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Old 12th June 2006, 12:21 AM   #22
VANDOO
(deceased)
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
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TAKE A LOOK AT EBAY AUCTION #6284865742 IT IS A POSTCARD OF TWO SHRUNKEN MEN WHICH ARE IN A MUSEUM. THEY ARE NO LONGER ON DISPLAY AS THERE WAS SOME CONTROVERSY AS TO WHO MADE THEM AND WHEN. I BOUGHT THE CARD FOR A FRIEND OF MINE WHO LIKES SUCH STUFF AND HAD NEVER BOUGHT ON EBAY. IT WAS DONE IN THE SAME WAY AS THE JIVARO SHRINK THEIR ENEMYS HEADS WHICH WAS ONLY DONE IN SOUTH AMERICA TO MY KNOWLEGE.

HEADHUNTING HAS BEEN A CUSTOM IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD AND PERHAPS WAS DONE IN EUROPE DURING PRIMATIVE TIMES. THERE WAS EVEN SEVERAL MOVIES AND A SUCESSFUL TV SHOW THAT RAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS HIGHLANDER MOST KEPT THE SKULL BONE AND HAD DIFFERENT CEREMONYS TO APPEASE THE SPIRITS. IN TIBET THE MONKS USE THE BONES OF THE OLDER MONKS FOR MANY THINGS AND OFTEN MADE A DRINKING CUP FROM THE TOP OF THE SKULL. I SUPPOSE IT WAS SYMBOLIC OF DRINKING OF THE KNOWLEGE OF THE OLDER MONK AND A WAY OF REMEMBERING AND HONORING THEIR TEACHINGS. THE DAYAKS OFTEN HAD A SPECIAL SKULL TREE OUTSIDE OF THE VILLAGE WHERE THEY WERE PLACED AND CEREMONYS PREFORMED UNTIL IT THEY WERE APPEASED AND COULD THEN BE SAFELY WELCOMED INTO THE VILLAGE AND HUNG IN A PLACE OF HONOR IN THE LONGHOUSE. THEIR SPIRITS THEN HELPED THE VILLAGE AND GAVE THEM POWER AND PRESTIGE. AT LEAST THAT IS HOW I UNDERSTAND IT TO BE, OF COURSE I AM NOT A DAYAK AND DIDN'T LIVE IN THOSE TIMES SO DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
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