IDNO

DG.101957.PAO

Description

A group of six people dressed in adat gawai (pre-Christian rituals) gear pose on the lawn in front of Paka anak Otor’s house overlooking the longhouse at Kampung Benuk, possibly just after a dance performance for visitors. They are flanked by two men in shirts and trousers, squatting on the grass holding musical instruments. From left to right: Unknown man, holding a cylindrical gendang (wood and skin drum); Babai Nasia; Minuau; Otor anak Sunjam with Kena anak Paka in front of him; Serayang; Babai Punjo; Babai Nipi holding a gong.
The male performers wear vests with stars woven onto them and stagan (circular leopard teeth necklace); the female performers wear sepiya (circular cloth caps with red, black and white stripes and a back flap), stagi (elliptical bead necklace), sembun (string of beads and canine teeth), red sashes, and Iban bidang (warp-ikat skirt).
In the background are palm trees on the lawn and the triangular thatched attap roof of the longhouse below the hill.

Place

SE Asia Borneo; Malaysia; Sarawak; Penrissen; Kampung Benuk [Kampung Segu Bunuk]

Cultural Affliation

Bidayuh [historically Land Dayak]

Named Person

Babai Nasia; Minuau; Otor anak Sunjam; Serayang; Babai Punjo; Kena anak Paka; Babai Nipi

Photographer

?Paka anak Otor

Collector / Expedition

Paka anak Otor

Date

circa 1960 - 1970

Collection Name

Paka anak Otor Collection

Source

Paka anak OtorChua, Liana

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Source: A selection of 185 prints from Paka anak Otor’s larger collection of approximately 500 prints was made by Liana Chua during fieldwork in Kampung Benuk, Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2005. The purchase of non-exclusive reproduction rights [RM 1845, £250] by the Museum to the family of Paka anak Otor [82 Kampung Benuk, Jalan Puncak Borneo, Kuching 93250, Sarawak, Malaysia], and digital copy photographs of the collection [RM 869, £125] were paid for by the Museum Acquisition Fund [£250] and part of a Crowther-Beynon grant [£125] for the collecting of Sarawak objects. The digital scans were made by Fung Huang Colour Photo Centre [153 Padungan Road, Kuching, Sarawak] in 2005. [Liana Chua 2/8/2007]

Contextual information: From the 1960s, Kampung Benuk became a popular tourist destination famous for its longhouse. Paka’s family were central to this nascent industry, playing host to armed forces, civilian tourists, visiting dignitaries and officials. They commonly performed dances for these visitors which were based on adat gawai (pre-Christian rituals) ceremonies. [Liana Chua 28/8/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Liana Chua 28/8/2007]