Spiritual beliefs

Traditional religious beliefs were largely animistic, featuring faith in supreme gods of the supernatural world and underworld, and various nature-related spirit entities roaming the physical world. In modern times, many Dayaks (particularly in coastal regions) have converted to Islam or Christianity, or to a variation of Hinduism which includes some traditional beliefs.

For peoples such as the Iban and Kenyah, headhunting was an important practise. It no longer continues, but was kept alive for centuries by a tradition of retaliation. Headhunting could arise from chance encounters, mass raids, or as spoils of war; the spirit of courage, ‘Bali Akang’, was summoned to assist the warriors in their hunt. Tribal warfare could be merciless, to the point of ‘ethnic cleansing’. Captured enemy heads (‘ulu’) were brought back to the village to be greeted with great festivity. There, the brains were carefully extracted through the nostril openings and the head itself placed in a net rattan bag and smoke-cured over a fire.

Because the spirit was supposed to linger in the ulu, the cured heads were thought to possess magical properties: it was believed they could save a village from famine or plague, produce rain, and ward off evil spirits. The heads were venerated, encircled with palm leaves, and offered food and thoughtfully pre-lit cigarettes in the hope that the spirit within would forgive its attackers and relax into its new home. Depending on the tribe, the heads’ powers were thought to either increase or decrease over time; either way, there was always a demand of new ulus, which were considered vital to the spiritual protection of the community.

Dayak metalworkers developed a special style of machete, the mandau, which is relatively short and easily drawn, making it handy for both headhunting and trailcutting. The exact design differs between tribes, with some mandaus appearing more like scimitars and others like short sabres.