culture Long ears end Tattoos on Women Dayak of Borneo ,Indonesia

 

The art of tattooing and ear length is characteristic or identity is very prominent as the original inhabitants of Borneo. With characteristics and identity that makes Dayak wellknown to the international scene and became one of the cultural pride in Indonesa. But this tradition is now even more abandoned and endangered. Trend fashion world has eroded the culture. Even if there were to survive, only a small proportion of the older generation Dayak groups aged over 60 years. 

            Generation Dayak over 80s admitted to shame even the current generation.In East Kalimantan's Dayak tribe could meet the woman who still maintain the culture of long ears very difficult. For now only be found in the interior of East Kalimantan with the path of a river crossing which takes days. Dayak lifestyle because it is more familiar with the woods and caves.To preserve the culture, as well as indigenous Dayak tradsi government of Samarinda build villages of Dayak culture which is named Kampung Budaya Pampang. In this village there are about 1000 residents Dayak tribes that still maintain the culture, tradition and customs.Unfortunately, especially for long ears culture Dayak only a few women who defend it. Others have been cut since confessed embarrassment.

Dayak woman who still maintain the long ears and never get out of the village, even they were only seen when no activities or customary ucapacara.To be able to Kampung Budaya Pampang, takes about 30 minutes from the center of samarinda, since it is located within approximately 20 km. The costs Rp 50 thousand. Actually Dayak tribes who lived in Kampung Pampang the Dayak ethnic minorities Kenyah.Semula the area is forest, but after residents Dayak Kenyah from Long Village, Apokayan, Bulungan totaling 35 people migrate, area was later developed as it is today. Despite receiving modern culture from the outside, its citizens remain firmly maintain the tradition that the village was used as Kampung Budaya Pampang by the government of Samarinda.Residents Dayak Kenyah in Pampang retaining the culture of their ancestors, such as weaving, carving, and making a variety of handicrafts. In the village there is still Lamin (typical Dayak longhouses). For tourists who want to buy souvenirs in the Village Pampang many people hawking various knickknacks from small to large such as key chains and wooden sculptures.Every holiday, the Dayak people held a variety of traditional dances in Lamin among others Dance Kancet Lasan, Kancet Punan First Lieutenant, Kancet Nyelama Sakai, Hudog, Manyam, Pamung Tawai, hornbills, and dance LelengPROCESS piercing / INSTALLATION EARRING

Earlobe piercing process itself began since childhood, ie since the age of one year. Then each year they added a single earring or a silver earring. Earring earrings or silver to be used also varied, style earrings Different shows differences in status and gender. Such as the nobility has its own style of earrings should not be worn by ordinary people.Meanwhile, according to Dayak Kenyah, lengthening the earlobe among the Dayak community has traditionally serves as a marker of their human identityAccording to research by Dr. Yekti Maunati who visited the village of Long Mekar, a village where the Dayak Dayak authentic similar to the Dayak people who live in and stay inland, turned out to Long Blooming villagers themselves do not all have tattoos and long earlobes. Later, it is evident that this is only partly true, because a lot of people who have cut the leaves telinga those who [had already] gathering is.

Cutting the ear itself is done in the hospital through a small operation. Only a few people who still have a long earlobes, and even then most of the elderly over the age of 60 years. Dr. Yekti Maunati then told him about his conversation with an elderly woman named Mamak Ngah, who since his visit in Long Blooming always been cut off ears are original length. Here are the contents of their discussion.

My long-eared shame. So I hacked it as do many other people. I had a bad experience when people laugh at me because of my long earlobes that. When I went to Samarinda for the first time first, people came and gathered around me and looked at me as if I were a freak. They said, "She's Dayaks ... he ate human.?"
They touch my long earlobes that. I was very offended. I was treated as if I was an object. I decided to cut my long earlobes so that people no longer always watching me and think I am eating a human. That way people would not think that I am a Dayak. Of course, one can still see my tattoos, but I can hide them by wearing long skirts and long-sleeved shirt.

If we further analysis, has contributed to the emergence of shame caused by modernization and globalization began to permeate the lives of the Dayak community. Globalization is then made Dayak people become less appreciate the cultural values ​​they have, because they cherish the values ​​prevailing in the international world. Habits elongating the ears unusual in the international community to make the Dayak people to fall into confusion as they should preserve their cultural values, which are now considered no longer conform with the changing times.Long ago, before globalization and modernization go into Dayak people's lives, they can appreciate the cultural values, in this case lengthen the earlobe which is regarded as a sign that they are a civilized nation. However, since the globalization of entry, appeared assumption that the civilized world is not like what they thought. They begin to feel they are different from any other nation or tribe, which got the stamp "civilized" over them. Otherness was then raised doubts in themselves, so in the end they became the cultural values ​​that say that elongating the ears is a sign of a civilized nation. A rejection of cultural values ​​is then caused only slight Dayak people, especially young people, who are still running the habit of elongating the ears.Though the length of the ear which is unique, which is admired by non-Dayak community.

Dayak community should not be embarrassed by the physical markers, because a shame it could ultimately lead to the extinction of one of the cultural values ​​in the Dayak community.WOMEN SIGN ROYALTYAccording to its origins hundreds of years ago, long ears culture not only do women, men also there are elongating the ears. And the ears elongate only the nobility of the Dayak tribe. "If it had only who has the social status or the so-called nobility elongating the ears," said Moh with Indonesian haltingly.Moh (60); a grandmother who lives in the village Pampang even he did not know exactly when the Dayak tribe began to lengthen the ears. He only knew from hundreds out then. "I also have long ears is because the parents are paired this bracelet since he was a baby," said the mother of six children.Long ears on Dayak woman showed him a nobleman as well as to distinguish the women enslaved for losing the war or unable to pay the debt. Besides, long ears used as identifiers to indicate a person's age. Once the baby is born, the ear tips were given beads is quite heavy. Every year, the number of beads attached to the ear increased by one."Therefore, if you want to know a person's age, can be seen from the number of beads attached to the ear. If the number 60, then 60 years of age must have for mounting beads can not be done haphazardly, only once a year, "said Moh lagiiLong ears also has a meaning which to exercise patience. "Just imagine, how hard beads that hung on the ear, but, as it is used every day, patience and a sense of their suffering be trained," he explained.In order for the ear to be a long, usually earlobe given ballast in the form of a bracelet or a ring-shaped metal kazoos shaped small size. With this ballast elongated earlobes will continue up to several centimeters. Moh said that besides social status, women Dayak elongating the ears because it is considered beautiful. "The longer the ear, the more cantiklah Dayak women," said a woman who never received his pendidikkan this.

Who still maintain the culture of long ears now live a little. They were originally long eared intentionally cut off the leaf tips of their ears. The reason often stated, is considered outdated fear or worry their children feel embarrassed.It is said Moh, from cultural extinction long ears, according to a story that he knew when he started the influx of missionaries to the countryside in the village of Dayak in Dutch colonial era.Although he did not know exactly when it started to become extinct, but the average still maintain the culture of long ears are Dayak women over the age of 60 years. While genersi now gone. This culture was increasingly eroded during the confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia in Kalimantan border area.When it develops stigma in society, those who leaved long ears and a long stay in the houses, inhabited by several families, a group of people who are not modern.

Not withstanding such a view, eventually some residents cut ear length.Such stigma continues until now. Dayak among the younger generation no longer wants to make long ears for fear of being considered outdated and not modern. Only a small portion of the Dayak people who still adhere to the tradition leafy long ears, and it was very minimal amount.EQUIPMENT WILL MAINTAINBut it does not apply to Moh, he still would not want to cut off his ear which now has a length of about 30 cm. In fact, he was proud and confident with long-eared. Although it gets the insistence of children nor grandchildren, Moh unmoved and retaining.He admitted, with long ears, her children and grandchildren feel ashamed. But it did not matter, for him it is a tradition that will be maintained until he was facing the authority. Moreover, he is honoring ancestors and the message of his parents, so that his long ears are not cropped.However Moh understand the desire of his children and grandchildren, therefore, fair-complexioned woman was also never shared his children or grandchildren if City samarinda. He was even just sit at home and farm, only appears once in a while if there are indigenous ucapara activities. Moh also never embarrassed, if sometimes gets scorn or ridicule of people who come to Kampung Pampang including his children and grandchildren. Quite often get compliments from the public as it maintains the tradition.

"Many are amazed to see my long ears," he said with a laugh.BRING REJEKIWith long ears, Moh would produce a windfall. Since Kampung Pampang defined as rural culture by the government of Samarinda, bring benefits to Moh. Because Pampang every Sunday is always visited by domestic and foreign tourists.Every Sunday, 14:00 to 16:00 pm, usually held a cultural event featuring various dance Dayak, housed in a typical Dayak longhouses. The dance usually displayed, namely dance Kancet Lasan, Kancet Punan First Lieutenant, Kancet Nyelama Sakai, Hudog, Manyam, Pamung Tawai, hornbills, and dance Leleng.The presence of tourists and visitors that is a blessing. Because every visitor is always asking for photos together. That opportunity is used Moh, to reap windfall. Rates are installed for once photographed Rp 25 thousand.

 "Well passable to add to the cost of living," said a woman who could not read it.Every Sunday, Moh can generate up to hundreds of thousands of the photos shared with visitors. In addition she also received honoraria from dance performances in front of visitors.Besides, some areas has often used him as an agenda central to the president's official visit. Likewise, if there is a national event which was held in East Kalimantan, including the launching of several companies and local products.CONSIDERED OUTDATEDInteresting to hear from one of the grandchildren Moh, Ayan Abel who had talked to me. The teenage girl who is now in junior high school, tells modern culture alias ears shelf not very ketingalan times.He also claimed to have long ears, a woman will not look pretty. Currently Abel said, Dayak women are also required to also follow the fashion world who are increasingly the trend each year. Abel admitted he was embarrassed to have grandmother, with long ears. She even several times suggested that cutting off the ears of his grandmother, but the grandmother did not budge and remained with ear length."Said the grandmother with long ears will look beautiful, but it's in the tradition of past and present is not possible, even if looking like it would be a shame, if you must streets (mejeng)," I, she's flawless.Although Abel oppose, but in his heart can understand, it's just demands of the times that are considered no longer appropriate. "Well want moreover, because the tradition is like that, certainly I might never walk with grandma to the mall with such conditions, although I also feel proud," he said. (Teddy Rumengan / sources)

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