Economic activities Historically, most of the Dayak people are
swidden cultivators who supplement their incomes by seeking forest products, both for subsistence (ferns, medicinal plants, fibers, and timber) and for sale; by fishing and hunting and by periodic wage labor. Presently, many modern-day Dayaks are also actively engaged in many contemporary economic activities, especially in the
urban areas of Borneo. Also, the roles that Dayak women often take on in the community, such as protecting the forest, are often undervalued. Dayak women are often expected to be responsible for a majority of the labor in the domestic sphere, while men are often expected to work outside of the home in order to provide for their families. Even though women are often expected to do a majority of the housework, Dayak males are still typically expected to also contribute in the domestic sphere. The males are often taught how to take care of domestic duties so that they are able to be independent and take care of themselves if necessary.
Egalitarianism Although some Dayak groups promote gender inequality, some try to promote
gender equality while still acknowledging that men and women are different. They believe that men and women are different, yet complementary to one another. Other Dayak groups, on the other hand, try their best to treat men and women as if they are not different from one another. It is not out of the norm to see men who belong to these groups take care of the domestic space while the women in their households do hard labor such as farm work. Rice holds a central role not only as a
staple crop but also as a culturally significant element in Dayak spiritual and ceremonial life. Seeds are often passed down through generations and specific rice varieties are reserved for rituals and community events. Farming is typically a communal activity, involving mutual cooperation during land preparation and harvest. Despite the increasing influence of modern agricultural practices and environmental regulations—particularly restrictions on burning—many Dayak communities continue to uphold traditional farming as a means of food security and cultural preservation.
Tattoo In many Dayak societies, a
tattoo is regarded as a sacred creation that consolidates together the images of humans, flora, and fauna into a single body art. The tattoo is used as a spiritual expression of life, to unify the living, the spiritual powers, and the universe. Traditionally, there are various reasons why a Dayak man or woman would choose body art. For some, it was used to mark a person's ethnic origin and rank in society. For others, the tattoo served as an act of devotion, as a demonstration of skills, to commemorate a special occasion in life, or as a symbol for the
rite of passage.
Longhouses longhouse with skulls and weapons along the wall, exhibiting their headhunter culture In the traditional Dayak society, the
long house or
Lamin House, is regarded as the heart of the community, it functions as the village, as well as the societal architectural expression. This large building, sometimes exceeding 200 meters in length, may be divided into independent household apartments. The building is also equipped with communal areas for cooking, ceremonies, socializing, and blacksmithing. The superstructure is not solely about architecture and design. It is a part of the Dayak traditional political entity and administrative system. Thus, culturally the people residing in the longhouse are governed by the customs and traditions of the longhouse.
Beadworks Based on the archeological records in Borneo, it was discovered that the early inhabitants of the island had used organic materials to make simple
beads. The beads were originally sourced from stones, bones, teeth, and shells. When the foreign traders arrived between the 8th-9th century, they further enhanced the ancient bead cultures of Borneo with the introduction of
colourful glass beads. These early beads are usually small, in basic colours of red, yellow, white, turquoise, and black. These were followed by multicolored beads around the 1500s-1600s. Traditional
beadworks have occupied a pivotal status in various Dayak communities. In many Dayak cultures, beads are not solely regarded as ornamental objects, but they are a major cultural influence. Some of the beads only being used for ritualistic practices and are worn during such ceremonies. While heirloom beads (known as pesaka) are regarded as an important family heirloom and oftentimes being inherited from one generation to another.
Metal-working Metalworking is elaborately developed in making (machetes – in Malay and Indonesian). The blade is made of softer iron, to prevent breakage, with a narrow strip of a harder iron wedged into a slot in the cutting edge for sharpness in a process called (iron-smithing). In headhunting, it was necessary to be able to draw the quickly. For this purpose, the is fairly short, which also better serves the purpose of trail cutting in dense forests. It is holstered with the cutting edge facing upwards and at that side, there is an upward protrusion on the handle, so it can be drawn very quickly with the side of the hand without having to reach over and grasp the handle first. The hand can then grasp the handle while it is being drawn. The combination of these three factors (short, cutting edge up, and protrusion) makes for an extremely fast drawing-action.
Headhunting and peacemaking taken in
Tumbang Anoi village (c. 1894). In the past, the Dayaks were feared for their ancient tradition of
headhunting practices (the ritual is also known as
Ngayau by the Dayaks). Among the most prominent legacies during the colonial rule in the
Dutch Borneo (present-day Kalimantan) is the
Tumbang Anoi Agreement held in 1894 in Damang Batu, Central Kalimantan (the seat of the
Kahayan Dayaks). That was a formal meeting that gathered all the Dayak tribes in Kalimantan for a peace resolution. In the meeting, which is reputed to have taken several months, the Dayak people throughout Kalimantan agreed to end the headhunting tradition as it was believed that the tradition caused conflict and tension between various Dayak groups. The meeting ended with a peace resolution by the Dayak people. Subsequently, the headhunting began to surface again in the mid-1940s, when the
Allied powers encouraged the practice against the
Japanese occupation of Borneo. It also slightly surged in the late 1960s when the
Indonesian government encouraged Dayaks to purge the
Chinese from interior Kalimantan who were suspected of supporting communism in mainland China, and in a period of high tension between
Madurese emigrants and Dayak during the
Sambas and
Sampit conflicts around the turn of the century.
Military The Dayak soldiers or trackers are regarded as equivalent in bravery to the
Royal Scots or the
Gurkha soldiers. The
Sarawak Rangers were absorbed into the British Army as the Far East Land Forces which could be deployed anywhere in the world but upon the formation of Malaysia in 1963, it formed the basis of the present-day
Royal Ranger Regiment. While in Indonesia,
Tjilik Riwut was remembered as he led the first
airborne operation by
the Indonesian National Armed Forces on 17 October 1947. The team was known as MN 1001, with 17 October celebrated annually as the anniversary date for the
Indonesian Air Force Paskhas, which traces its origins to that pioneer paratroop operation in Borneo. == Gallery ==