roof of the kepala desa, the village head. We weren't his only guests. He was also hosting a group of folk dancers from Sungai Barang, a village upriver. Their black teeth revealed they were enthusiasts of the national vice: sirih and betel. The sirih leaf, coated with lime paste and chewed with a betel nut, induces a mild euphoria. Years of chewing results in blackish red teeth that many Indonesians consider attractive. To our surprise, they were headed for Spain. We asked what city they were going to and were met with blank stares. The eldest man repeated "Spain."
This was not their first trip, said the eldest woman, tugging on the brass earrings that pulled her earlobes past her shoulders. The Indonesian government had already sponsored the dancers on a trip to Washington, D.C., where they participated in a cultural exposition at
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