Cultural History In Focus | “The Other Tiger: History, Beliefs, and Rituals in Borneo” by Bernard Sellato

Drawing of a Tiger and Deer attributed to I Nyoman Ngendon | Bali | Circa 1934 © Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands — Drawing of a Tiger and Deer attributed to I Nyoman Ngendon | Bali | Circa 1934
© Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands

The Other Tiger
History, Beliefs, and Rituals in Borneo

by Bernard Sellato

This article is generously provided by Bernard Sellato, Temasek History Research Centre, and ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute.

Two Tigers Prowling in the Grass | Raden Sarief Bastaman Saleh | 1847 © Rijksmuseum | The Netherlands — Two Tigers Prowling in the Grass | Raden Sarief Bastaman Saleh | 1847
© Rijksmuseum | The Netherlands

Head of a Tiger | Raden Sarief Bastaman Saleh | 1847 © Rijksmuseum | The Netherlands — Head of a Tiger | Raden Sarief Bastaman Saleh | 1847
© Rijksmuseum | The Netherlands

Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet of Tiger | Raffles Collection Before 1824 © The British Museum | England — Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet of Tiger | Raffles Collection Before 1824
© The British Museum | England

Gold Necklace with Stylized Tiger Claws | 8th – Early 10th Century | Java © The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, USA — Gold Necklace with Stylized Tiger Claws | 8th – Early 10th Century | Java
© The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, USA

Gold Necklace with Stylized Tiger Claws | Banyumas, Central Java | 900-950 A.D. © Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands — Gold Necklace with Stylized Tiger Claws | Banyumas, Central Java | 900-950 A.D.
© Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands

Polychrome Canoe Prow Ornament in Feline Form | Charles Hose Collection | Before 1904 © The British Museum | England — Polychrome Canoe Prow Ornament in Feline Form | Charles Hose Collection | Before 1904
© The British Museum | England

Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Raffles Collection Before 1824 © The British Museum | England — Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Raffles Collection Before 1824
© The British Museum | England

Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Buleleng, Bali | Before 1900 © Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands — Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Buleleng, Bali | Before 1900
© Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands

Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Before 1864 © Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands — Wayang Kulit | Shadow Puppet in Form of Tiger | Before 1864
© Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands

Funerary Shrines in Central East Borneo | 1925 © Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands — Funerary Shrines in Central East Borneo | 1925
© Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen | The Netherlands

Bernard Sellato

Bernard Sellato is a geologist (MSc 1973) and anthropologist (PhD 1987), former director (1999-2004) of the Institute of Research on Southeast Asia (IRSEA, now IrASIA) in Marseilles, France, and editor (1999-2008) of the journal Moussons. Social Science Research on Southeast Asia.

He currently is a Senior Researcher (emeritus), Centre Asie du Sud-Est (CNRS, EHESS, INaLCO), PSL Research University, Paris. He published a dozen books, including Hornbill and Dragon. Arts and Cultures of Borneo (1989, 1992), Nomads of the Borneo Rainforest (1989, 1994), and Plaited Arts from the Borneo Rainforest (2012), as well as a large number of articles and book chapters.