Dayak parang ilang Handle

VVV · 27th November 2006, 07:12 AM

Hi Bill,

Iban Art, published 2005, is a very nice book.
The leeches making the sword familiar drawing blood is in the book a saying that they attribute to Saribas, an area where one of the Iban groups live.
I think that's a cool but more recent explanation from the time after headhunting was practised.
The Parang Ilang is a sword that the Iban got from the Kayan in the 19th C (according to Shelford and other sources).
The original meaning for the motif IMO must be found among the Kayan.

Michael

27th November 2006, 07:12 AM	#9
VVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,637	Hi Bill, Iban Art, published 2005, is a very nice book. The leeches making the sword familiar drawing blood is in the book a saying that they attribute to Saribas, an area where one of the Iban groups live. I think that's a cool but more recent explanation from the time after headhunting was practised. The Parang Ilang is a sword that the Iban got from the Kayan in the 19th C (according to Shelford and other sources). The original meaning for the motif IMO must be found among the Kayan. Michael