Dayak Carved Trophy Skulls

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Dayak Head-Hunters - Carved Trophy Skulls

Officially, headhunting doesn't exist in Borneo, though isolated jungle beheadings are still reported. In former times, men would awaken the spirit of courage, Bali Akang, to assist them during headhunting expeditions. After decapitating the enemy, great homecoming celebrations awaited returning warriors. The brains were carefully extracted through the nostrils, then fresh ulu (heads) were placed in plaited rattan nets and smoke-cured over fires.
Dried skulls provided the most powerful magic in the world, vital transfusions of energy. A good head could save a village from plague, produce rain, ward off evil spirits, or triple rice yields. Dayak people believed a man's spirit continued to inhabit his head after death. Surrounded by palm leaves, heads were offered food and cigarettes—already lit for smoking—so their spirits would forgive, forget, and feel welcome in their new home. New heads increased the prestige of the owner and impressed sweethearts; they were an initiation into manhood.
Headhunting was an important part of Dayak culture, there used to be a tradition of retaliation for old headhunts, which kept the practice alive. External interference by the reign of the Brooke Rajahs in Sarawak and the Dutch in Kalimantan Borneo curtailed and limited this tradition. Apart from massed raids, the practice of headhunting was then limited to individual retaliation attacks or the result of chance encounters.

Shadow_Chaser Uploaded by Shadow_Chaser on Jan 18, 2011. Dayak Carved Trophy Skulls - Desktop Nexus People Download free wallpapers and background images: Dayak Carved Trophy Skulls. Desktop Nexus People background ID 567423. Dayak Head-Hunters - Carved Trophy Skulls

Officially, headhunting doesn't exist in Borneo, though isolated jungle beheadings are still reported. In former times, men would awaken the spirit of courage, Bali Akang, to assist them during headhunting expeditions. After decapitating the enemy, great homecoming celebrations awaited returning warriors. The brains were carefully extracted through the nostrils, then fresh ulu (heads) were placed in plaited rattan nets and smoke-cured over fires.
Dried skulls provided the most powerful magic in the world, vital transfusions of energy. A good head could save a village from plague, produce rain, ward off evil spirits, or triple rice yields. Dayak people believed a man's spirit continued to inhabit his head after death. Surrounded by palm leaves, heads were offered food and cigarettes—already lit for smoking—so their spirits would forgive, forget, and feel welcome in their new home. New heads increased the prestige of the owner and impressed sweethearts; they were an initiation into manhood.
Headhunting was an important part of Dayak culture, there used to be a tradition of retaliation for old headhunts, which kept the practice alive. External interference by the reign of the Brooke Rajahs in Sarawak and the Dutch in Kalimantan Borneo curtailed and limited this tradition. Apart from massed raids, the practice of headhunting was then limited to individual retaliation attacks or the result of chance encounters. Rating: 4.1