Chapter II: Introduction

With the establishment of Rajah Brooke’s government in Sarawak, the different races of its native population gradually became known to English people, and at length the Dyakland of Borneo has found a definite place and shape in the English mind, much as the Zululand of Africa has done. The Sea Dyak soon appeared in print; travellers mentioned him, sometimes only as a simple savage; men who have spent some time in the country, like the late Sir Hugh Low and the late Sir Spenser St. John, described something of his life; missionary reports had him in their pages; European residents and civil administrators and others wrote of him in various papers and periodicals. But most, if not all, of these accounts were unavoidably brief, partial, and sketchy, for it did not come within the scope of their purpose to set forth a full and systematic statement of all things Dyak. Mr. Ling Roth collected all the notes about Dyaks he could find, from various sources, and published his harvest of accumulations in two large volumes. It is a monument of industrious collecting; but his work is that of the scissors rather than of the pen, a compilation rather than a writing; and in the extracts, being the productions of various writers at different periods, we see much overlapping and repetition, and some confusion; and, necessarily, such a book was too bulky to obtain a general circulation. More recently Miss Eda Green has given to English readers a little book about Borneo, wonderful in its general accuracy, and vivid in its descriptions; but it is meant especially for missionary circles and missionary reading—in fact, it was written expressly for the Borneo Mission Association, whose objects it has done much to promote. But it is a book about the Mission rather than about the Dyaks, and it does not profess to give a complete account of the entire field of Sea Dyak life.

This is Mr. Gomes’s object, and he attains it. His book is not a mere personal narrative of life in Sarawak. We have in it a very full, systematic, and comprehensive description of Sea Dyak life—its works, thoughts, sentiments, superstitions, customs, religion, beliefs, and ideals. Our attention is not directed to the magnificent beauties of Bornean tropical scenery and luxuriant flora, nor to the wonders of the insect life with which the land simply abounds. Mr. Gomes sees Dyaks, and Dyaks only, in his mind. The “brown humanity” of the country, not its natural history, occupies his attention. He knows that humanity intimately, and writes from the storehouse which he has accumulated in long years of experience and observation. And he puts all within manageable compass and volume. His book is, I believe, the first which contains a complete picture of Sea Dyak life in all its phases, yet in moderate dimensions. And from my own experience of some twenty years in Sarawak, I can testify to the truthfulness of every page.

Possibly it is sometimes thought that the missionary is not the best man to write about the people to whom he appeals; that he may be easily biassed in one direction or another, and may think too ill or too well of them, and may allow his judgment to be overcoloured by his religious purpose. A _little_ experience among the people of any race, especially where the language is not well known, may easily result in limited views and imperfect conceptions. But when his residence has extended over many years, and he knows the language as well as his own; when he has had constant opportunities of observing their tone and conduct in every relation of life, and of hearing how they talk and think on every imaginable subject, and of seeing how they behave at home as well as abroad—how they bear themselves, not only to an occasional white man whom they meet, but also to each other in social dealings—when he thus lives in close touch with them at every point, he cannot but obtain a thorough understanding of the realities of their lives.

And the Sea Dyaks are generally a very communicative people. They will willingly give information about every belief and custom, and will quietly discuss every practice and every event, good or bad; and it needs only a little patience and sympathy to enable one to get an insight into the working of their minds, and to realize the true character of their actions in the struggles, the comedies, or the tragedies of their lives.

Mr. Gomes is thus able to make the Sea Dyak live before us in genuine colours. We can see this dusky son of the jungle in his beliefs and fears, which are many, in his work and in his play, in his ugly faults and amiable virtues, in his weaknesses and in his abilities. And I think that everyone who reads his pages will feel that henceforth he knows the Sea Dyak of Sarawak better than he ever knew him before, and will come to the conclusion that, in spite of his faults, he is a very likeable man.

The Sea Dyaks, then, are worth knowing. They constitute a very valuable element in the population of Sarawak, not only from their numbers, but also from their force of character. They are active, hardworking, industrious, ready to earn an honest penny when they have the chance; and in their domestic relations are amiable and hospitable towards strangers, and when treated with civility and sympathy, all their good points come to the surface. They work hard at rice-planting, which, it is true, is of a very primitive sort, but it is the best they know, and as good as that practised by their Mohammedan neighbours, the Malays. If some simple system of irrigation could be introduced among them, especially in lowland cultivation, this, their main industry, would be far more productive than it is, and it would be a real boon to the country at large. They have adventured upon the cultivation of other products when the way has been made clear to them, which is an evidence of their capacity for progress. They penetrate and traverse far-off jungles in search of indiarubber and gutta-percha to add to their earnings. An increasing number of them are keen upon book-learning, as Mr. Gomes points out. They form the Rajah’s soldiers and guards, and are capable of useful service in subordinate positions as officers. And thus these people, who were once only known as fighters, pirates, and head-takers, are now a real influence in the evolution of a better civilization and a more fruitful era to come in those lands. The civilizing, Christianizing force no doubt works slowly; but there it is, and, comparing present with past, we can see it. A large influx of white people of the usual colonist class would doubtless be too strong for them, and would push them out of the way; but with a favourable chance, which they now have, of working out a salvation for themselves, I think the Sea Dyaks have a better future before them than Mr. Gomes appears to anticipate.

It is interesting to watch the process of a gradual enlightening going on among such a race when brought into contact with higher civilization and better religion. Mr. Gomes mentions some instances of its expression. Perhaps I may add an illustrative instance which occurred in my own experiences, many years ago. One night I was at anchor with a Dyak crew on the Saribas River, waiting for the turn of the tide. About 3 a.m. I was awakened by a frightened cry from one of the crew: “Antu! antu!” (A spirit, a spirit!). Thinking myself lucky at last in a chance of actually seeing one of those invisible beings whom Dyaks dread so much, I pushed my head from under the mosquito-curtain, and looked out, and beheld a comet brightly shining not far above the horizon. Presently I heard a school-lad say: “That’s not a spirit; it’s only a star with a tail. I have learnt about it.” There was the old superstition and the new knowledge struggling together, a symbol of what is going on in other departments of Dyak thought and belief—the working of that which, it is to be hoped, will issue in a higher and an improved life for the race. Our Author’s book will evoke a lively interest in such an improvement in Dyakland, and will inspire a deeper sympathy with every progressive effort towards it.

In going over Mr. Gomes’s pages my thoughts have often gone back to days, now long past, when he and I were workers together among the people of whom he writes so sympathetically, and many a long-forgotten incident has come back to mind; and it is a pleasure to write a simple word of welcome to this product of his pen, and to express a conviction that his book is just what was wanted to give the public a clear and adequate conception of one of the leading races which have been ruled over by the “Two White Rajahs” of Sarawak.

JOHN PERHAM.

CHARD, _December, 1910_.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I wish to express my thanks to Sir Clement Kinloch-Cooke, M.P., for the preface which he has kindly contributed to this volume, and for allowing me to reproduce my translations of Sea Dyak legends which appeared in the _Empire Review_; to Bishop Hose, under whom I worked for seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Sarawak, for allowing me to use his excellent article on “The Contents of a Dyak Medicine-chest”; to the Rev. John Perham, formerly Archdeacon of Singapore, with whom I worked in Sarawak for some years, for his introduction, and also for allowing me to make use of the scholarly papers which he wrote for the _Journal of the Straits Branch of the Asiatic Society_, on Sea Dyak Religion and Folklore; and to the Rev. David Steele-Morris for going through the manuscript and making many useful suggestions.

I am indebted to His Highness the Rajah of Sarawak for permission to insert his portrait; to Dr. Charles Hose for his great kindness in allowing me to use his excellent photographs, and also to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts for lending me one of their blocks; to Messrs. Bassano, of Bond Street, and Messrs. G. R. Lambert and Co., of Singapore, whose photographs I am kindly permitted to reproduce; to Mr. Hewitt, formerly curator of the Sarawak Museum; and Mr. Ha Buey Hon, of Kuching, who have also been so good as to lend me photographs.

To all these, as well as to many unmentioned friends who have helped me to write this book, I offer my sincere thanks.

EDWIN H. GOMES.

UPPER NORWOOD, _December, 1910_.

CONTENTS

PAGES

CHAPTER I

SARAWAK—SIR JAMES BROOKE

Bornean jungles—A picture from the past—Unsettled life—Sudden
attacks—Head-hunting—Pirates—Malay pirates—Dyak pirates—Sir
James Brooke—the _Royalist_—Rajah Muda Hassim—Rajah of
Sarawak—Suppression of piracy and head-hunting—Captain
Keppel—Visit to England, 1847—Introduction of Christian
mission—Sir Charles Brooke 21-32

CHAPTER II

THE DYAKS

The word “Dyak”—Other native races in Sarawak—_Milanaus_—
_Kayans_—_Kinyehs_—Cruelty—_Ukits_—_Bukitans_—_Punans_—
_Seru_—Sea Dyaks—Land Dyaks—The appearance of the Sea
Dyak—Men’s dress—Tattooing—Women’s dress—_Rawai_, or
corset—The teeth—Depilation—Language 33-41

CHAPTER III

MANNER OF LIFE

Dyak village house—_Tanju_—_Ruai_—_Bilik_—_Sadau_—Human
heads—Valuable jars—Paddy-planting—Men’s work—Women’s
work—House-building—Boat-building—_Kadjangs_—Dyak
tools—_Bliong_—_Duku_—Weaving—Plaiting mats and
basket-making—Hunting—Traps—Fishing—Spoon-bait—Casting-net—
_Tuba_-fishing—Crocodile-catching 42-60

CHAPTER IV

THE DYAK CHARACTER

General remarks—Kind to children—Industrious—Frugal—Honest—Two
cases of theft—Curses—Honesty of children—Truthful—Curious
custom—_Tugong Bula_—Hospitable—Morals—Desire for
children—Divorce—Adultery—Dyak law concerning adultery—Dyak
view of marriage—Unselfishness—Domestic affection—Example 61-71

CHAPTER V

HEAD-HUNTING

Head-hunting—Women an incentive—Gruesome story—Marriage of
Dyak Chiefs—Legend—Some customs necessitating a human head—A
successful head-hunter not necessarily a hero—A dastardly
crime—War expeditions—The spear token—My experience at a
village in Krian—Dyak war costume—Weapons—The _Sumpit_—Poison
for darts—Consulting omen birds—War-boats—Camping—War
Council—Defences—War alarm—Ambushes—Decapitation and treatment
of head—Return from a successful expedition—Women dancing—Two
Christian Dyak Chiefs—Their views on the matter of head-taking 72-85

CHAPTER VI

SOCIAL LIFE

Social position of the women—Dyak food—Meals—Cooking food in
bamboo—Laws with regard to leaving a Dyak house—Rule of the
headman—A Dyak trial—Power of the headman in old days—Dyak
wealth—Valuable jars—_Gusi_—_Naga_—_Rusa_—A convenient
dream—Trading incident at Sebetan—Land tenure—Laws about
fruit-trees—Slavery—Captives in war—Slaves for debt 86-95

CHAPTER VII

CHILD-BIRTH AND CHILDREN

The couvade among the Dyaks—Harm to the child—Ways of
evading these restrictions—A Christian woman’s ideas on the
subject—Witch-doctors and their methods—The waving of a
fowl—Treatment of the mother and child—Infanticide—Bathing
the child—Ceremony for insuring happiness to the child—Naming
the child—Change of name—Children—Toys—Smallness of
families—Reason 96-104

CHAPTER VIII

MY SCHOOL IN THE JUNGLE

Up-country mission schools—Education—The Saribas Dyaks eager to
learn—School programme—What the boys were taught—Some schoolboy
reminiscences—A youthful Dyak _manang_—The story of Buda—The
opening of the Krian Mission and the Saribas Mission 105-119

CHAPTER IX

MARRIAGE

Courtship—Discussion where the married couple are to live—The
fetching of the bride—The wedding ceremony—_Mlah Pinang_—Visit
of the bride to her mother-in-law—Bride’s dress—Bridegroom—Old
bachelors among the Dyaks—Age of marriage—Monogamy—Prohibitive
degrees—Dyak view of marriage—Conjugal affection—Mischief-making
mothers-in-law—Separation and reconciliation—Divorce—Adultery 120-132

CHAPTER X

BURIAL RITES

Life beyond the grave—Wailings—Rice strewn on the dead man’s
chest—The professional wailer—Feeding the dead—Carrying
the dead—The grave—Articles buried with the dead—_Baiya_—Fire
lit at sunset—The _ulit_, or mourning—_Pana_, or offering to
the dead—The wailer’s song—_Sumping_—Periodical _Sabak_—Feast
in honour of the dead—_Gawai Antu_—The dead not
forgotten—Other methods of disposing of the dead besides
burial—Dyak ideas of a future life 133-144

CHAPTER XI

TRAVELLING IN SARAWAK

Travelling by boat—Paddles _v._ oars—Dangers—Tidal
bores—Sand-banks-_Langan_—Up-river travelling—Poling—Camping
out at night—Travelling on foot—Jungle paths—Scenery—Wild
animals—The _Orang-utan_—Vegetation 145-151

CHAPTER XII

OMENS AND DREAMS

Seven omen birds—Other omen animals—Omens sought before
beginning rice-farming—House-building omens—Substitutions for
omens—Good and bad omens in farming—A dead animal—Means of
avoiding bad effects—Omens obeyed at all times—Bird flying
through a house—A drop of blood—Killing an omen bird or
insect—Origin of the system of omens—Augury—Dreams 152-162

CHAPTER XIII

THE “MANANG,” OR WITCH-DOCTOR

_Manangs_ supposed to possess mysterious powers over evil
spirits—Dyak theory of disease—Treatment of disease—_Lupong_,
or box of charms—_Batu Ilau_—_Manang_ performances—_Pagar
Api_—Catching the soul—Sixteen different _manang_
ceremonies—Killing the demon _Buyu_—_Saut_—Salampandai—Deceit
of _manangs_—Story of a schoolboy—Smallpox and cholera—Three
ceremonies of initiation—Different ranks of _manangs_ 163-181

CHAPTER XIV

NATIVE REMEDIES AND DYAK CHARMS

Native remedies—Cupping—Charms—A Dyak medicine chest—Smallpox
and cholera—My experience at Temudok 182-193

CHAPTER XV

DYAK RELIGION

Certain religious observances—_Petara_, or gods—Singalang
Burong, the god of war—Pulang Gana, the god of
the soil—Salampandai, the maker of men—_Mali_, or
taboo—Spirits—Girgasi, the chief of evil spirits—The dogs
of the spirits—Stories—Customs connected with the belief in
spirits—Sacrifices—_Piring_ and _ginselan_—The victim of the
sacrifice generally eaten, but not always—Material benefits
expected by the Dyaks by their religious ceremonies—_Nampok_,
a means of communicating with spirits—_Batu kudi_, “stones of
wrath”—Belief in a future life—Conclusion 194-208

CHAPTER XVI

DYAK FEASTS

Four classes of feasts—Preparations—Feasts connected
with: 1, Head-taking; 2, Farming; 3, The dead; 4, Dreams,
etc.—House-warming—Social feasts 209-219

CHAPTER XVII

SPORTS AND AMUSEMENTS

Dyak games—Football—War Dance—Sword Dance—Dyak music—
Cock-fighting—Tops-“Riding the tidal bore”—Swimming—Trials
of strength 220-224

CHAPTER XVIII

SONG AND MUSIC

Love of music—Love songs—Boat songs—War songs—Incantations
at Dyak feasts—The song of mourning—Musical instruments 225-232

CHAPTER XIX

THE DYAK ABROAD

Love of travel—“The innocents abroad”—Gutta-hunting—Collecting
canes—Hunting for edible birds’-nests—Camphor-working 233-239

CHAPTER XX

SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

The itinerant missionary—Visit to a Dyak
house—Reception—Cooking—Servants—The meal—Teaching the
Dyaks—Christians—Services—Prayer-houses—Offertory—Reception of
the missionary—Dangers of sea travelling during the north-east
monsoon—My boat swamped—In the jungle—Losing my way—A Dyak’s
experience 240-251

CHAPTER XXI

DYAK FOLKLORE

Sea Dyak stories—_Ensera_—_Kana_—The mouse-deer and the
tortoise—Klieng—Kumang—Apai Saloi—The cunning of the
mouse-deer—The mouse-deer and other animals who went out
fishing—The mouse-deer, the deer and the pig—Sea Dyak
proverbs 252-263

CHAPTER XXII

THREE DYAK LEGENDS

Dyak fairy tales and legends—I. DANJAI AND THE WERE-TIGER’S
SISTER—II. THE STORY OF SIU, who first taught the Dyaks to
observe the omens of birds—III. PULANG GANA, and how he came
to be worshipped as the god of the earth 264-315

CHAPTER XXIII

SOME CURIOUS CUSTOMS

Trial by ordeal—Diving contests—A diving contest
at Krian—A Dyak superstition—Names—Fruit found
by the pathway—Circumcision—Fishing and hunting
superstition—Madness—Leprosy—Time—Form of greeting 316-323