Traditional Iban longhouse, Kuching, Sarawak

"Dayak" Art

Erath Tribal Art specializes in art from the indigenous tribes of Borneo, commonly grouped together under the term “Dayak.” These various tribes have different languages, customs, and art.

The Iban, sometimes referred to as "Sea Dayaks", are the largest tribe of Borneo and well know throughout the world as having been fierce headhunters. They are known by art collectors for their amazing textiles dyed in the warp ikat style. these textiles include skirts (bidang), jackets (kalambi), lionclothes (sirat), and the famous pua kumbu or spiritual blanket. the pua served many purposes, from partitioning off an area for a shaman to work his magic, to carrying back heads after a head-hunting raid. Spirit figures, animals, plants, and other object were woven into the pua to create special significance.

The Iban,,an other tribes of Borneo such as the Orang Ulu (up-river people), are  also well know longhouses, which can extend more than 300 meters and house  hundreds of people. In thecommon gallery of the longhouse women of rattan  and bamboo. around the longhouse and the the entrance, fantastic iron wood  carvings were place to keep evil spirits away and to help with therice harvest, although this is uncommon today as the majority of the tribes have been  converted to Christianity.       The Orang Ulu consist of several different tribes, such as the Kayan, Kenyah,  and Penan (one of the last nomadic tribes in the world), who are among the most  well know outside of Borneo. They typicallylive in Central Borneo along the  Sarawak-Kalimantan border, thus the name "up-river people". TheKenyah and  Kayan people are especially know for their Hudoq masksused in various  ceremonies, andtheir work with glass beads incorporated into textiles, baby  carriers, and statues.