Seventeen years among the Sea Dyaks of Borneo; a ... - Sabrizain.org

CHAPTER VI
SOCIAL LIFE
Social position of the women— Dyak food—Meals— Cooking food in
bamboo—Law with regard to leaving a Dyak house—Rule of the
headman—A Dyak trial—rower of the headman in old days —
Dyak wealth— Valuable jars — Gusi— Naga — Rusa—A convenient
dream— Trading incident at Sebetan—Land tenure—Laws about
fruit-trees— Slavery — Captives in war— Slaves for debt.
THE Dyak woman does not hold, as in most Eastern
countries, an inferior and humiliating position. As
has already been stated, the women do no more than
a fair share of the work : they cook, make garments and
mats, help in the lighter part of farm work, and husk
and pound the grain. The men do the timber-felling,
wood-cutting, clearing of the land, house and boat
building, and all the heavier work.
When the Dyaks meet together to discuss any matter
such as the advisability of migrating to a new house, the
women are allowed to take part in the discussion.
Generally the men sit round in a circle, and behind them
are the women and children. And it is no unusual
thing to hear a woman express an opinion, and her
remarks are listened to with deference by the men.
The Dyak women have no reason to complain of their
lot. Their wants are few and easily satisfied. They may
have sometimes a little more than their fair share of
work, but this is always the case where the men spend
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