The timeless beauty of Bidayuh

By Priyadarsini a/p Santhar

Dwelling in Borneo’s breathtaking landscape, the native Bidayuh ethnicity still thrives through the modernity of life. Bidayuh, or Land Dayak, is the second largest indigenous group in Sarawak after Iban. Many Land Dayaks also reside on the borders of Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Bidayuh in Sarawak primarily live in the districts of Padawan, Serian, Bau, and Lundu. Bi means “belongs to”, whereas Dayuh means “land”, collectively translating to “people of the Land”.

Linguistically, the Bidayuh language itself can be divided into four primary dialects: Biatah, Bukar-Sadung, Bau-Jagoi, and Salako-Rara, reflecting the community’s diversity. 

The Bidayuh are known for their rich cultural heritage, which includes traditional cuisine, music, dance, traditional practices, customs, beliefs, craftsmanship, and agricultural competence. They are also well known for their artistic skills in woven crafts, woodcarving techniques, and beadwork.

A newly-wed Bidayuh couple in Bidayuh-Serian traditional attire.

A Bidayuh woman in her traditional attire joining the Niti Daun Gawai Dayak Parade 2023 in Kuching this year.

Pangiah, colourful traditional necklace worn by Bidayuh women.

Among the myriad creative expressions by the people of Bidayuh, the necklace of the ethnic group pangiah stands out for its timeless beauty and cultural values. 

Pangiah refers to a traditional beaded necklace with usually four primary colours: white, yellow, red, and black. It is a colourful row of beads tied together with nylon strings or threads, creating an admiring visual layout. Bidayuh women usually wear pangiah , which has a significant cultural meaning.

Traditional Bidayuh necklaces are generally made of colourful ceramic beads, pendants, and brass bells. The pendants are usually made out of wild animals’ teeth, but primarily fake animals’ teeth are used today. The traditional attire for Bidayuh men comprises a tawuop or tahup, a long loin cloth wrapped around the waist, one end hanging in front and one at the back, headgear, and armlets.

On the other hand, the traditional Bidayuh attire for women includes a short-sleeved or sleeveless blouse, matching skirts, and accessories such as selapai, pangiah, porik, and headgear. However, traditional Bidayuh attire can also differ from district to district.

The Last Bidayuh Ring Ladies. Photo: Borneotalk

The attire of Padawan, Bau, and Serian women may look similar; however, there are some differences between them. For instance, the Bidayuh-Serian women wear a wooden hat called reung. Meanwhile, Bidayuh-Bau and Bidayuh-Padawan women wear a three-coloured hat called sipiah.

Additionally, the Bidayuh community strongly connects with nature and are experts in traditional healing methods. It was believed that in the past, the necklace was worn as a sacred item during healing, harvesting, and other ceremonial processes by priestesses (dayung borih), also known as female healers.

The religious necklace was also believed to be able to call spirits that could guide them during the sacred rituals. However, colonialism profoundly changed the way of life of the Bidayuh community. After British colonialism, most of the Bidayuh people, who once traditionally believed in animism or paganism, converted to Christianity.

Today, pangiah has evolved into a fashion statement. Yet, Bidayuh women still proudly wear them as accessories to attend cultural events, official functions, and celebrations. Some of them even pair these exquisite pieces with modern clothing on an everyday basis.

Bidayuh men and women, participating in their traditional dance along with gongs during the Gawai celebration this year.

The Bidayuh people have learned to embrace modernity while maintaining a deep sense of identity. Owing to modernity, the Bidayuh people have gone to live and work in the city. Many Bidayuh individuals got better job opportunities in the urban areas and adapted to the changes in lifestyle. As much as the older generation do their best to uphold their traditional values, it is inevitable that the younger generation need to be more involved in sustaining their meaningful customs.

What’s more, the parents’ of the new generations are opting for more English-sounding names instead of traditional Bidayuh names after the influence of Christianity or Western media and pop culture. Gawai celebrations that were once so lively have dimmed over time due to many factors.

Modern trends frequently overshadow traditional cultural customs and festivals as urbanisation speeds up. The younger generation’s increasing detachment from their cultural roots as they prioritise their religion over traditional festivals can also be considered as one of the factors. 

However, the Bidayuh community is still working diligently to retain its cultural roots. The older Bidayuh generation are passing down their language, cultural food, music, dance, and knowledge of weaving, wood carving, and beadwork to their children to retain their treasured culture.

Many Bidayuh women continue making traditional necklaces and ornaments despite moving to the city. The demand for beaded necklaces has also increased due to a growing appreciation for the intricate and stunning beadwork. The complexity and time taken to create each beaded accessory contribute to the high market value.         
   
Hence, passing down cultural beliefs, customs, and knowledge to the next generation is important. The younger generation must also play their part in practising and learning their cultural roots to preserve their identity. The Bidayuh community must unite to preserve and uphold the culture so that future generations can appreciate and enjoy the depth of their ancestry. Everyone in the community is responsible for preserving their heritage, for if they neglect it, who will be responsible for it?

• This article was written by a student from the Strategic Communication Programme at the Faculty of Education, Language and Communication, UNIMAS.