Rodney On Earth

Hi,

All is well at work, I’m a little tired as today was quite busy with project planning.  Worse, I had an 8:30AM meeting! (I normally don’t even leave the house until 8:30!). I had to wake up at 6AM!  So, I’ll just answer two emails today: one very fast, one very long!

Keiko Wrote:

“I like your blog. Besides great photography, I really love your humor and personality! You should make videos for YouTube! Will you?”

Hmm, I thought of doing that, but I am not sure. I hate to even be in photographs, so it’s hard to imagine being in video!  But I am considering it. hahahahaha

By far, the most frequent question/request I receive is to see photos from projects rarely seen, and photos most cannot shoot (due to lack of access to the places).  

Stephanie Wrote:

“Hi, I like your photos. You said before you went to Kalimantan.  Are there naked people there, like in Papua?  Do you have any tribal photos?“

Well, Stephanie, I have not seen any tribes that reside naked (beyond bathing). But I have visited The Dayak tribe, which is indigenous to Kalimantan, the 2nd largest island in the world.

Getting to the areas of Dayaks who live in very old and traditional ways is quite difficult.  After hours driving into the mountains, I had to ride on the back of a motorcycle over rocks, hills and rickety old wooden bridges that were splintering apart, 10m above a rocky river of rushing water!  At one point, when we were going up a steep hill, I had to jump off the bike because it was flipping backwards! Even with the craziness of getting to them, it was worth it!

*~ Dear Gravity: OK! I’m Fat, I Get That! ~*

On the way to the traditional Dayaks hidden deep in the forest, I saw other Dayaks who live more conventional lives. There were even Christian churches made of wood along the way, suggesting there is a cultural change taking place.

(This is not to say they are all turning Christian, but that there are Christian influences now: they may be forming a new hybrid religion of Christianity and old religion, as can be found on the island of Sumatra).

The deeper we drove to the hiddent Dayaks, the more primitive (Hmm, is this the best word?) their living became. On the mountain road (before needing the mountain bikes) houses were on one side of the road, and steep, green hills covered in foliage were on the other side of the road.

This photo shows 3 girls peeking out of their door at this strange guy walking around their home.  This family actually is quite affluent, and as you can see, their door is quite modern.  Their home is more modern than most in their area, which are mostly wooden shacks with no electricity. 

The girl in blue on the left is so brave. She stayed at the window quite a lot and followed me around and stood for several photos.

There is a belief that if a foreigner visits Kalimantan, he has to be very careful to not associate with the local girls, or they may use magic to keep him there.  One person I know told me of a cousin who went there, fell under such a spell, and never returned home. It was years since being home, yet he thought it was only a few weeks!

When driving to this area, we passed a very beautiful girl sitting alone on a rock in a green field, combing her long black hair with her fingers.  Every guy in the vehicle was ripping neck muscles to turn their heads backwards Owl-style to look at that girl. Believe me, the girls do not need magic to capture men. *~ Hahaha ~*

While the girls’ home was somewhat modern, their next door neighbor, in contrast, lived in a wooden shack with no electricity.  Also contrasting to the girls is the neighbor’s age.  This lady is 110 years old!  When we were walking around, she came walking out of the hills across the street carrying a basket of veggies she picked.  She said she picks them herself on a regular basis, and adds them to rice that her son brings to her.  She’s one of the sweetest people you will ever meet!  We offered her some of our snacks, because it is obvious she as so little, but she asked “What about you? Will you have enough?”  Wow. She was concerned for us more than herself.  Even at 110, she’s a beautiful woman, and must have been super pretty when young.  Oh, her life style and diet is so natural, that she said she’s NOT the oldest in the area! 

After leaving this area, we drove more and more in the truck to where we got the mountain bikes.  After a very fun (really, it was!) but scary ride, we arrived in a place I was shocked to see.  it was really like going back in time, relative to their living conditions.  But, their manner of dress was more modern with typical shorts and shirts.

We were told the children just recently began going to school (again, either hours walk in the mountains, or riding on back of mountain bikes), which is a great news to hear.  The people were quite open to me, given I showed up unannounced for my 1 hour visit.

Looking around, I first noticed there was a regulation sized badminton court made entirely out of bamboo!  The people were sitting out doors chatting.  

But also scary because I could only imagine what it is like to grow up in this type of place, literally hours away from any hospitals or help in case of emergencies. Actually they did have electricity: a single tiny solar panel (maybe 1.5ft x 1.5ft in size) that was used to power a single radio, so they may listen to weather forecasts in case of severe weather conditions.

Homes were high off the ground on logs used as stilts.  Under the houses lived live stock (If you look close in the community photo above, you will see a huge sow (female pig/hog) and her piglets feeding from her).

Housing was not the only difference between the traditional and partly-modern Dayaks, religion is too.  I described the wooden churches of the first set of Dayaks.  These traditional Dayaks have huge animal jaw bones mounted on wooden staffs, along with bloody blue jeans and jackets! The bone was as wide as my head, and it had deep cuts into it, as if it was hit by an axe! There were one staff in each corner of the compound.  Magic is definitely used in this place.  I’m still researching the exact use of this.  I’m also curious what animal bone is it!  I’ve never seen such a huge jaw bone!

The children were very open and curious.  It was a mixture of curiosity, shyness and desire to be photographed.  This one girl really wanted her photo taken, but very shy.  I made funny faces at her so she feel more at ease and give a natural smile.  After two photos, she really got into it, moving her hair, and twisting this way and that way for each photo.  

Bravery vs. Shyness: Indonesia’s Next Top Model

The youngest ones also were so brave!  She and her brothers liked to play hide and seek with the camera hahaha!

Dayak Girl: Queen of the Mountain

There was even a newborn girl, yet to be named!  She was very bright eyed! 

Ok, Next time I will answer more questions (I’m avoiding the “what are the Indonesian Girls like?” ones, as I do not want my friends, mostly girls, to try to kill me!).

Take Care!