Pua Kumbu Dayak Iban

From the deep forest of Dayak Iban tribe

Pua Kumbu by Dayak Iban TribeUnit Pengelola Museum Seni

Textile tradition of Dayak Iban tribe

Dayak Ibans were renowned for practicing headhunting and territorial migration, and had a fearsome reputation as a strong and successful warring tribe. Weaving is the women's warpath while kayau (headhunting) is the men's warpath. 

Pua Kumbu by Dayak Iban TribeUnit Pengelola Museum Seni

Woven in the deep forest of Borneo

This beautiful woven cloth is indigenous to deep forests of Borneo. The process of weaving is woven by the Dayak Iban tribe. According to local belief weaving skills comes from ancestral dream.

Certain motifs can only be woven by more seasoned weaver and have permission from their ancestors through dream. 
In the past a weaver that has managed to finish her own weaving creation is considered equal to headhunter and allowed to create tattoos on her fingers.

This woven cloth is only used for ceremonial purposes in making offering to the gods. The cloths are worn like sarong and tied on the waist with a silver belt. 

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