Chopsticks: The Dayak Typical Weapons

Living in the middle of dense forest with trees towering and inhabited by various kinds of wild animals and wild, have inspired the Dayaks to make weapons that are not only able to protect them from fierce forest life, but also able to support their lives better materially and morally. Based on the conditions and objectives, the Dayak make a special weapon, one of which is a fairly unique weapon that became known as chopsticks or a blowgun.
Chopsticks or blowpipe is typical of Dayak weapon consisting of three parts, namely the stem (pipe) chopsticks, damek (child chopsticks), and sangkoh (spear made of iron or stone mountain tied to the end of the pipe chopsticks). Weapons that rely on the strength of this blow can hit a target from a considerable distance, which is about 30 meters to 25 meters and a vertical position to horizontal position (http://www.kipde-ketapang.go.id) depending on the ability of the penyumpitnya.
With this weapon, a Dayak can paralyze enemies and prey animals that are well above the trees, like the birds, and wild animals that live in the land of the, relatively far distance. With the ability to paralyze prey and enemies from a distance, the Dayak people have created a self-protection tools that are sophisticated enough. If the first shot was not on target, and vice versa wild animals or enemies hit back from a short distance away so damek can not be used effectively or not had time to install damek, then the pipes are made of wood chopsticks with sangkoh purchases in the end became a backup weapon very useful to protect themselves from close range. The existence of the pipe tip sangkoh chopsticks like a bayonet on the end of the rifle, or a spear that is ready to wait for an enemy attack.
To further streamline the functions of this weapon, especially for purposes of hunting or fighting the enemy, the Dayaks smearing damek (children chopsticks) with a poison made from the sap of plants. That said, the poison in children chopsticks there is no antidote, so people or animals are exposed to these weapons, although only scratches can cause death. But that is quite unique, any animal that died by this weapon meat is non-toxic and safe enough for consumption (Kompas, December 24, 2004). In addition to the range and are quite deadly poison, another advantage of this tool is used when no noise. Silent element is very important when targeting game or an enemy who was careless. In addition to hunting and fighting, chopsticks are also used for ceremonial equipment or as a wedding dowry in traditional Dayak (Kompas, December 24, 2004).
Change of mindset and the natural conditions of residence Dayak people turned out to affect the existence of the blowpipe. These devices are gradually becoming obsolete by the community and was heading for extinction. Therefore, should be done immediately so that conservation measures traditional tools that are characteristic of this Dayak still maintained its existence. Of course, conservation should be based on the times. Broadly speaking, there are two patterns of conservation that can be done to maintain the existence of chopsticks, which are passive and active preservation. Preservation of passively for example by performing duplication and replication chopsticks. While conservation can be done actively to revitalize the chopsticks and chopstick so that it contains the values ​​fixed in accordance with the motion of step with the times. The active form of preservation that can be done include:

    * Making the chopsticks as a gift out for tourist purposes. In this way, chopsticks are not only sustainable, but also can be a source of local economy;
    * Making the chopsticks as part of educational materials, namely local content subject. In this way, will appear self-awareness in students to preserve the chopsticks;
    * Making menyumpit activities as sports diperlombakan, for example, in the Regional Sports Week (PORDA) and the National Sports Week (PON). contested way, then it will be sustainable on its own chopsticks. Of course, if used for the race, it is not necessary damek smeared with poison.
If preservation is done, then future generations will know what the typical Dayak weapons, and also the development of indigenous technology achieved by the Dayak community.

Posted in: kalimantan, traditional weapons