Concept of maintaining cultural practices Essay

This spirit of course is passed on to young indigenous Kenyah who like to use distinctive tattoos which identify these people. The meaning of the tattoo depends on what is believed by the society in which every region generally have different perceptions about the tattoo. In this sense, another person is entitled to their own interpretation of the meaning of the tattoos on a person's body like a tattoo of a 'Bunga Mawar' and 'Terong'.
Furthermore, according to Siti Aminah Mohd Sam (2015), maintaining is made permanently and extended to take care of maintaining order (no missing or variable). The definition of the concept of maintaining cultural practices in this study is the emphasis on preservation of cultural practices, including material and non-material legacies of ancestors that are sustained and not lost. It is intended as a continuation of tribal identity for knowledge by inheritance for future generations. This fact was also stated by Edward B. Taylor that said culture is defined as "a complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs and other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society " in the writings of Siti Aminah Mohd Sam (2015). For example, in terms of religion, before the arrival of the British to Sarawak, the Kenyah practiced animism. They practiced the traditional "Scrap", where they believe that all things around them have their own spirits. Kenyah ethnic groups also believe the vagaries of nature, where every phenomenon of nature gives specific meaning in their lives. Thus, Kenyahs everyday life was determined by the belief of going to war or Ngayau when they perform rituals. After returning from Ngayau, they will celebrate a ceremony known as "Uli Ngayau" to worship the success. However, after the arrival of the English to the state, if we look at the Kenyah ethnic majority, Kenyah people of all ethnic backgrounds accepted Catholic Christianity and SIB, where every village had a church, synagogue or similar.
According to The Human Heart of Borneo (2007), the Kenyah have a unique carving style and motifs which can be seen on boats, buildings, arts and crafts like beading and iron work. Their traditional dances and music, especially the 'sape' instrument, a three-stringed musical instrument with a sitar-like sound, have become well-known and very popular all over the world. His statement was supported by Cristina Eghenter, 2000 stating that the Kenyah ethnic group has its own unique practice 'Tana Ulen'. Tana Ulen is the name given to tana or land which is forbidden or restricted (ulen). It is usually an expanse of primary forest rich in natural resources all of which have high value for the local communities. Available narratives on the history of tana ulen show that these areas functioned as 'forest reserves' controlled and managed by the aristocratic families of the community. Exploitation was usually limited to procuring food for specific occasions such as celebrations and ritual events of the lifecycle. These could be either celebrations at the village-level or more private affairs.