Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Alam Shah · 18th March 2006, 05:13 PM

A little info about the Muruts...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murut_people
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9054385

A picture of the Murut Longhouse

Traditional Costume of the Murut

http://www.sabah.org.my/bi/know_sabah/murut_costume.asp

Murut Legend of how tattoos protected men and women from crocodiles.

A crocodile family was having difficulty in producing the eggs needed to begin their family. The father was then sent by his wife to locate help. Not far upriver, a Murut kampong (native village) was discovered. The father approached a woman who was cooking dinner and she apprehensively agreed, fearing that her body would be snatched and eaten by the imposing crocodile. Together, they swam to a deep pool. The woman held on to the father's tail and they rapidly descended into the dark water until they reached the crocodile's nest. Soon thereafter, the Murut woman gave the ailing mother much needed advice and to the delight of the parents the eggs suddenly appeared.

The Murut woman returned to her home and because the crocodile parents were so pleased with her efforts, they promised all the Murut that if they tattooed an image of the crocodile on each shoulder, or two tattoos around their legs, all crocodiles would recognize them as friends and would never bring harm to them.

Paraphrasing after: Diary of F. Witti, Esq., During an Excursion in North Borneo from Maruda Bay to Papar - F. Witti (written in 1880 - never published).

Tribal tattoo distinctions

Muruts - Men who have fought, or who have gone on risky expeditions (headhunting I presume) are tattooed from the shoulders to the pit of the stomach, and all down the arms three-parallel stripes to the waist. (Hatton 1882) NOTE: This tattooing is similar to that of Siberut Island...

Rundum Muruts - stars on the front of the shoulder, above the breast, are often seen... each star denoted a head having been taken. When the third had been taken, another star was placed on the throat; then the forearms and thighs were tattooed, but with no special design. (Rutter 1929)

18th March 2006, 05:13 PM	#10
Alam Shah Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,248	A little info about the Muruts... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murut_people http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9054385 A picture of the Murut Longhouse Traditional Costume of the Murut http://www.sabah.org.my/bi/know_sabah/murut_costume.asp Murut Legend of how tattoos protected men and women from crocodiles. A crocodile family was having difficulty in producing the eggs needed to begin their family. The father was then sent by his wife to locate help. Not far upriver, a Murut kampong (native village) was discovered. The father approached a woman who was cooking dinner and she apprehensively agreed, fearing that her body would be snatched and eaten by the imposing crocodile. Together, they swam to a deep pool. The woman held on to the father's tail and they rapidly descended into the dark water until they reached the crocodile's nest. Soon thereafter, the Murut woman gave the ailing mother much needed advice and to the delight of the parents the eggs suddenly appeared. The Murut woman returned to her home and because the crocodile parents were so pleased with her efforts, they promised all the Murut that if they tattooed an image of the crocodile on each shoulder, or two tattoos around their legs, all crocodiles would recognize them as friends and would never bring harm to them. Paraphrasing after: Diary of F. Witti, Esq., During an Excursion in North Borneo from Maruda Bay to Papar - F. Witti (written in 1880 - never published). Tribal tattoo distinctions Muruts - Men who have fought, or who have gone on risky expeditions (headhunting I presume) are tattooed from the shoulders to the pit of the stomach, and all down the arms three-parallel stripes to the waist. (Hatton 1882) NOTE: This tattooing is similar to that of Siberut Island... Rundum Muruts - stars on the front of the shoulder, above the breast, are often seen... each star denoted a head having been taken. When the third had been taken, another star was placed on the throat; then the forearms and thighs were tattooed, but with no special design. (Rutter 1929) Last edited by Alam Shah; 18th March 2006 at 05:29 PM.