Scarification” means making deliberate cuts to the skin and is an ancient art still practiced in many cultures today. The decorative scars are used to confer beauty, status, protection, and identity to the bearers. Tattooing is one way of scarification. Tattooing is probably the most popular form of body adornment today. Although the art of tattooing has been around for quite a while, the word “tattoo” is relatively new.
The word “tattoo” originated from the Tahitian word “tatu,” which means to “mark something” (Oxford dictionary). Captain James Cook introduced the word “tattoo” shortly after the word “taboo” to English speakers. The earliest use of the word was found in Captain Cook’s diary in 1769. The first electric machine was invented by Samuel O’Reilly, which was an improvement upon an earlier tattoo machine created by Thomas Edison. There are three types of tattoos. One example would be the decorative tattoo, which is the most common and is usually placed on the skin for decorative purposes.
Some are homemade with a needle and India ink; others are professionally applied with a tattoo gun using one or more colors of tattoo ink. Professional tattoos are deeper, contain more ink, and are more difficult to remove. The second type of tattoo would be the cosmetic tattoo, which is known as micro-pigmentation or permanent cosmetics. This type of tattoo is used as permanent eyeliner, lip liner, lipstick, and other permanent cosmetic purposes. This type of tattoo is also used to cover skin pigment disorders, scars, and other blemishes.
The third type of tattoo would be traumatic tattoos, which are foreign substances, such as dirt, that are embedded in the skin through an accidental injury. Sarawakian tattoos are categorized under decorative tattoos, under tribal tattoos. It is strongly believed that tattooing among the Dayak tribe, one of the largest tribes in Sarawak, originated from China. Among the tribes in Borneo, tattooing is often associated with headhunting, which is a visible sign of success for men and the coming of age for women. In some cases, the tattoos symbolize their status. Tattoos are part of the “rites of passage,” and next to blackened teeth and long earlobes, intricate tattoos on fingers, hands, lower arms, thighs, calves, and feet served as important elements of beauty for women.
The darker the color of the tattoo, the better it is seen. In Borneo, women have tattoos on their forearms in symbols to signify their skill. For example, if a woman wore a symbol indicating she was a skilled weaver, her status as prime marriageable material was increased. Tattoos around the wrist and fingers were believed to ward off illness.
Another tribe in Borneo is the Apo-Kayans, which is a subgroup of the Dayak people. Apo Kayan means the Kayan hill country bordering Sarawak. An young woman’s social position is also indicated, among other things, by the number of rings around the calves of her legs. It appears that the significance of the tattooing was originally as a protective device. (Tillema ca. 1924-1927 1989) This, in fact, facilitated their travel to the land of the ancestors. Tattooing of women affects men in very objectionable ways as a result of the magic it works. Consequently, it is only permitted at intervals of six years or more, and when the process is completed, a celebration is held. The festivity counteracts the bad influences that threaten the men.
But women sometimes go ahead with it anyway without the chief’s consent, and they then go to the Ma Kulit, a tribe known for its skillful tattooing of women. In the old days, almost all Dayak men tattooed their bodies. But in some Dayak sub-tribes, such as the Dayak Kayaan, it is mostly the women who were tattooed. Not many men were tattooed due to the requirements and restrictions.
Kayaan men are tattooed only if they have been mengayo (head-hunting). If a Kayaan man has a tattoo on the upper part of his thumb, it means that he once went head-hunting. A headhunter is respected by members of his tribe. For Kayaan women, the tattoo symbolizes beauty and pride. A Kayaan woman who does not have a tattoo considers herself lower in rank to those who have them. There are three types of tattoos for Kayaan women.
The first one, tedak kasaa’, covers the entire part of a woman’s legs and is only for grownups. The tedak uses’ covers her arms, while tedak hapii’ covers her thighs. A series of ritual ceremonies should be performed before getting a tattoo. Dayak Kenyah people tattoo their bodies inside a house specially built for the occasion. It is accompanied by certain ritual ceremonies.
When a man is tattooed, every male member of his family is required to wear cawat (men’s tribal wear), and they are not allowed to leave the house, while all members of his family should refrain from doing certain things. If the requirements and restrictions are violated, the life of the man being tattooed will be threatened. A rite called mela malam, or praying for the help of ancestors in the tattooing process, is performed the night before a Kayaan woman is tattooed. The next morning, her family will take the woman to a relative’s longhouse near the house of the tattoo.
Each Dayak ethnic group tattoos a different body part. Dayak Ngaju, Iban, Punan, and Ot Danum people tattoo all parts of their bodies. The Dusun tribe, which is near Mt.
Kinabalu Tambunan Valley. The bordering chiefs (Muslim chiefs) used to reconcile the Dusun by giving the aggrieved community some slaves to dispose of. This was done by tying the slaves up and spearing them through the thorax. Then the men of the village each took a cut at the quivering body, slowly bleeding them to death. Whoever did this had the right to tattoo himself (Alman, 1963).
These days, the art of tattooing among the Dayak has almost vanished. Some tribes still practice it, but it is mostly carried out by older groups. Dayak youngsters have long deserted the practice, and if some of them still do it, it is simply for aesthetic reasons. Today, it is viewed more as a form of art than culture. It is one way of expressing oneself and re-discovering their heritage and adorning their bodies with images to bring them closer to their roots.
Kinabalu Tambunan Valley. The bordering chiefs (Muslim chiefs) used to reconcile the Dusun by giving the aggrieved community some slaves to dispose of. This was done by tying the slaves up and spearing them through the thorax. Then the men of the village each took a cut at the quivering body, slowly bleeding them to death. Whoever did this had the right to tattoo himself (Alman, 1963).
These days, the art of tattooing among the Dayak has almost vanished. Some tribes still practice it, but it is mostly carried out by older groups. Dayak youngsters have long deserted the practice, and if some of them still do it, it is simply for aesthetic reasons. Today, it is viewed more as a form of art than culture. It is one way of expressing oneself and re-discovering their heritage and adorning their bodies with images to bring them closer to their roots.
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