Touching up, it's a new start

Just some minor things to fix before Threehouse is about to open. Touch ups here and there, finish the shower downstairs, waiting for the last (for this time) delivery of things as kitchen cabinets and such, touching up a bit here and there, do decoration and clean and clean and clean... Tomorrow will be a lot of cleaning to do, tonight after painting the wall (of hell) to the top floor i just had the energy to clear away stuff and boil some pasta for dinner ´til my head felt slightly numb and i decided a night of sleep and an early wake-up to do the mopping of the floors will be better.

On the 14th i can't do any sort of work since it is chinese new-year. It is bad luck cleaning and such during this day, it's like sweeping away your luck sort of and you must also put away your brooms and whatever out of sight, you can also not go to sleep this day, night. So it is a lot to do before this in cleaning way, i have also noticed how the chinese in my neighborhood are preparing for the new-year by painting their facade and cleaning, it is quite a nice feeling with it. It's so far away from what it is back in sweden-home. This year i think i will by some oranges to decorate with, it is like a luck symbol, like gold for fortune and good luck in the coming year which is the year of the tiger. Red is also a color to be used during this time of the year (the chinese new year is celebrated for 15 days if i remember it correct), it is a lucky and happy color which is also believed scaring away bad spirits like the mythological beast called Nien that comes around during spring time, new year to scare especially children and it is said that Nien was once scared away by a child wearing red. There are many legends about the Nien. One is that it was caught by by Hongjun Laozu - the leader of the Taoist Immortals and teacher of the Three Purities. Hongjun Laozu – whose name means "The Great Primal Homogeneity" – then uses the (former) monster as his mount, i.e. rides it as one would a horse.

one type of a Nien statue

The new year is supposed to be a new starting, so many people get new clothes and many girls go the hair-dresser, it is impossible getting appointments at this time, i have saved one red dress i never wore before which i think i will wear one of these nights and i will go and by some new cheap red tops and maybe a new pair of jeans for me so i don't necessarily have to wear black. i would also like to put up a couple of lanterns or chinese welcoming scripts on paper for good spirits and paint my facade in red but if there is time doing so i don't know. And you never know if the rain decides to pour down a whole day...

Anyway, time to sleep. It's a whole day of work waiting for me... good night 晚安

Traditional Tattoos

So one of my wishes since i first came down to Borneo was seeing authentic native Iban tribe tattoos, on the old people from the longhouses who was in the era of head-hunting and got their tattoos from that. I have especially been interested in seeing the tattoos the women of the longhouses got. And as i was sitting down having my laksa today i almost choke. I saw this old person with the underarms tattooed (traditionally also the most common place for the women to place the tattoo). The hair was long and it looked like a old woman with tattoos, my wish had become true, but i wasn't too sure so i quickly finished my meal and started my graceful not too obvious sneaking hunt. I got a closer look at the motif, it wasn't a motif a woman should have traditionally but it was an iban one, so it made me slightly suspicious and i had a look at the face, it was a man. Wah wah. Fail! Haha, well at least i got 10 minutes of excitement today.

"The practice of tattooing was a sacred activity that connected the people to the spiritual world. Tattooing was also linked to the men's success in headhunting and the coming of age amongst the womenfolk. Aside from symbolizing their social status, tattoos also enhanced the women's beauty. It is believed that the darker the color of the tattoo, the more beautiful the tattoo and the bearer is. Women were also tattooed as proof of their accomplishments in weaving, dancing or singing. Aside from these, the Ibans also bore tattoos for protective purposes as it is said to help ward off harm and disease." (the text is copied from www.borneoheadhunter.com )


a Penan. stretching the ears are more
common among the Orang Ulu (pictures
from the Sarawak Museum's decorative
art section)



Different tattoo designs are produced and certain types are considered appropriate for certain parts of the body. For instance, the circular design is for the shoulder, chest or the outer side of the wrist while a more elaborate and often larger design such as a dog, scorpion or dragon, is reserved for the inner and outer surface of the thigh. Among the Iban, one distinctive design is meant for the man’s throat (a "katak" frog). The reason for tattoing is many and obscure. In the past, when a man’s hand was tattooed, it meant particularly brave in war or that he had taken some heads.

There are also some documentaries been made here about just the traditional tattoos. One of them is now up on youtube if interested. It's called the vanishing tattoo i put up the first part here below for you. :)

Now Bindi seriously got some work to do... Painting... So later folks!