Breastfeedingcloth

1840

A breast cloth made of woven cotton. The cloth is white in color and decorated with four stylized black water snake figures and four stylized human figures. The cloth is bordered with red, yellow and floral cotton. The cloth is used to dress the deceased.The patterns carved in black were meant to protect the deceased on his or her journey to the kingdom of the dead. This is because they would deter evil spirits who wanted to lead them from their path (A.W. Nieuwenhuis, 1907, vol. 1, pp. 144-146 t. 27, no. 3).\The water snake, also called dragon or naga, was among the various subgroups of the Dayak an important figure in their myths. Its image had symbolic meaning and was a frequently recurring motif. The water snake was a symbol of femininity and fertility and was seen as the goddess of the underworld. Among the Ngaju Dayak she was called Jata. This name probably originated in the thirteenth century through the influence of the Hindu kingdom Majapahit, which ruled over many of the now Indonesian islands (including Borneo). They probably spread religious propaganda on Borneo. For example, certain concepts were adopted by the Dayak peoples (H. Schärer, 1963, pp. 12-15). The effigies of the water snake usually offered protection and watched over the dead. Because of its protective function, the image of the water snake was seen as very powerful. For this reason, some Dayak subgroups renamed the motifs depicting this deity so as not to incite evil upon themselves. They called these motifs 'aso', which literally means 'dog'. Usually, the motifs with this name did not resemble a dog, but a dragon or snake. Other names that were used to indicate the water snake motif include: 'scorpion', 'frog' or 'lizard'. Images of other reptiles such as crocodiles could also refer to the water snake. The motifs that referred to this water snake were usually depicted on objects where people wanted to have this power because of the protection they could offer. For example, the motif was often depicted at entrances to houses, on baby baskets, shields, sun hats etc. These were meant to scare off evil spirits. Sometimes two motifs together formed a monster's head called an 'udo', which was also meant to offer protection (B. Sellato, 1989, p. 44, 45). Some warriors also carried the water snake motif, for example in the form of an ear ornament (F. Brinkgreve & D.J. Stuart-Fox (ed.), 2013, p. 234). The female underworld represented by the water snake would always be related to the male upper world. Together they represented the entire cosmos. This unity in the universe formed an important part in the different cultures of the various Dayak groups (J. Ave & V.T. King, 1986, p. 33-36).