BIDAYUH TRADITIONAL COSTUME
By
Jonas
Noeb, Henry Langgie and Gerald Gilbert Oscar Sindon*
Ritual Costume of Bidayuh Women
The early Bidayuh believed in the existence of God and a
multitude of spirits. The priestess, dayung boris is believed
to be able to communicate with spiritual beings, called bujang ieng
or kemang. In order to meet her spiritual partner, she has
to be presentable. She has to wear a special costume. Wearing
the costume is a symbol of mythical relationship and harmony between the
mortal beings and the inhabitants of the spiritual world.
An example of ritual costumes worn by Bidayuh women
(except the shoes!)
The costume consist of the following:
-
Tukuo or sipiah - The principal article of
dress is the headgear tukuo or sipiah. This headgear
is made from a velvet cloth, kain burudu to fit snugly over the
head like a cap. Trailing from the back portion of the sipiah
is a broad tail piece of cloth about five inches in width. This piece
of cloth is sewn onto the sipiah. The sipiah is decorated
with lace, coins, or beads, which matched the rest of the costume.
Another type of sipiah is made of cotton cloth. It has alternating
segments of black, red and white materials. In Serian District, the
head gear consists of a piece of red cloth over which is placed a tall
cylindrical hat, raung or raung tuko or a conical cap worked
in red, white, black and yellow beads. This cap is called sigubak
or tukuo tumih.
-
Pangieh or kukong tumih or pampan berad
- Around the neck is hung a heavy necklace consisting of five or six rows
of black, red and white opaque beads strongly bound together.
-
Sitagi berawan or sombon - Another necklace
of big coloured beads, some interspersed with bobot bisui and sirun
bouh is worn.
-
Bojuh or bejuh or jipo - A bright coloured
blouse made from velvet cloth, kain birudu is worn. The blouse
is decorated with lace, which matches the rest of the costume.
-
Jomuh or jomuh binua or jomuh birudu
- The heavy petticoat or skirt is wrapped tightly around the waist and
hang hardly reaching the knee with the hem end strapped with at least two
rows of silver coins or tiny hawk bells.
-
Porik or parih or sisot - A string of
silver ancient coins served as a belt is clasped in position by an ornate
buckle. Another silver belt with a large silver buckle plate is also
worn. In some villages, a rattan corset known as simed consisting
of many of silver rings is also worn around the waist.
-
Armlets - These adorn both arms.
-
Sirapai or silampai or sinde - A scarlet
sash is worn over the shoulder with both ends hanging down to the hip.
# Paper presented at
the Bidayuh Traditional Music, Songs, Dance and Costume Workshop
held at Museum Tun Razak, Kuching on 16 - 17 May 1998.
* Mr. Jonas Noeb is a Headmaster of SRB St. Teresa,
Serian. Mr. Henry Langgie (BBS) is an Agency Manager of Arab-Malaysian
Insurance, Kuching. Mr. Gerald Gilber Oscar Sindon is a schoolteacher.
Received on November 16, 1999.
Published on the Internet by courtesy of Mr.
Ahi Sarok (January 05, 2000)
Re-Published for bidayuh
dotcom by courtesy of Mr.
Ahi Sarok (May 03, 2000)
Citation:
Noeb, J., H. Langgie and G. G. O. Sindon. 1998. Bidayuh
Traditional Costume. Paper presented at the Bidayuh Traditional Music,
Songs, Dance and Costume Workshop held at Museum Tun Razak, Kuching
on 16 - 17 May 1998. 10p. (http://www.geocities.com/dayung_biatah/bidcostum.html)
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