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TRANS BORNEO CHALLENGING 2006
TRANS BORNEO CHALLENGING
Jacek Pałkiewicz2006-10-23 12:15:53
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the existence of the Dayaks in January 1997 when an ethnic war broke out in Borneo with immigrants from the Madura island. After the murder of two Dayaks, the angered decedents of the headhunters returned to this cruel tradition, killing more than a thousand Islamic residents who threatened their traditional cultural values. Ritual murder, an endemic tradition among animists, is proof of bravery and courage. It wins the warrior praise and nobility in autochthonous structures, allows him to absorb the vital strength of his enemy and achieve adulthood. According to years of tradition, these trophies also contribute to a fruitful rice harvest; ensure health, female fertility and rich hunting. As it turns out, the missionary influence and the work of the national administration have failed in eradicating this time-honored practice completely. The instinct remains.
Borneo. The name itself intrigues and awakens the imagination. The third largest island in the world, it is known as one of the wildest corners of the globe, dominated by a deadly climate, an endless jungle, virgin and uncharted terrains, dangerous animals, nearly inaccessible mountain chains and numerous tropical diseases. Moreover, it is inhabited by several dozen species of poisonous snakes, insects, leaches and treacherous mountain rivers.
Discovered by Magellan in 1521, the island also calls to mind the fascinating history of Malaysian pirates and the infamous local Dayak inhabitants, including the mysterious headhunters. More than a hundred years ago, Joseph Conrad sailed these waters and many of his literary heroes originate in the area. Tomek of Alfred Szklarski also traveled through these parts. Borneo was also an inspiration for another writer enchanted by the mysterious magic of the East, Somerset Maugham, and the guest of Raja Brokke in Sawarak, the young naturist Alfred Russel Wallach, developed the theory of natural selection here.
Twenty years ago I completed the “trip
...
See photographs from:
Indonesia Gallery
