West Kalimantan Traditional Clothing – Every region in Indonesia is usually inhabited by indigenous tribes which makes each region always have its own wealth and uniqueness. West Kalimantan itself is inhabited by two major tribes, namely the Malay and Dayak tribes.
Of the two tribes that live side by side in West Kalimantan, of course you can see that their culture is reflected both in their traditional houses, special food and traditional clothing.
West Kalimantan Traditional Clothing
Here are 5 traditional clothes from West Kalimantan that Sinaumed’s must know!
1.King Baba
King Baba is the name of the traditional clothes worn by men who come from the Dayak tribe. This garment, in terms of its shape, is similar to women’s clothing, only in terms of its shape it is simpler. King Baba is even more unique because the material used to make this garment comes from flattened bark and is named King Baba. The plant used to take the skin is the type of plant ampuro or kapuo wood.
This plant is a typical endemic plant from Kalimantan which has a high fiber content. The name King Baba itself is taken from the Dayak language, where king means clothing and Baba means man.
In the manufacturing process, the bark is beaten with a hammer in water so that only the fiber remains. If the bark is flexible, it just needs to be dried in the sun, and also painted using ethnic Dayak patterns.
The dyes used are also natural dyes from nature. Not just for making clothes, accessories such as headbands also use the same material. The thing that distinguishes it is that the headband is decorated with Reluctant Ivory bird feathers so that it gives a dashing impression to the wearer. The shirt is decorated with beads and sleeveless. Don’t forget the additional accessories, namely the saber as a traditional weapon that is also attached.
2. King Bibinge
If King Baba is clothing worn for men, King Bibinge is clothing for women. The method of manufacture and materials used in King Bibinge are also the same as those used in men’s clothing.
The thing that differentiates King Baba and King Bibinge is that King Bibinge is made more closed and polite. There are also equipment used to cover the chest by using underclothes and stagen. The decoration also uses beads and hornbill feathers.
Similar to men’s clothing which also has no sleeves, King Bibinge also has no sleeves, but is more closed. There are also typical Dayak paintings which are also combined with beads made of wood and dry beads.
These accessories make King Bibinge even more unique and beautiful because they use a variety of natural materials that are around them. For this Dayak women’s traditional clothing, they will also wear accessories in the form of bracelets and necklaces.
The bracelets used are made from spun tree roots and are uniquely shaped. The necklace is made from animal bones and tree roots. This necklace not only functions as decoration, but also as a talisman and repels bad luck. On the head, wear a headband typical of the Dayak tribe in the shape of a triangle. Even though King Bibinge is made from natural ingredients, it still looks beautiful and aesthetic at the same time.
3. Discard Kuureng
This traditional clothing from West Kalimantan is a traditional clothing originating from the Malay tribe. Buang Kuureng is another name for the baju kuning which is also worn by Malays from other provinces in Indonesia, Malaysia, and also Brunei.
Even so, this Buang Kuureng still has its own characteristics that distinguish it from the baju kuning from other regions. These characteristics can be seen in terms of style, design, and materials. There are two types of Buang Kuureng, both of which are used by women.
The combination of Malay culture with a touch of Dayak culture makes the pattern on this dress look unique and makes this dress look prettier. Its existence must be preserved. Remember, sometimes traditional clothes are only used during certain events, such as the commemoration of Kartini’s Day.
4. Belanga Bay
In addition to the Kurung shirt, the Malays in West Kalimantan also have traditional clothes which are distinguished between men and women. Telok Belanga is a Malay costume specifically worn by men.
Generally, these clothes are used for official events such as traditional ceremonies or weddings. This beautiful outfit consists of underwear made of satin and is generally golden yellow in color. Where, the color is a color that is identical to the Malay empire.
Indeed, for the Malays, the color used has its own meaning and golden yellow is the color most often used by the Malays. This undergarment, combined with trousers and cloth or sarongs that have a gill shape. This cloth will be wrapped around the waist to the knees. As a complement, a skullcap is also worn in black.
From this traditional dress, of course, you can clearly see the difference. The Bula Malay tribe, specifically Malay Sambas, wears cloth as a material for their clothing. In contrast to the Dayak tribe who still use natural materials such as leaves and tree bark. Clothing originating from the Malay tribe is also more closed and has a distinctive design.
5. King Kabo
King Kabo’s traditional clothing comes from the Dayak tribe which can be said to have undergone development or modification. These modifications make King Kabo unique, but do not leave the characteristics of the original traditional clothing.
This development, of course, occurs because of creation and also follows the development of the current era. So, if King Kabo is used at this time it will not seem out of date without having to remove its various distinctive elements.
King Kabo itself is a modification of the traditional King Baba clothes worn by men from the Dayak tribe. If King Baba uses the basic material of tree bark, in King Kabo it is combined using a type of cloth called Cloth Sungkit. Sungkit cloth itself is a typical cloth belonging to a neighboring country, namely Brunei Darussallam. The combination makes this one outfit so stunning and beautiful.
The thing that makes King Kabo even more interesting, King Kabo still shows the characteristics of the Dayak tribe, especially in the form of his clothes. King Kabo also adds a very distinctive Dayak accent, namely Dayak carvings. Still wearing the same decoration, especially on the head, King Kabo is also equipped with a Saber which is a traditional weapon typical of Kalimantan.
The combination of two different tribes makes the province of West Kalimantan so rich. Both in terms of culture to traditional clothes that are so beautiful and also unique. The selection of materials, designs, as well as names and decorations have their own uniqueness. Of course, this wealth must be properly maintained so that it remains sustainable and can be used as a cultural heritage.
The Meaning of West Kalimantan Traditional Clothing
The Dayak tribal clothes have a unique and interesting side, starting from their characteristics, names and history. From the start, this traditional clothing was made of bark which was processed in such a way and became clothing made of cloth.
- Traditional ceremonies
- Cultural events
- Wedding event
1. Traditional clothing of the ancient Dayak tribe
At first the Dayak tribe only knew two types of clothing, namely king baba for men and king bibinge for women. Both of these clothes are made by processing the bark to make it soft and resemble cloth. The processed bark is called ampuro or kapuo.
It is said that the skill of processing wood for clothing is a skill that was passed down from generation to generation from the ancestors of the Dayak tribe.
2. The Meaning of Colors and Decorations on Dayak Traditional Clothing
Traditional clothing from West Kalimantan typical of the Dayak tribe, especially king baba and king bibinge, consists of a combination of colors and is decorated with various shapes. It turns out that behind the color and decoration there is a certain meaning.
The Meaning of Colors for the Dayak Tribe
- The red symbolizes a sense of unity and solidarity in the courage to defend the truth.
- White symbolizes the purity and purity of the soul of a person or a society.
- Yellow symbolizes a sense of glory, majesty, grandeur, and as a sign of honor.
- Black symbolizes a person’s maturity or as a symbol of mourning.
- Green symbolizes prosperity and fertility.
Meaning of Ornamental Variety
- The shape of a person or mantuari is a picture of human life in the natural world.
- Animal form means the existence of life beings other than humans in the world.
- The shape of the plant illustrates the support of life in the world.
- The shape of objects such as stars, moon and sun depict life in the unseen world, where stars, moon and sun were once believed to be powers.
3. Variety of Accessories or Jewelry and Their Meanings
As with traditional clothes from other regions, West Kalimantan traditional clothes are also used with accessories or ethnic companies. Following are the types of jewelry worn by both men and women.
- Simbolong is jewelry for women’s buns that can be used everyday or attend traditional ceremonies.
- The headdress is in the form of crowns of tantawan feathers and crowns of arue feathers, which can be used during both mourning and joy ceremonies.
- Poosong is a piece of jewelry used to decorate women’s ear holes.
- Kalong or pirak beads are used with the aim of beautifying one’s neck and it means the user has ability in society.
- Kalong bead kalabe is a special necklace worn by young women.
- Kalong bead mace is a necklace that can be worn by both men and women.
- Tangkalai’ or sumpae is an arm decoration for men and women.
- The contents of amas or gold teeth are used to beautify teeth which have a symbolic meaning that the user is someone who is financially capable.
That is the unique side behind West Kalimantan’s traditional clothing along with its history. How come, Sinaumed’s is interested in trying to wear West Kalimantan traditional clothes for the event?
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