Borneo Beauties

Who says Borneo girls aren’t pretty? Of course they are one of the kind; smacked right here in the Borneo Island in Malaysia. Borneo girls are among the ones having unique and exotic faces; from tanned skin beauties to strikingly beautiful fair maidens. 

As for the Sea-Dayaks, they were described through the eyes of Reverend Edwin H.Gomes during his missionary in Sarawak as “The colour of their skin varies considerably, not so much between one tribe to another, but in different localities. Generally speaking, those who reside in the interior, on the banks of the upper reaches of the rivers are fairer than those live nearer to the sea. This may be due to the increase of shade from the old jungle, and bathing in and drinking of the clear gravely bedded streams. Their colour varies from a dark bronze to a light brown with a tinge of yellow. Their eyes are black or brown, clear and bright, with quick intelligence and good temper."

The Iban community is known to be decendants of Kumang. Who is Kumang?

Based on the Oxford Dictionary of World Mythology's definition, Kumang is the mother goddess of the Ibans, the Sea Dayaks of Borneo.

Kumang, ‘whose back was white’, scorched by the setting sun, had charge of paradise, which was the home of Bujang, the first Iban. This land was situated near Mecca, whence Bujang's descendants wandered to Sumatra, then to Borneo, often in the company of tribal divinities. Possibly this legendary migration from West Asia is a reference to the arrival of important ideas, perhaps carried by a few leaders, rather than any actual movement of people. A sense of proximity with the spiritual world is an everyday feature of life in Iban longhouses, villages under one roof, and during each gawai, or festival, it is customary to invite the attendance of both ancestors and deities. There are also many tales of the appearance of the god in dreams.

On one occasion KUMANG appeared to a shy young warrior and informed him that a petrified bamboo shoot he had found was in fact a charm-stone which would make him a great war leader. Head-hunting was until recent times the crowning proof of manhood, not least because the possession of heads bestowed magical power. War leaders have a tua, or guardian spirit. If the tua is the python, it signified that he is guided in battle by his ancestors; if it is the cobra, he is guided by Kling, the god of war. Snakes are the most common guardian spirits, but other tua are wild cats and deer. One normally learns of one's tua by means of a dream.

It was believed that Kumang possessed the mystical power and it was said that she's the fairest maiden that she had captured the heart of the prince, 'Keling'. Kumang was every man's dream, she's a domestic Goddess too. She can weave the 'Pua Kumbu', she was able to handle the house chores and it is every parents dream that their girls will possess Kumang's good qualities.

I believe that every single women has that Kumang spirit in them. Every woman has the quality of Kumang if not all but at least some which I think we can develop day by day. To all BHF 2011 contestants, you must believe that you are beautiful, unique and be proud being Anak Sarawak.

This post is a tribute to all my lovely girls who are the reflection of how Sarawak is blessed with beautiful people and culture.

This is for you girls..track by Prince "The Most Beautiful Girl"

Kumang Iban...bajik memagang bala Kumang....

Kumang Shandra (love her "sugu tinggi")

Kumang Christabel (she's the "kakak")

Kumang Francesca (pandai ënsumbar indu tuk)

Kumang Noraini (Malay + Iban)

Kumang Adelene (Indian+Iban)

Kumang Isabelinda (knows how to ngajat)

Kumang Sanddy (Kumang ari Betong bertubuh lempung)

Kumang Angela (Balingian lass)

Kumang Suzan (Labuan lass)

KumangAmanda (cikgu Mandy)

Kumang Diana (From Sri Aman)

Now let us see...dayung sangon....Dayung Bidayuh.....

Dayung Audrey

Dayung Christina (1st Runner up)

Dayung Delinda (Winner for Bidayuh Category)

Dayung Hozenna (nemu jaku Iban ya tuk)

Dayung Jenifer (Kumang Miri 2011 winner for Bidayuh category)

Dayung Linda (pretty lass)

Dayung Olivia (always camera ready)

Dayung Felicity (our Ms. Brilliant Smile)

Dayung Frisca (Sexy Selako)

Dayung Rebecca (love her smile)

Keligit Ulu....

Keligit Bulan

Keligit Cammilye (Winner for Keligit Ulu category)

Keligit/Ruran Ulung Corlina (our Ms. Personality)

Keligit Gina (doe-eyed beauty)

Keligit Hiskia

Keligit Janet (2nd Runner-up for Keligit Ulu)

Keligit Karyn (this girls smiles all the way)

Keligit Mina (lustrous hair)

Keligit Pauline (love her catwalk)

Keligit Priscilla (backed out last minute..she'll make a come back we hope)

Keligit Steffi A.(I love her cat-eye look)

Keligit Steffi J. (sister to Keligit Vikki J.)

Keligit Vikki J. (love her smile)

Keligit JoeYce (1st Runner-up, Ms.Photogenic and Ms.Favourite)

There you have it...all beautiful Borneo maidens...now no one can say Borneo girls aren't pretty.... 

"A person is only beautiful, when their own beauty, is reflecting on to others."
- Tara Grady