214 PAGAN TRIBES OF BORNEO chap. 



by the use of a block of wood grooved for the recep- 

 tion of the strip and pierced with holes opening into 

 the groove at the required intervals. 



The most elaborately decorated and finely plaited 

 basket-ware is made by some of the Klemantan sub- 

 tribes, especially the Kanowits and the Tanjongs, 

 and the Kalabits, who use, as well as the black dye, 

 a red dye (PI. no). The last is made by boiling 

 the seeds of the rattan in water and evaporating 

 the product until it has the consistency of a thick 

 paste. The Punans also excel in this craft. These 

 adepts barter much of their handiwork in this kind 

 with the people of communities less skilled in it. 

 This affords yet another illustration of the fact that 

 the various specialised handicrafts are traditional in 

 certain tribes and sub-tribes, and are practised 

 hardly at all or in an inferior manner only by the 

 other tribes, who seem to find it impossible to 

 achieve an equal degree of mastery of these crafts. 



Hat-making 



The large flat circular hat worn by the Kayans 

 for protection against sun and rain is made by the 

 women from the large leaves of a palm. It is the 

 only important handicraft practised by the women 

 only. The hard tough fluted leaves are pressed 

 flat and dried, when the flutes form ribs diverging 

 from the stem. Triangular pieces of the length of 

 the radius of the hat {i.e, from twelve to eighteen 

 inches) are cut and then sewn together in a double 

 layer ; those of the upper layer radiate from the 

 centre ; those of the under layer are disposed in the 

 reverse direction, so that their ribs diverge from 

 the periphery, crossing those of the upper layer at an 

 acute angle. This arrangement gives great rigidity 

 to the whole structure. The two layers are stitched 

 together by threads carried round the hat in con- 



