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

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DYAK FEASTS 211
This feast, which is known by different names,
is the most important of Dyak feasts, and lasts three
days, whereas other feasts last only one day. In this feast
food is given to the human heads taken in war. In the
old days, it was only held on the return from a successful
war expedition, when the heads of the enemy were brought
home in triumph. But in the present day, this feast is
organized when the people of the Dyak house get a good
harvest and wish to have it.
Among the preparations for this feast is the making of
the tenyalaiig, a carved wooden figure of the rhinoceros
hornbill. Some men carrying offerings, and others beat-
ing drums and playing musical instruments, go to the
jungle and select a suitable tree. At the foot of it the
offerings are placed, and some fowls are killed and the
blood sprinkled on the ground to propitiate the spirits.
The tree is felled, and a portion of it, which is to be carved,
is taken to the Dyak house, where it is received with much
rejoicing.
This wood is given to the men who are to carve it into
the desired shape, and each man has the necessary tools
given him. When he has finished his work, he keeps these
tools, and, in addition, receives some other payment.
The number of carved birds differs according to the
number of the people in the house who are of importance,
and have taken heads in warfare.
The tenyalang are not an exact copy of the hornbill,
but are elaborately and fantastically carved and gorgeously
painted in many bright colours.
Some men go into the jungle and cut down belian trees
to make poles on which the figures of the rhinoceros horn-
bill are to be set up. These are of different lengths, ac-
cording to the rank of the person who intends to use it,