Dayak’s Tattoo Inspired by Biodiversity

30 Mei 2016

1955

What are you thinking when seeing tattooed people? Maybe some of you will be disinclined, and the others will be curious on what the meaning of that tattoo. Somebody are amazed by the beauty of tattoos.

But what are you thinking when seeing tattoo in the body of Dayak tribe people in Kalimantan?

The tattoo pattern in Dayak tribe is not carelessly choosen, because they have their own significans. Nature is the inspirations of Dayak tribe when drawing tattoos, flora and fauna usually choosen as their tattoo pattern.

Flora and fauna that choosen as tattoo pattern also have a meaning. For example the pattern of Enggang birds that representing the up world, then frogs intestine that representing under world. There is also alligator motif, Punai birds eyes, flies wings, until dragon. Some patterns also inspired by flora, such as eggplant flowers, trees, and other nature shaped patterns that have their own meaning and purpose.

Man and women have different tattoo pattern. The difference according to it’s purpose, for example to differentiate the mature age. For mature men they tattooed with eggplant flowers, but for women they get tedak kasa pattern when mature.

Tattooing process in Dayak tribe also using biodiversity in their environment. In the old time they use long-sharp orange thorn for tattooing process. But now needle has already replaced orange thorn for tattooing. The materials for making tattoo is still from nature, ther are resin (the sap of Shorea javanica tree), upih pinang, areca nut upih, bamboos and ironwood.

The body part that tattooed need some weeks to heal, so according to Dayak believe as long as healing process the tattoo owner is banned to go out to avoid bad things.
How close biodiversity to the Dayak tribe daily life. Animal and plants are not only for food and shelter, but also important elements in art, culture, and spiritual.

Reference:

http://www.pegipegi.com/travel/eksotisme-seni-tato-dayak/