The HeadHunters of Borneo, the Classic film about Romeo and Juliet in Dayak Version
"The love story of a human being can happen anywhere, including in the interior of Borneo; among the magic of incense smoke, war dances and sape strings. Anyi and Iring making love in the jungles of Borneo, in a romantic film like Romeo and Juliet"
Anyi is a cheerful boy, the son of Peleban chieftain, a village in the upper reaches of the Kayan River that divides the heart of Borneo in the Bulungan region. Like other boys in his village at that time, Anyi spent a lot of his time for playing; like war game in the lamin yard with his friends, or swims against the swift currents of the river.
As a child, Anyi didn't really understand that Dayak noble blood flowed in his body, which meant that when he grew up, he would have to replace his father's position as chieftain of the Peleban. On the boy's shoulders the future of Peleban was entrusted by Peleban’s societies and Gods blessed him.
But Anyi is still a boy who doesn't discriminate friends. He makes a friends too with Iring, a little girl who was a descendant of ordinary people. Every day Anyi and Iring always play together so fostering affection and love, even though it cannot be expressed in words. Like other adults in Peleban, Jalung, father of Anyi is not too worried about their closeness. Friendship is so common in the world of children.
Until one day there was an agreement between the Peleban’s societies and the peoples of Long Leju, the village next door. The conflict between Peleban and Long Leju that has been going on for a long time and even for generations, made these two neighboring villages agree to end the war. However, in order to strengthen the agreement both of two villages, it was agreed that Anyi, the son of Peleban chieftain marry with Aya, the daughter of the Long Leju chieftain.
The marriage of the two potential heirs to the throne of Peleban and Long Leju is believed to make relations between the two tribal groups better in the future.
Shortly after the matchmaking and the pledge of peace, Jalung, the Anyi's father died. Anyi who is still young has to replace his father as chieftain, even though he is still under the guidance of traditional elders. Until the time comes to get married, Anyi must carry out the mandate of matchmaking. A big party marked their marriage, although Anyi’s heart couldn't be separated from Iring. The wedding for Anyi was nothing more than a customary formality.
In order to save his true love, Anyi chooses to run away with Iring. Rowing the boat together the two went upstream and looked for a hiding place. Anyi still regularly returns to Peleban, to marry with Aya under pretense, just to carry out his traditional obligations. His love and attention are only for Iring.
The romantic story of Anyi and Iring was the main story in the film entitled “The Headhunters of Borneo”, by German director Victor von Plessen.
Unlike the title, this 65-minute film doesn't tell the story of a head hunter at all. The film with a German narration with the original title Kopfjaeger von Borneo tells the story of Anyi and Iring's love which is hindered by customary obligations, which is a love drama like the romance of Romeo and Juliet.
Baron Victor von Plessen made this film in 1936, in the village of Peleban which is now known as Long Peleban, in the district of Bulungan. All the characters in this film are played by local Dayak residents. Although the story scenario contains a love drama, The Headhunters of Borneo records so many details of the life of the Dayak people at that time. The narration is read in German throughout the film, with a little extra local language dialogue, making this film feel more like a documentary than a love drama.
The film begins with an explanation that all the players are Dayak Kenyah natives, and each has a role to play. For example, the chief of the tribe, played by the chief himself. From minimal references to this film, it is known that Victor von Plessen filmed all the scenes by himself with a hand camera and limited equipment.
Plessen, as a researcher, had a great interest in the life of the indigenous people of the archipelago at that time. Before making this film, he had already produced a film about Balinese customs, entitled Insel der Darmonen or The Island of Demons in 1933.
The Headhunters of Borneo film clearly describes how the natural conditions of Borneo which still virgin, dense tropical rain forests, wide rivers and animals that are now rare, such as clouded leopards and hornbills. The peoples of Peleban and Long Leju were also filmed as they were, in their everyday clothes where adult men and women, both shirtless.
The only one scene that represents the title of The Headhunters of Borneo is when Aya, Anyi's legal wife, asks a young man to kill her treacherous husband. The killer is described as a "head hunter". He followed Anyi on the way to Iring's hideout in the forest.
However, Anyi's power, which flows through the blood of the Dayak nobles, makes the situation turn around. Just as the head hunter was about to execute, Anyi came to her senses and quickly pulled out a gun. Tragically, it was the head hunter who died at the hands of Anyi. He slashed his mandau in front of Iring, who could only witness the incident with a frightened face.
The killing of the head hunter and the revelation of the Anyi and Iring scandal, led to Anyi being tried by traditional elders. He was found guilty. Anyi as a chieftain had to punish himself with a very severe punishment, leaving Peleban.
Anyi, the Jalung’s son, the Peleban chieftain was expelled from the village where he had the right to be a king for generations. However, in order to save his true love, Anyi is willing to put off his position and leave Peleban. Iring went with him, accompanying Anyi to go to start a new life. Unlike the love story of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare which ended in tragedy, this Dayak version of Romeo and Juliet ended happily.
That's the storyline of the film entitled “The Headhunters of Borneo”, which we can present to you this time. Thank you for watching this video. See you in our next article.
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