Borneo headhunting revival ww2 and on?

Tim Simmons · 1st February 2010, 02:35 PM

I believe there are outburst even today. Certainly during ww2 and the British Borneo confrontation. I assume it was carried out with mandau. Look at these fantastic old boys.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/feat...mage-gallery/4

Cannot get the link to work.

Battara · 1st February 2010, 06:04 PM

This is true. A couple of years ago there were Malaysian heads taken on Borneo.

kisak · 1st February 2010, 06:48 PM

Is this the link you wanted to post?

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/feat...e-gallery/475/

mohd · 1st February 2010, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

This is true. A couple of years ago there were Malaysian heads taken on Borneo.

I'm not aware of it. I think you means Madurese heads taken in Kalimantan which is the Indonesian part of Borneo during the time of Presiden Megawati Sukarnoputri

Mohd.

Gavin Nugent · 1st February 2010, 10:22 PM

Here is the link Nathaniel posted a while back and Arjan posted the full video linky further in to the posting.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=borneo

A great watch.

Gav

Norman McCormick · 1st February 2010, 10:37 PM

.

CharlesS · 1st February 2010, 10:44 PM

Aren't these pics in reference to the WW2 film being done based on the book The Airmen and the Headhunters???

Maurice · 2nd February 2010, 10:23 AM

I think you are right Charles.

But I am still wondering what these papoeas from New-guinea were doing in Borneo!!

(at the chapter 2: at 40:55)

asomotif · 2nd February 2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

what these papoeas from New-guinea were doing in Borneo

Hi Maurice,

It looks like they are dancing. Not ?

And maybe they are there to give you that old Tarzan movie feeling.
Remember the tigers and orang utans turning up somewhere in Africa

asomotif · 2nd February 2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Madurese heads taken in Kalimantan which is the Indonesian part of Borneo

Correcto, that was in Kalimantan, not Malaysia

Tim Simmons · 2nd February 2010, 06:29 PM

Kisak thank you, that is the link. I just thought the two old vets looked rather fine. I live in a well known military area in the UK. Many of the older dog walkers and fellows in the pubs I meet are veterans of Malay and Borneo with some hair raising tales to tell.

Maurice · 2nd February 2010, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

I live in a well known military area in the UK. Many of the older dog walkers and fellows in the pubs I meet are veterans of Malay and Borneo with some hair raising tales to tell.

Tim,
Do they have mandaus for sale also?

Mytribalworld · 3rd February 2010, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

This is true. A couple of years ago there were Malaysian heads taken on Borneo.

yes long I thought it where cowboy stories... but seeing this movie it proofs all .
( beware its very shocking !!!, if you don't have a good stomic don't watch ) its certainly not my intention to list this as "amusing" but what we see indeed is that the custom of headhunting is still not forgotten there......... and what a sword can do in wrong hands.

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?doc...q=dayak&hl=nl#

asomotif · 3rd February 2010, 05:29 PM

Oops, If your are on CET, better wait till after your dinner.

This is really quite frontal and shocking film. (lots of kids

)

Old times, modern times. not much difference.
Headhunting is and was for the head,
children, women, elderly, weak. all the same.

Tim Simmons · 3rd February 2010, 05:51 PM

Really shocking!! but as collectors something I think we all need to see and keep in mind how ugly violence is.

There are some very good books with interesting photos of the British military action in Borneo with what are usually called Iban warriors and trackers in my towns library. Sadly the military section is close for a revamp until the month of march. When it is open again I will post some pictures here.

Amuk Murugul · 3rd February 2010, 10:36 PM

Hullo everybody!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandaukudi

......... and what a sword can do in wrong hands.

In this case, you must be kidding..... a mandaoe/parang in the hands of a Dajak who still has the ability to 'smell out'/track his game (in this case a Madura in his hiding place) and can use his implement devastatingly with ease and with minimum effort? What would you call 'the right hands'? A collector a long distance away who may never have even been in contact with a Dajak, but can only talk and fantasise? It is precarious to play 'armchair pontiff'.

Anyway, if you're talking about 'violence/horror', you should look closer to home... try Raymond 'Turk' Westerling. He possibly would've been tried for 'crimes against humanity' had he not avoided it by dying.

Best,

Rick · 3rd February 2010, 11:12 PM

We are going political here guys .. warning .

asomotif · 4th February 2010, 12:07 AM

Quote:

going political

Yep, lets not go there.

The dayak/madurese conflict proofs that old habits don't disappear that easily.
And as much as I would rather not see such violent conflicts, regardless the time and place, one can not overlook the devastating effects of the heads being taken.
As in old times people where struck with fear and awe and it must have been a huge psychological weapon used by the dayaks.
(and than please excuse me for generalising the inhabitants of Kalimantan/Borneo under the name dayaks.)

I must say that the WW 2 headhunting raids appear more heroic in my humble western armchair point of view. (IMHWAPOV, that's a nice one

)

Mytribalworld · 4th February 2010, 07:21 AM

What would you call 'the right hands'?

never the intension to go political here, there are several things you can do with a sword as we have seen, I am glad that we collectors found a peacefull solution just to hang them on the wall and enjoy/discuss them,than they are IMHWAPOV in the rigth hands and has finally found the best place to stay.

Tim Simmons · 5th June 2010, 09:12 PM

I have not found the book I wanted to show pictures from. It was about the conflict in the early 1960s, one picture of what was described as Iban, a fellow {tracker} with all the tribal earrings, tattoos and what have you sitting amongst a couple of Brit soldiers.

I have found these pictures of Borneo 1945 from " World Within a Borneo story, Tom Harrison, London; The Cresset Press; 1959" and one picture from the 1960s. The one with the helicopter is from " The Undeclared War, Harold james & Denis Sheil-Small.

The first book is all about ww2 action in Borneo by Brit, Aus and Dutch fighters with many locals. The pictures show more than I can type. One thing for sure the idea that late mandau are all just about parties and dancing is collector talk, blowing wind.

The writing here is just about incidents under the British officers noses. How many head were taken off the beaten track? the same in the 1960s no doubt?

1st February 2010, 02:35 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Borneo headhunting revival ww2 and on? I believe there are outburst even today. Certainly during ww2 and the British Borneo confrontation. I assume it was carried out with mandau. Look at these fantastic old boys. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/feat...mage-gallery/4 Cannot get the link to work.

1st February 2010, 10:22 PM	#5
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Another link for viewing. Here is the link Nathaniel posted a while back and Arjan posted the full video linky further in to the posting. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=borneo A great watch. Gav

1st February 2010, 10:37 PM	#6
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,575	. Last edited by Norman McCormick; 2nd February 2010 at 09:22 PM.

3rd February 2010, 05:29 PM	#14
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,221	Oops, If your are on CET, better wait till after your dinner. This is really quite frontal and shocking film. (lots of kids ) Old times, modern times. not much difference. Headhunting is and was for the head, children, women, elderly, weak. all the same. Last edited by asomotif; 3rd February 2010 at 05:58 PM.

5th June 2010, 09:12 PM	#20
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	I have not found the book I wanted to show pictures from. It was about the conflict in the early 1960s, one picture of what was described as Iban, a fellow {tracker} with all the tribal earrings, tattoos and what have you sitting amongst a couple of Brit soldiers. I have found these pictures of Borneo 1945 from " World Within a Borneo story, Tom Harrison, London; The Cresset Press; 1959" and one picture from the 1960s. The one with the helicopter is from " The Undeclared War, Harold james & Denis Sheil-Small. The first book is all about ww2 action in Borneo by Brit, Aus and Dutch fighters with many locals. The pictures show more than I can type. One thing for sure the idea that late mandau are all just about parties and dancing is collector talk, blowing wind. The writing here is just about incidents under the British officers noses. How many head were taken off the beaten track? the same in the 1960s no doubt? Attached Images

1st February 2010, 06:04 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	This is true. A couple of years ago there were Malaysian heads taken on Borneo.

1st February 2010, 06:48 PM	#3
kisak Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stockholm Posts: 182	Is this the link you wanted to post? http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/feat...e-gallery/475/

1st February 2010, 10:44 PM	#7
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Aren't these pics in reference to the WW2 film being done based on the book *The Airmen and the Headhunters*???

2nd February 2010, 10:23 AM	#8
Maurice Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,324	I think you are right Charles. But I am still wondering what these papoeas from New-guinea were doing in Borneo!! (at the chapter 2: at 40:55)

2nd February 2010, 06:29 PM	#11
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Kisak thank you, that is the link. I just thought the two old vets looked rather fine. I live in a well known military area in the UK. Many of the older dog walkers and fellows in the pubs I meet are veterans of Malay and Borneo with some hair raising tales to tell.

3rd February 2010, 05:51 PM	#15
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Really shocking!! but as collectors something I think we all need to see and keep in mind how ugly violence is. There are some very good books with interesting photos of the British military action in Borneo with what are usually called Iban warriors and trackers in my towns library. Sadly the military section is close for a revamp until the month of march. When it is open again I will post some pictures here.

3rd February 2010, 11:12 PM	#17
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,263	We are going political here guys .. warning .

4th February 2010, 07:21 AM	#19
Mytribalworld Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 400	What would you call 'the right hands'? never the intension to go political here, there are several things you can do with a sword as we have seen, I am glad that we collectors found a peacefull solution just to hang them on the wall and enjoy/discuss them,than they are IMHWAPOV in the rigth hands and has finally found the best place to stay.