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National Geographic : 1919 Feb
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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPIITC MAGAZINE DAYAK COCK-FIcIITI'IS : SARAWAK, HORNEO Note the elaborate head-dress and the remarkable tail-like decoration worn by the native in the left foreground. fro in a stiff, awkward dance while they sang a monotonous song, calling upon the spirit of the head to bring blessings on the house. The photograph of the head, which I was able to obtain the follow ing morning, after it had been restored to its place over the fire, shows the rice still within the jaws. It has not been my experience that Dayaks make such good companions for any length of time as some of the other natives of Sarawak. On the Semundjan River, however, I became well acquainted with a Dayak who had served in the "Rangers," the Rajah's military force, but had resigned, preferring the comforts of his home, cultivating his own rice field and working industriously for his family. Hie was in all ways very atten tive to me, of much assistance in my trips in the jungle, and very grateful for such remedies as I could give the ailing mem bers of his family. SI is name was Changkok. Hie quite liked to be the center of any gathering, doubtless feeling that his knowledge of military affairs gave him a certain posi tion of importance in the community, and he insisted on interrupting the progress of a sword dance one evening to show his skill with an old musket. He went through the manual of arms, calling out the orders: "Carry, arms"; "Order, arms," etc., but introducing nu merous leaps and gestures from native dances, producing a very grotesque effect. Changkok was immensely pleased with my recognition of the military orders as he rendered them in English, but my host, an old chief, was greatly bored and no little annoyed to witness such perversion of the customs of his people. Finally, Changkok appealed to me to confirm his statement that he was showing his un ppreciative friends just how the war dance is really done in Europe. 118
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