About an early Borneo Photo
The photo above left was found by me on the enourmous database of the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsetrdam among number 60005478.
The photo is from Woodbury and Page studio ,one of the early pionering photostudios in the Dutch Eats Indies.
The photo dates probably from around 1885 what make it an early pictural document of high value.
Woodcuts of the photo dives up in two early German mission magazines
( 1906) by H. Sundermann describing the work among the Ngadju and Maanjan Dayak. An operation certainly not without danger and in “Getreu bis den Tod” he describes the slaughter of missionaries in 1859 in South East Borneo.In the first days of the Banjarmasin war the Dayaks where encouraged by “Muhammedanen” to attack Europeans. The missionaries of the Rheinische Mission who couldn’t escape where murdered and their heads where taken.The Maanyan tribe however didn’t join in the attacks. Described is how they refused the request to handle over missionar Klammer and keep protecting him. When 18 warlike dayaks entered their village they hasted to form a small army of 50 warriors to protect their missionar.
Both booklets are in my personal collection.
Remarkable on the photo is that it seems to have retouch work probably to make it suitable for the woodcut print and to loose the warriors from their background.
Note also the moonshaped breastplates of one of the warriors.
The 4 eyed shields,(the right one is the most clear one) are an indication that we have indeed South Borneo warriors here. ( probably Maanjan?)
The photo is of a high quality certainly if the realize that photographing was in the early days of his development.
Copies on kodakpaper are available just click here
The photo is from Woodbury and Page studio ,one of the early pionering photostudios in the Dutch Eats Indies.
The photo dates probably from around 1885 what make it an early pictural document of high value.
Woodcuts of the photo dives up in two early German mission magazines
( 1906) by H. Sundermann describing the work among the Ngadju and Maanjan Dayak. An operation certainly not without danger and in “Getreu bis den Tod” he describes the slaughter of missionaries in 1859 in South East Borneo.In the first days of the Banjarmasin war the Dayaks where encouraged by “Muhammedanen” to attack Europeans. The missionaries of the Rheinische Mission who couldn’t escape where murdered and their heads where taken.The Maanyan tribe however didn’t join in the attacks. Described is how they refused the request to handle over missionar Klammer and keep protecting him. When 18 warlike dayaks entered their village they hasted to form a small army of 50 warriors to protect their missionar.
Both booklets are in my personal collection.
Remarkable on the photo is that it seems to have retouch work probably to make it suitable for the woodcut print and to loose the warriors from their background.
Note also the moonshaped breastplates of one of the warriors.
The 4 eyed shields,(the right one is the most clear one) are an indication that we have indeed South Borneo warriors here. ( probably Maanjan?)
The photo is of a high quality certainly if the realize that photographing was in the early days of his development.
Copies on kodakpaper are available just click here
Breastplates made of copper
* Dayakname= Santagi
The example above is illustrated
In the Juynboll Borneo.
Coll nr . 934/22 RMV Leiden
“Swap with Resident
H.F.Hesselaar 1893”
* Dayakname= Santagi
The example above is illustrated
In the Juynboll Borneo.
Coll nr . 934/22 RMV Leiden
“Swap with Resident
H.F.Hesselaar 1893”