Material: Cotton
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 203 cm, Width 102 cm
Order Number: MHSKD1

Borneo is the 3rd largest island in the world. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was divided between the colonial powers of Britain (the northern half) and the Dutch (the southern 2/3rds) until Independence was declared in 1945.

Borneo’s women wove the textiles. The island’s indigenous people, the Dayak, comprise about 20 cultural groups, and compete for prestige. They arrived about 40,000 years ago.

Most Dayaks live in longhouses on raised pilings under a single roof, which protect them from rivers flooding, animals and enemy attacks.

Warfare was widespread and a Dayak man’s status was measured by his ability in war and headhunting. Enemy heads were believed to rejuvenate agricultural land and human fertility.

Borneo’s textiles are amongst the most unique and fascinating in the world. Most Dayak textiles were worn during ceremonies – skirts, headgear, loincloths, vests and jackets.

The Iban are the largest and most artistically influential group producing striking, sacred textiles, which were typically deep red made from morinda citrofolia roots. They created large cloths called pua, which means ‘blanket’ or ‘covering’ .

Pua were worn, displayed and used in all major ceremonies and festivals, called gwai. They showed the weavers’ skill and attracted the gods by their beauty.

They were hung up to create temporary sacred spaces and give protection. Before going to war men slept in a pua. After a successful raid, women waited for their men at the longhouse entrance holding pua to receive the heads.

Early 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

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Material: Cotton
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 258 cm, Width 130 cm
Order Number: MHSKT1

Borneo is the 3rd largest island in the world. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was divided between the colonial powers of Britain (the northern half) and the Dutch (the southern 2/3rds) until Independence was declared in 1945.

Borneo’s women wove the textiles. The island’s indigenous people, the Dayak, comprise about 20 cultural groups, and compete for prestige. They arrived about 40,000 years ago.

Most Dayaks live in longhouses on raised pilings under a single roof, which protect them from rivers flooding, animals and enemy attacks.

Warfare was widespread and a Dayak man’s status was measured by his ability in war and headhunting. Enemy heads were believed to rejuvenate agricultural land and human fertility.

Borneo’s textiles are amongst the most unique and fascinating in the world. Most Dayak textiles were worn during ceremonies – skirts, headgear, loincloths, vests and jackets.

The Iban are the largest and most artistically influential group producing striking, sacred textiles, which were typically deep red made from morinda citrofolia roots. They created large cloths called pua, which means ‘blanket’ or ‘covering’ .

Pua were worn, displayed and used in all major ceremonies and festivals, called gwai. They showed the weavers’ skill and attracted the gods by their beauty.

They were hung up to create temporary sacred spaces and give protection. Before going to war men slept in a pua. After a successful raid, women waited for their men at the longhouse entrance holding pua to receive the heads.

20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 69. Kalimantan Textile appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Brass
Style: Dayak, Borneo (Kalimantan), Indonesia
Size: Height 6.5 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSADE1

Many Dayak cultures live in Kalimantan. They live in long houses, wear feather headdresses, tattoo their bodies, and wear heavy earrings, which extend their earlobes by four or five inches. Extended earlobes are a sign of beauty.

Big earrings on elongated earlobes were a sign that a woman  was marriageable.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 280 and a photograph from The Sarawak Museum showing a lady with elongated earlobes wearing a pair on page 117.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Dayak Earrings appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Beads
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 32 cm, Width 26.5 cm
Order Number: E4A

This original piece from a babycarrier is slightly damaged. The Dayak communities of Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo, have been making excellent beadwork for centuries.

The babycarrier is a reedwork basket to carry a young baby, although some mothers carry two or three year olds in them. Young infants tend to be carried in the front to make breast feeding easy in the early months and older ones on the back.

Curling representations of human figures are a common theme. Others contain geometric motifs. Patterned beadwork is also used in necklaces, clothing, caps, hats, vests, tunics, baby carriers and ritual objects.

The outer part of the baby carrier of the Dayak people was adorned with a symmetrical beadwork panel depicting mirror images. The beauty was thought to attract good spirits and bring good luck to the child.

The design indicated the family’s social position.  The highest ranks could use full-figure human figures, dragons and tigers (although tigers do not exist in Borneo). Lesser ranks could only use animal motifs and geometric shapes.

Aristocrats might decorate the baby carrier with a leopard’s tooth. Large beads, bells and animal teeth might decorate the upper rim. The tinkling sound would soothe the baby.

After the baby no longer needed the basket, it was stored away carefully for the next one. The beadwork and ornaments would be detached and kept safe.

Early-mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Baby Carrier Beadwork 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Beads
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 33.5 cm, Width 26 cm
Order Number: E4B

This original piece is from a babycarrier. 

The Dayak communities of Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo, have been making excellent beadwork for centuries.

The babycarrier is a reedwork basket to carry a young baby, although some mothers carry two or three year olds in them. Young infants tend to be carried in the front to make breast feeding easy in the early months and older ones on the back.

Curling representations of human figures are a common theme. Others contain geometric motifs. Patterned beadwork is also used in necklaces, clothing, caps, hats, vests, tunics, baby carriers and ritual objects.

The outer part of the baby carrier of the Dayak people was adorned with a symmetrical beadwork panel depicting mirror images. The beauty was thought to attract good spirits and bring good luck to the child.

The design indicated the family’s social position.  The highest ranks could use full-figure human figures, dragons and tigers (although tigers do not exist in Borneo). Lesser ranks could only use animal motifs and geometric shapes.

Aristocrats might decorate the baby carrier with a leopard’s tooth. Large beads, bells and animal teeth might decorate the upper rim. The tinkling sound would soothe the baby.

After the baby no longer needed the basket, it was stored away carefully for the next one. The beadwork and ornaments would be detached and kept safe.

About 70-80 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Baby Carrier Beadwork 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Beads
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 38.5 cm, Width 13.5 cm
Order Number: MHGAB1

This original piece is from a babycarrier. 

The Dayak communities of Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo, have been making excellent beadwork for centuries.

The babycarrier is a reedwork basket to carry a young baby, although some mothers carry two or three year olds in them. Young infants tend to be carried in the front to make breast feeding easy in the early months and older ones on the back.

Curling representations of human figures are a common theme. Others contain geometric motifs. Patterned beadwork is also used in necklaces, clothing, caps, hats, vests, tunics, baby carriers and ritual objects.

The outer part of the baby carrier of the Dayak people was adorned with a symmetrical beadwork panel depicting mirror images. The beauty was thought to attract good spirits and bring good luck to the child.

The design indicated the family’s social position.  The highest ranks could use full-figure human figures, dragons and tigers (although tigers do not exist in Borneo). Lesser ranks could only use animal motifs and geometric shapes.

Aristocrats might decorate the baby carrier with a leopard’s tooth. Large beads, bells and animal teeth might decorate the upper rim. The tinkling sound would soothe the baby.

After the baby no longer needed the basket, it was stored away carefully for the next one. The beadwork and ornaments would be detached and kept safe.

Early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Baby Carrier Beadwork 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Rattan
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 24 cm, Diameter 31 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB1

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Rattan, Bamboo
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 20 cm, Diameter 23 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB2

About 50-60 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Rattan, Bamboo
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 48 cm, Diameter 30 cm (top), Base 17 cm x 17 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB3

About 40-50 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Palm Leaf
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 22 cm,  32 cm (top of strap), Length 30 cm, Depth 27 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB4

About 40-50 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Palm Leaf
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 27 cm,  63 cm (top of strap), Length 35 cm, Depth 29 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB5

About 40-50 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 5 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Palm Leaf
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 22 cm,  36 cm (top of strap), Length 28 cm, Depth 24 cm
Order Number: MHSAKB6

About 40-50 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Basket 6 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Beads, bark
Style: Mualang, Iban, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height  48 cm, Width  46 cm
Order Number: MHSAKJ1

Dayak is the name applied to a number of very different peoples  living on the island of Kalimantan, but also elsewhere. They share some common characteristics. They live in longhouses, situated mostly on navigable rivers. They were rice farmers, living simple lives, but staging large religious ceremonies, which involved large feasts.

Kalimantan sits on the equator, so little clothing is necessary. Everyday Dayak clothing consisted of a loincloth for men and a short skirt or two apron-skirts for women. Inside they wore a headband and outside a hat. Both men and women wore a jacket for semi-formal events. Children were mostly naked, but girls may have worn a modesty plaque suspended from a string.

In contrast to these plain clothes ceremonial costumes, lavishly ornamented with animal claws, feathers and teeth, and feathers, silver and beads were worn.

Surprisingly most Borneo beads were not made in Borneo. They come from India, China and elsewhere, and are found in every part of the island. They were prized and most tribes used them and still wear them. They were used in trading as money.

Beads are used to decorate everything: jackets, skirts, hats, headbands, armbands, necklaces, ear-hangings, belts, baby carriers, baskets, betel boxes, sword hilts, walking stick sheaths, mats and the ends of loin cloths.

Traditionally men designed the patterns and women threaded the beads. Bead costumes require great skill and ample supplies. Wear and tear on these costumes is immense. If part of the bead fabric is damaged or worn out it cannot be replaced or patched up like a textile. Usually they are unravelled and the beads are used for something else, such as a necklace. So the costumes are usually only worn during festivals.

Bead jackets  were traditionally woven by wives for their husbands to protect the husbands during headhunting raids or battles.  Headhunting is no longer practised, but the wives still make them. For example, for protection during World War II against the Japanese, and later as a display of status and manhood.

This man’s jacket with the two dragons’ motif is from the Mualang indigenous people, a sub-tribe of the Iban, which comprises about 50,000 people. They speak the Mualang language and live mostly in the Sekadau Regency and Sintang Regenecy of West Kalimantan. There are some tears and holes.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Bead Jacket 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Beads
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 55 cm, Width 40 cm
Order Number: MHSAKJ2

Dayak is the name applied to a number of very different peoples  living on the island of Kalimantan, but also elsewhere. They share some common characteristics. They live in longhouses, situated mostly on navigable rivers. They were rice farmers, living simple lives, but staging large religious ceremonies, which involved large feasts.

Kalimantan sits on the equator, so little clothing is necessary. Everyday Dayak clothing consisted of a loincloth for men and a short skirt or two apron-skirts for women. Inside they wore a headband and outside a hat. Both men and women wore a jacket for semi-formal events. Children were mostly naked, but girls may have worn a modesty plaque suspended from a string.

In contrast to these plain clothes ceremonial costumes, lavishly ornamented with animal claws, feathers and teeth, and feathers, silver and beads were worn.

Surprisingly most Borneo beads were not made in Borneo. They come from India, China and elsewhere, and are found in every part of the island. They were prized and most tribes used them and still wear them. They were used in trading as money.

Beads are used to decorate everything: jackets, skirts, hats, headbands, armbands, necklaces, ear-hangings, belts, baby carriers, baskets, betel boxes, sword hilts, walking stick sheaths, mats and the ends of loin cloths.

Traditionally men designed the patterns and women threaded the beads. Bead costumes require great skill and ample supplies. Wear and tear on these costumes is immense. If part of the bead fabric is damaged or worn out it cannot be replaced or patched up like a textile. Usually they are unravelled and the beads are used for something else, such as a necklace. So the costumes are usually only worn during festivals.

Bead jackets  were traditionally woven by wives for their husbands to protect the husbands during headhunting raids or battles.  Headhunting is no longer practised, but the wives still make them. For example, for protection during World War II against the Japanese, and later as a display of status and manhood.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Bead Jacket 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Ivory
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 9.3 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSAKDC1

This is from the small Dayak Bahau tribe.

Mid 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan (Borneo).

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Dayak Charm appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton, beads, coins, sequins
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 21 cm, Width 52  cm (shoulder to shoulder)
Order Number: MHSAKJ1

Dayak is the name applied to a number of very different peoples  living on the island of Kalimantan, but also elsewhere. They share some common characteristics. They live in longhouses, situated mostly on navigable rivers. They were rice farmers, living simple lives, but staging large religious ceremonies, which involved large feasts.

Kalimantan sits on the equator, so little clothing is necessary. Everyday Dayak clothing consisted of a loincloth for men and a short skirt or two apron-skirts for women. Inside they wore a headband and outside a hat. Both men and women wore a jacket for semi-formal events. Children were mostly naked, but girls may have worn a modesty plaque suspended from a string.

In contrast to these plain clothes ceremonial costumes, lavishly ornamented with animal claws, feathers and teeth, and feathers, silver and beads were worn.

The back of the jacket is decorated with many Nederlandsch Indie cent coins dated 1945.

This is the jacket that goes with Antique Kalimantan Skirt 1

Early 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Jacket 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Cotton, sequins
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Height 50 cm, Width 47 cm
Order Number: MHSAKJ1

Dayak is the name applied to a number of very different peoples  living on the island of Kalimantan, but also elsewhere. They share some common characteristics. They live in longhouses, situated mostly on navigable rivers. They were rice farmers, living simple lives, but staging large religious ceremonies, which involved large feasts.

Kalimantan sits on the equator, so little clothing is necessary. Everyday Dayak clothing consisted of a loincloth for men and a short skirt or two apron-skirts for women. Inside they wore a headband and outside a hat. Both men and women wore a jacket for semi-formal events. Children were mostly naked, but girls may have worn a modesty plaque suspended from a string.

In contrast to these plain clothes ceremonial costumes, lavishly ornamented with animal claws, feathers and teeth, and feathers, silver and beads were worn.

Early 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Jacket 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Wood, bamboo
Style: Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 109 cm, Width  32 cm, Height  49 cm
Order Number: AKLM1

Dayak is the name applied to a number of very different peoples  living on the island of Kalimantan, but also elsewhere. They share some common characteristics. They live in longhouses, situated mostly on navigable rivers. They were rice farmers, living simple lives, but staging large religious ceremonies, which involved large feasts.

A Dayak longhouse  is an imposing structure, sometimes over 200 metres long, on stilts.

The longhouse houses dozens of Dayak family apartments and public spaces for social life, including cooking, blacksmithing and ceremonies.

A person’s primary allegiance is to his longhouse. There is a long, straight corridor. A row of doors on one side of the corridor lead to individual family apartments. Ladders on the other side lead down to the ground. There’s an outdoor porch and a place for drying rice, mending nets, drying laundry and other occupations.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Longhouse Model appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Rattan
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 202 cm, Width 106 cm
Order Number: MHSAKM1

Rattan is a tropical climbing palm, using long thorns to climb up other jungle plants, and reaching lengths of over 150 metres (490 feet) but only a few centimetres thick. It belongs to the palm family. It is very strong  and grows best in dense tall jungle.

Rattan is usually harvested by Dayak men, who bring it home cut into convenient lengths. The thorny outer skin is stripped off and the smooth cane is exposed. It is the best part for mats (lampit), when strength and durability is needed. Rattan preparation may be carried out by men or women according to the location, but girls and women weave the mats.

They are  very attractive and pleasant to walk on barefoot in their long houses. The rattan can be stained before weaving and the colour becomes part of the pattern. Traditional dyes were indigo, soot or dark earth to make dark strands to create asymmetrical, sometimes picturesque designs.

About 40-50 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Mat 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Rattan
Style:  Kalimantan, Indonesia
Size: Length 203 cm, Width 115 cm
Order Number: MHSAKM10

Rattan is a tropical climbing palm, using long thorns to climb up other jungle plants, and reaching lengths of over 150 metres (490 feet) but only a few centimetres thick. It belongs to the palm family. It is very strong  and grows best in dense tall jungle.

Rattan is usually harvested by Dayak men, who bring it home cut into convenient lengths. The thorny outer skin is stripped off and the smooth cane is exposed. It is the best part for mats (lampit), when strength and durability is needed. Rattan preparation may be carried out by men or women according to the location, but girls and women weave the mats.

They are  very attractive and pleasant to walk on barefoot in their long houses. The rattan can be stained before weaving and the colour becomes part of the pattern. Traditional dyes were indigo, soot or dark earth to make dark strands to create asymmetrical, sometimes picturesque designs.

Mid 20th century.

Map of Kalimantan.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Kalimantan Mat 10 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.