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Stankurat, Vests of the Day of Nakaju Dayaks

Indonesia has long been known as a country that has ethnic and cultural diversity. This is reflected in the diverse patterns of life of the Indonesian people, which are represented by traditional houses, traditional regulations, traditional weapons, and traditional clothes worn. The Dayak Ngaju tribe, for example, the tribe that inhabits the Central Kalimantan region has traditional clothing known as Sangkurat.

Stankurat, Vests of the Day of Nakaju Dayaks

Sangkurat is a vest-shaped garment, made from your skin or palm leaves. Lemba or known as the quail areca tree is a type of plant that grows in clumps. This plant is commonly found in moist areas that are not directly exposed to sunlight. Lemba leaves are long and green, the leaves of this plant are very hard and strong. The leaves are used as raw material for making vests, the leaves are about 50-60 cm long and 15-17 cm wide. Lemba leaves have a lot of fiber on the surface, not wrong if Sangkurat can last up to decades.

Lemba leaves that have been knitted into vests are then decorated in such a way using various knick-knacks. The patches of knick-knacks were taken from pangolin skins, coins, buttons, beads, to objects that were considered to have magical powers (amulets). The decoration is not without purpose, the Dayak Ngaju people believe, the decoration in Sangkurat can protect them from evil influences and other people who want to do evil.

Etymologically Sangkurat comes from the word Sangka which means a barrier or buffer. Apart from being used when fighting, the Dayak Ngaju tribe also makes these clothes as oversized clothes that are often worn in various ceremonies, such as traditional weddings for example. Dayak Ngaju people feel more manly by using Sangkurat vests, moreover they believe that by wearing Sangkurat, they will be free from everything that can destroy themselves. [AhmadIbo / Indonesia Rich]

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