Dayak shields

Maurice · 3rd September 2013, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asomotif

Yes, I noticed it but assumed it is probably by accident. They look rather genuine Dayak to me.

Ofcourse these are genuine dayak.

Maurice

VANDOO · 3rd September 2013, 05:34 PM

I HAVE SOME PICTURES IN MY PHOTO FILES OF DAYAK SHIELDS HERE ARE A FEW. I LIKE DAYAK SHIELDS A LOT BUT HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEGE OF THEM SO SOME MAY BE NEW AND SOME OLD AND I REMAIN CLUELESS AS TO WHICH TRIBES THEY BELONG. SO PICTURES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT AND COMMENT.
EXAMPLE 1.THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE OF A TYPE THAT HAS DEEP RELIEF CARVING AND IS PAINTED WITH SOME SORT OF HOMEMADE PAINT/STAIN.
# 2. THE NEXT 4 PICTURES ARE OF A SHIELD WITH HAIR AND LIGHT CARVING IT IS 53 X 16 INCHES
#3. A DEEP RELIEF CARVED EXAMPLE WITH MODERN PAINT,49IN. X 11.5IN.
#4. A OLDER SHIELD LIGHTLY CARVED AND STAINED ONLY
#5. TWO PICTURES OF A DEEPLY CARVED TYPE WITH MODERN PAINT. 46.5 IN.LONG
#6. SHIELD FRONT AND BACK ,WITH HAIR AND STAIN.
#7. OLD HAIRY FORM SHIELD. WITH STAIN AND LIGHT CARVING.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE OLDER SHIELDS HAD THE DESIGNS ESPECIALLY THE EYES CUT IN ALONG THE LINES ONLY ( I REFER TO THIS AS LIGHT CARVEING). THE SHIELDS WERE COLORED BY NATURAL STAINS AND PIGMENTS AND PERHAPS WOOD BURNED.
MANY OF THE MODERN REPLICAS HAVE THE DESIGNS DRAWN ON AND COLORED BUT NOT CUT INTO THE WOOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE FORMS THAT ARE CARVED COMPLETY IN HEAVY RELIEF AND PAINTED CAME INTO PRODUCTION BUT THE GOOD EXAMPLES ARE TRULY WORKS OF ART AND ALTHOUGH NOT GOOD OLD HEADHUNTING EXAMPLES NOT TO BE SCOFFED AT AS ETHINOGRAPHIC ART. AT ANY RATE I LIKE THEM BUT THEN I AM NOT A PURIST AND AM A NOVICE AT BEST.

VANDOO · 4th September 2013, 01:25 PM

A FEW MORE DAYAK SHIELDS
1. DAYAK DANCING WITH SHIELD AND SWORD
2. SHIELD WITH LIGHT CARVING AND ORANGE PIGMENT PAINT
3,4 & 5. 19TH. CENTURY SHIELD ,LIGHT CARVING, 50 X 15 INCHES
6 & 7. FRONT AND BACK OF HAIRY SHIELD
8. DEEP CARVED EXAMPLE, PAINTED
9. OLD SHIELD NO OTHER INFORMATION.
10. ANOTHER OLD SHIELD NO OTHER INFORMATION
11 & 12. FRONT AND BACK OF SHIELD EST.1920'S TO 1930'S, 62 INCHES

Battara · 5th September 2013, 12:28 AM

Barry some questions:

1. Are those with hair ceremonial or for warfare?

2. Do those used for warfare use painted faces for intimidation or are warfare examples plain?

3. If those with carving and paint are older, then what about those with only black and red paint, and bare wood?

VANDOO · 5th September 2013, 01:32 AM

GOOD QUESTIONS I AM SEVERLY LIMITED ON GOOD REFRENCES AND KNOWLEGE ON THESE BUT UNTILL THOSE WITH THE APPROPRIATE KNOWLEGE CAN COME STRAIGHTEN ME OUT I WILL GIVE IT A TRY TO ANSWER AS BEST AS I CAN.

1. THE ONES WITH HAIR WERE BOTH CEREMONIAL AND FOR WARFARE AND DENOTED THE TRIBE AND THE STATUS OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE TRIBE. NOT EVERYONE WOULD HAVE SUCH NICE ONES AS FAMILY, PRESTIEGE, RANK, WEALTH AND FIGHTING ABILITY WERE ALL REQUIRED TO HAVE SUCH A SHIELD.
2. THE DESIGNS AND FACES WERE FOR PROTECTION OF THE LIVING AS WELL AS ON THE SPIRITUAL PLANES. THEY NO DOUBT GATHERED THE SPIRITS OF THE ANCESTORS FOR GOOD LUCK AND PROTECTION FROM EVIL SPIRITS AND THE ENEMY IN BATTLE. THEY COULD INTIMIDATE A LESSER WARRIOR AS THEY INDICATED THE IMPORTANCE AND FIGHTING ABILITY OF THE WARRIOR AND ALSO INDICATED HE WOULD HAVE FRIENDS SO GETTING TO HIM WOULD BE MUCH MORE DANGEROUS BUT ALSO THE GLORY MUCH MORE IF SUCESSFUL.
THE PLAIN SHIELDS WERE LIKELY FOR WARRIORS WITH LOW RANK AND LITTLE WEALTH AND PERHAPS SUPPLYED BY THOSE WITH WEALTH IN THE TRIBE. IF THEY BECAME GREAT WARRIORS THE DECORATIONS AND HAIR TUFTS WOULD FOLLOW BUT I SUSPECT CERTIAN DECORATIONS WERE RESERVED FOR FAMILYS WITH LONG STANDING PRESTIEGE IN THE TRIBE CHIEFS AND SUCH.
3. THERE ARE OLD AUTHENTIC ONES AND NEW REPLICA ONES THAT ARE PLAIN AND THEY STILL MAKE THEM MOSTLY FOR LOCAL USE BUT SOMETIMES THE TOURISTS BUY ONE. MOSTLY THE TOURISTS BUY THE MORE FANCY TOURIST WALL HANGERS.
THE REALLY FANCY ONES CARVED IN DEEP RELIEF AND PAINTED ARE OFTEN USED IN SOME CELEBRATION OR EVENT AND SHOW OFF THE CARVERS SKILL AND HAVE AUTHENTIC DAYAK DESIGNS OF POWER. I HAVE SUCH A SHIELD I WILL TRY AND TAKE A PICTURE AND POST IT SOON.
THATS THE BEST I CAN DO AND IF I HAVE MADE INCORRECT STATEMENTS PLEASE CORRECT ME WHERE NEEDED. THANKS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Barry some questions:

1. Are those with hair ceremonial or for warfare?

2. Do those used for warfare use painted faces for intimidation or are warfare examples plain?

3. If those with carving and paint are older, then what about those with only black and red paint, and bare wood?

Maurice · 5th September 2013, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

3. If those with carving and paint are older, then what about those with only black and red paint, and bare wood?

Jose, as far as I noticed, the ones with carving are far from being older. They are mostly newer and made for tourists who love to have a nice carved shield.

Painted with designs, black and red paint or bare wood, doesn't tell us something about the age. It isn't so that this one is older as that one. They were used simultaneously next to eachother. There are very old plain ones and also very old painted ones. So this is no age indicator.

I can only say compare the old ones with provenance from old museumcollections with the ones you find mostly on ebay. Than you will see the difference.
The ones Vandoo showed us are both... Newer and recent made ones, but also old ones.
And I noticed my shield I posted in the beginning is also depicted in Vandoo's post...

Maurice

asomotif · 5th September 2013, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Barry some questions:

1. Are those with hair ceremonial or for warfare?

2. Do those used for warfare use painted faces for intimidation or are warfare examples plain?

3. If those with carving and paint are older, then what about those with only black and red paint, and bare wood?

Barry's answers are never to far off, as he seems to know something about almost everything.
Nevertheless I would like to give my short opinion on these questions.

1 + 2 : As we can see in old pictures there can be a variety of plain, decorated and hair shields (klebit bok) within one tribe. My guess is that need be, all of them will have been used for warfare.
Painted faces on the front will frighten the enemy but probably also bad spirits. As for example baby carriers are also decorated with faces to protect the child.

I have read that the faces on the front are to frighten the enemy, and the decorations on the back are to protect the warrior.

Shields without rattan enforcement would not be much use in a fight.
See also Maurice comments before.

3. : I guess here is a small misunderstanding and Maurice answered that one.

Best regards,
Willem

VANDOO · 5th September 2013, 11:29 PM

HERE ARE PICTURES OF MY TO GOOD EXAMPLES.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM HEADHUNTER DAYS AND SHOWS HEAVY PATINA AND SOME WEAR IT IS A BIT FRAGILE 40.5 INCH X 11.5 INCHES. YOU CAN SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THE LIGHT CARVING OF JUST THE LINES ON THE DESIGN. THIS SHIELD IS FESTOONED WITH HUMAN HAIR, THE HAIR IS NOT AS HEAVY AS SOME SHIELDS SO PERHAPS FROM A EARLIER TIME OR DIFFERENT TRIBAL GROUP

.
THE SECOND ONE IS ONE OF THE ONES CARVED IN FULL RELIEF AND PAINTED WITH MODERN PAINTS NOT NATURAL PIGMENTS AS IN THE FIRST EXAMPLE. IT WAS MADE FOR SOME SPECIAL OCCASION IN KUCHING SABAH, BORNEO OVER 80 YEARS AGO. IT IS 60 X 15 INCHES. I BOUGHT IT IN KUCHING AROUND 12 YEARS AGO.

VANDOO · 6th September 2013, 01:12 AM

THIS IS THE LAST OF MY PICTURES OF OLDER WELL DONE SHIELDS. THE FIRST PICTURE IS A CLOSEUP OF THE DETAIL ON THE LAST SHIELD IN THE PREVIOUS POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES. TWO PICTURES OF ANOTHER SHIELD.

Sentrad · 15th September 2014, 10:21 PM

Here is one of my Borneo shields: Max. length 131,7 cm; length of side edges 102,2 cm / 103,2 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 31,7 cm.
Provenance: French Collection.
Udo

Sentrad · 4th December 2014, 09:38 PM

Max. length 106,2 cm; length of side edges 69,1 cm / 86,4 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 29,7 cm.

This shield looks nice, but there are l a lot of shields in this fantastic thread, which are much more spectacular. However, its provenience is interesting, it belonged to the daughter of the Dutch Ethnologist H. F. Tillema, who travelled and filmed in the Apo Kajan region. A few copies of his films still exist. He wrote a book on his travelling:
Tillema, H. F.
A Journey Among the Peoples of Central Borneo in Word and Picture
Singapore 1989, Oxford University Press (Original titel ‘Apo-Kajan. Een Filmreis naar en door Centraal-Borneo’, Amsterdam 1938, van Munsters Uitgevers).

Udo

3rd September 2013, 05:34 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE SOME PICTURES IN MY PHOTO FILES OF DAYAK SHIELDS HERE ARE A FEW. I LIKE DAYAK SHIELDS A LOT BUT HAVE LITTLE KNOWLEGE OF THEM SO SOME MAY BE NEW AND SOME OLD AND I REMAIN CLUELESS AS TO WHICH TRIBES THEY BELONG. SO PICTURES FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT AND COMMENT. EXAMPLE 1.THE FIRST TWO PICTURES ARE OF A TYPE THAT HAS DEEP RELIEF CARVING AND IS PAINTED WITH SOME SORT OF HOMEMADE PAINT/STAIN. # 2. THE NEXT 4 PICTURES ARE OF A SHIELD WITH HAIR AND LIGHT CARVING IT IS 53 X 16 INCHES #3. A DEEP RELIEF CARVED EXAMPLE WITH MODERN PAINT,49IN. X 11.5IN. #4. A OLDER SHIELD LIGHTLY CARVED AND STAINED ONLY #5. TWO PICTURES OF A DEEPLY CARVED TYPE WITH MODERN PAINT. 46.5 IN.LONG #6. SHIELD FRONT AND BACK ,WITH HAIR AND STAIN. #7. OLD HAIRY FORM SHIELD. WITH STAIN AND LIGHT CARVING. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE OLDER SHIELDS HAD THE DESIGNS ESPECIALLY THE EYES CUT IN ALONG THE LINES ONLY ( I REFER TO THIS AS LIGHT CARVEING). THE SHIELDS WERE COLORED BY NATURAL STAINS AND PIGMENTS AND PERHAPS WOOD BURNED. MANY OF THE MODERN REPLICAS HAVE THE DESIGNS DRAWN ON AND COLORED BUT NOT CUT INTO THE WOOD. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE FORMS THAT ARE CARVED COMPLETY IN HEAVY RELIEF AND PAINTED CAME INTO PRODUCTION BUT THE GOOD EXAMPLES ARE TRULY WORKS OF ART AND ALTHOUGH NOT GOOD OLD HEADHUNTING EXAMPLES NOT TO BE SCOFFED AT AS ETHINOGRAPHIC ART. AT ANY RATE I LIKE THEM BUT THEN I AM NOT A PURIST AND AM A NOVICE AT BEST. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 4th September 2013 at 01:15 PM.

5th September 2013, 11:29 PM	#8
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE PICTURES OF MY TO GOOD EXAMPLES. THE FIRST ONE IS FROM HEADHUNTER DAYS AND SHOWS HEAVY PATINA AND SOME WEAR IT IS A BIT FRAGILE 40.5 INCH X 11.5 INCHES. YOU CAN SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT THE LIGHT CARVING OF JUST THE LINES ON THE DESIGN. THIS SHIELD IS FESTOONED WITH HUMAN HAIR, THE HAIR IS NOT AS HEAVY AS SOME SHIELDS SO PERHAPS FROM A EARLIER TIME OR DIFFERENT TRIBAL GROUP . THE SECOND ONE IS ONE OF THE ONES CARVED IN FULL RELIEF AND PAINTED WITH MODERN PAINTS NOT NATURAL PIGMENTS AS IN THE FIRST EXAMPLE. IT WAS MADE FOR SOME SPECIAL OCCASION IN KUCHING SABAH, BORNEO OVER 80 YEARS AGO. IT IS 60 X 15 INCHES. I BOUGHT IT IN KUCHING AROUND 12 YEARS AGO. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 5th September 2013 at 11:40 PM.

6th September 2013, 01:12 AM	#9
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THIS IS THE LAST OF MY PICTURES OF OLDER WELL DONE SHIELDS. THE FIRST PICTURE IS A CLOSEUP OF THE DETAIL ON THE LAST SHIELD IN THE PREVIOUS POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES. TWO PICTURES OF ANOTHER SHIELD. Attached Images

15th September 2014, 10:21 PM	#10
Sentrad Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 20	Just one more Here is one of my Borneo shields: Max. length 131,7 cm; length of side edges 102,2 cm / 103,2 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 31,7 cm. Provenance: French Collection. Udo Attached Images

4th December 2014, 09:38 PM	#11
Sentrad Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 20	Again a Kenyah shield, but with interesting provenience: Max. length 106,2 cm; length of side edges 69,1 cm / 86,4 cm; length of handle 31,7 cm; max. width 29,7 cm. This shield looks nice, but there are l a lot of shields in this fantastic thread, which are much more spectacular. However, its provenience is interesting, it belonged to the daughter of the Dutch Ethnologist H. F. Tillema, who travelled and filmed in the Apo Kajan region. A few copies of his films still exist. He wrote a book on his travelling: Tillema, H. F. A Journey Among the Peoples of Central Borneo in Word and Picture Singapore 1989, Oxford University Press (Original titel ‘Apo-Kajan. Een Filmreis naar en door Centraal-Borneo’, Amsterdam 1938, van Munsters Uitgevers). Udo Attached Images

4th September 2013, 01:25 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A FEW MORE DAYAK SHIELDS 1. DAYAK DANCING WITH SHIELD AND SWORD 2. SHIELD WITH LIGHT CARVING AND ORANGE PIGMENT PAINT 3,4 & 5. 19TH. CENTURY SHIELD ,LIGHT CARVING, 50 X 15 INCHES 6 & 7. FRONT AND BACK OF HAIRY SHIELD 8. DEEP CARVED EXAMPLE, PAINTED 9. OLD SHIELD NO OTHER INFORMATION. 10. ANOTHER OLD SHIELD NO OTHER INFORMATION 11 & 12. FRONT AND BACK OF SHIELD EST.1920'S TO 1930'S, 62 INCHES Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 4th September 2013 at 01:36 PM.

5th September 2013, 12:28 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Barry some questions: 1. Are those with hair ceremonial or for warfare? 2. Do those used for warfare use painted faces for intimidation or are warfare examples plain? 3. If those with carving and paint are older, then what about those with only black and red paint, and bare wood?