Augustine Anggat Ganjing: Basic Iban Design

The Ibans are one of the indigenous tribes of Borneo, one of
the Holy Lands for Tribal Tattoo devotees. If you are into Bor-
neo style tribal tattooing, I can wholeheartedly recommend a
visit to those shores: beautiful place, very nice people, and in
my experience nothing but positive reactions towards heavily
tattooed persons.

Ganjing's book has by many tattoo artists been labelled the
"Bible of Iban (Tattoo) Design". Very likely that this is true:
the subject is not widely written about in the first place.

"Basic Iban Design" does in its introduction recount the story
of how tattooing first arrived on the island of Borneo, but
only a small part of the book is specifically on Iban tattoo de-
signs. Though all the fabric, pottery, etc. patterns are defini-
tely more than just a little helpful in learning to understand
Iban Tattoo design, and one can easily see how they corre-
late to traditional Borneo tattooing; and vice versa.

Without a doubt, "Basic Iban Design" is a must-have for all
of you tribal tattoo aficionados out there.

This is, btw, one of the exclusive tattoo books that I carry.
I have so far not found "Basic Iban Design" anywhere but
in Borneo (not even on Malaysian Mainland; where in many
parts tattoos are usually frowned upon anyways).

Borneoheadhunters Tattoo Studio

The first tattoo studio in Malaysia that provides world class and professional standard tattooing service, was founded in Kuching Sarawak in 1998. Borneo Headhunters Tattoo and Piercing Studio aims to promote the rich traditional art form of tattooing which has been an integral part of the Iban community for centuries. Tattoos played a very significant role in the lives of Ibans back then. Tattoos connected the living to the spiritual world and they were used to mark men's success in headhunting. For the womenfolk, their prowess in weaving and dancing was rewarded with befitting tattoos. Tattoos also helped ward off evil and disease. Ever since its conception, the studio has achieved many firsts for its founder, Ernesto Kalum. Its list of achievements and awards are listed below.

Achievements
1. Tattooing since 1992(bootleg); then professionally since 1998.
2. Invited to do a guest spot in England for a year in 1998 at one of the top tattoo studios in England.
3. Invited in 1999 to one of the most prestigious tattoo conventions in the world in Lausanne, Switzerland.
4. Organised an International Tattoo Convention in homeground Sarawak for the first time ever in South East Asia in May 2002 - "The 1st International Borneo Tattoo Convention, 1-5th May 2002".
5. Entered into the Sarawak Book of Records.
6. Won two H.R. Giger Awards for the Best Tribal Tattoo Category and Respect to the Culture Award in Lausanne, Switzerland in October 2001.
7. Being featured in National Geographic television as a subject in tattooing culture in the series "Taboo" in February 2003 and other television channels from countries such as Canada, England, France, German, Netherlands, Switzerland and USA.
8. Featured in the French magazine "Illustre" (Titled "Les Tatoueures De Borneo", Issue: No.43, 24th October 2001) and other magazines such as Malaysian Tatler and Tattoo Magazines.
9. Chosen as the tattoo and design advisor for The New Line Cinema film production "Sleeping Dictionary", directed by Guy Jenkins and starring Jessica Alba and Hugh Dancy.
10. Produced and managed Jerry Kamit's album "Semampai Sayau... Flora". On the 27th of March 2004, Jerry was awarded with two Honorable Awards at the Iban Music Awards (AJJAR) for the Most Popular Song and Best Vocal.

Awards
1.
1999 The 3rd Best of the Day during The 5th International Lausanne Tattoo Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland.
2.
1999
Respect Prize during The 5th International Lausanne Tattoo Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland.
3.
2001
Best Tribal 1st Prize during The 1st Annual Massachusetts Tattoo Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
4.
2001
Best Tribal 2nd Prize during The 1st Annual Massachusetts Tattoo Festival in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
5.
2002
H.R.Giger Award 1st Prize during The 6th Lausanne International Tattoo Show in Lausanne, Switzerland.
6.
2002
H.R.Giger Award for the Respect to the Culture during The 6th Lausanne International Tattoo Show in Lausanne, Switzerland.
7.
2002
Best Celtic/Tribal 1st Prize during the Northern Ink Exposure in Toronto, Canada.
8.
2002
Best Celtic/Tribal 2nd Prize during the Northern Ink Exposure in Toronto, Canada.
9.
2002
Best Tribal 1st Prize during the Tattoo The Earth in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
10.
2002
Best Tribal 2nd Prize during the Tattoo The Earth in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
11.
2002
Best Tribal 2nd Prize during the Tattoo The Earth in Oakland, California, U.S.A.
12.
2002
Best Tribal 1st Prize during the Atlanta Tattoo Fest in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.
13.
2002
Best Traditional 1st Prize during the Northern Ink Exposure in Toronto, Canada.
14.
2002
Best Traditional 2nd Prize during the Northern Ink Exposure in Toronto, Canada.

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What did the Iban headhunters on Borneo do with their trophies?

No surprise; they did what the winners of any competition do: took their trophies home and showed them to their wife or mother. And the women on Borneo did just as proud wives and mothers of Olympic gold medalists do—or those of a member of the team that won the FIFA World Cup. As an eyewitness report in The Pagan Tribes of Borneo (1912) explains in the chapter titled “War”:

“In the course of the feasting the women usually take temporary possession of the heads, and perform with them a wild, uncouth dance, waving the heads to and fro, and chanting in imitation of the men’s war-song.”

The “wild, uncouth dancing” and “chanting in imitation of the men’s war-song” may have milder, modern interpretations, but sports champions these days have not been in a life-or-death competition. Also, modern champions and their women do not have a cultural tradition for celebrating victory, as the Iban did.

The Iban women wove a ceremonial, multicolored textile called “pua kumba” that was used for lifecycle events, also for “receipt of an important item to a longhouse”, as one website discreetly explains. The Iban warriors did not fly home and straight into their loved one’s arms with their trophies. For a few days, they camped within earshot and the trophies would be smoked and dried, the hair combed. When they then did return home, it was important that the pua kumba was properly place on the tray held by the woman to receive the trophy (or trophies) so that it/they touched the most potent motif of the pattern.

Iban women are still weaving pua kumba, a warp ikat textile, but it is assumed that they are no longer used to receive captured heads.