Borneo, Sarawak (Malaysia): a rare ornament from a ritual helmet of the Iban-Dayak, in the form of a richly carved head of a hornbill. The hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) plays a large and positive role in the myths of the Dayak on Borneo. It is viewed as a messenger from the ‘other world above’, where the ancestors live, and it symbolises the good. For this reason, the heads, the beaks and the white-black tail feathers of the hornbill often appear in the ornaments of the Dayak warriors. The present, complete head of a hornbill originates from a ritual helmet of the Iban-Dayak. These helmets, with attached birds’ heads, were used during initiation rituals. Only the bird’s head differentiates such a ritual helmet from a normal helmet of a Dayak warrior. The warrior helmets were always braided out of heavy rattan, and decorated at the back with hornbill feathers and also at the front near the forehead: with brass plaques, out of which an apotropaic, threatening demon face was carved, or with colourful bead embroidery in similar demon motif. These wickerworks were then pure ritual helmets (‘hornbill helmets’) when they had a bird’s head on the forehead area and were used only ceremoniously for initiations and elevations in status. The hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros) presented here also plays a large and positive role in the myths of the Dayak on Borneo. It is viewed as a messenger from the ‘other world above’, where the ancestors live, and it symbolises the good. For this reason, the heads, the beaks and the white-black tail feathers of the hornbill often appear in the ornaments of the Dayak warriors. The present, complete head of a hornbill originates from a ritual helmet of the Iban-Dayak. These helmets, with attached birds’ heads, were used during initiation rituals. Only the bird’s head differentiates such a ritual helmet from a normal helmet of a Dayak warrior. The warrior helmets were always braided out of heavy rattan, and decorated at the back with hornbill feathers and also at the front near the forehead: with brass plaques, out of which an apotropaic, threatening demon face was carved, or with colourful bead embroidery in similar demon motif. These wickerworks were then pure ritual helmets (‘hornbill helmets’) when they had a bird’s head on the forehead area and were used only ceremoniously for initiations and elevations in status. The hornbill head presented here also bears on its yellowish-white front side an apotropaic, threatening demon face. In typical Dayak style, with curves, volutes and spirals carved in relief. With small, black glass beads inserted as eyes. On both sides of the natural, red crest of the beak (above) it displays at the left and right a dragon-dog ‘Aso’, also carved in relief. With small, white glass beads inserted as eyes. These ‘Aso dragons’ are also positive protective symbols of the Dayak. The lower half of the hornbill beak is equally carved in relief with the typical, curved Dayak volutes, also partly in the form of the ‘Aso dragon.’ At the back end of the head one can discern remains of wood (in a hole) and adhesive (black tree resin), with which the bird head was attached at the front to the woven helmet. According to the information of the consignor, this hornbill helmet was purchased in a ‘long house’ of the Iban-Dayak in northern Borneo, in the province of Sarawak, which belongs to Malaysia. It is old, and shows no appreciable damage. Such richly carved, ritually employed birds’ heads of the Dayak are extremely rare. H: 12 cm; L 21 cm. First third to half of the 20th century. (ME) ASA

Provenance: Austrian Private Collection. 'Hornbill and Dragon' by Bernard Sellato, fig. 325.

additional image:
KENYAH-DAYAK, Borneo: a young Dayak boy at his initiation receives a ritual helmet with a complete head of a hornbill placed on it. Such “hornbill helmets” were exclusively used during ritual ceremonies such as initiation rites or elevations in status.
Photo from: “Hornbill and Dragon” by Bernard Sellato