Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Wires

Cyborg
Inspired by (but NOT claiming to be an accurate representation of) the accessories of the Iban people of Borneo.

Check out the beauty and complexity of the marik empang, a beaded shoulder covering worn by Iban women in traditional garb.


There are approximately 1 million Iban people living in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. Notable Iban people include Rentap, a war leader who fought against British colonial rulers, and Golda Mowe, a novelist who writes fiction based on Iban history and mythology. Golda Mowe was critical of Hollywood's treatment of Iban culture:
"it was turned into some form of white man’s fantasy of having a child-like beautiful Eurasian woman come willingly into his bed. The Sleeping Dictionary continues to nettle me, even today..."