DESPITE CONTINUOUS INDONESIAN INCURSIONS, THE NATIVES OF MALAYSIAN BORNEO CELEBRATED TAMU BESAR -- A DAYAK FESTIVAL -- IN A GRAND SCALE.THE MURUTS, UNLIKE OTHER NATIVES OF BORNEO, OBSERVED THE FESTIVAL WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THEIR LONGHOUSE.THE CELEBRATION RANGED FROM A DANCE ON A LARGE BAMBOO PLATFORM LED BY THE HEADMAN TO A BEAUTY CONTEST.

MANY OF THE MURUTS SEEN HERE CAME FROM INDONESIAN BORNEO SOON AFTER INDONESIA LAUNCHED HER CONFRONTATION AGAINST MALAYSIA.

THE HEADMAN OPENED UP THE CELEBRATION WITH A NATIVE DANCE ON A LARGE BAMBOO PLATFORM TIED TO TREES BY ROTTAN.HE WAS QUICKLY JOINED BY OTHER MURUTS.THE DANCING CONTINUED FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AND WAS WATCHED WITH GREAT INTEREST BY GUESTS FROM A NEARBY VILLAGE.

ALTHOUGH HEAD-HUNTING IS A THING OF THE PAST, HUNTING WILD PIGS, BIRDS AND OTHER ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE WITH POISONED DARTS IS NOT.THIS SKILL WAS DEMONSTRATED IN THE BLOWPIPE COMPETITION WHERE BOTH YOUNG AND OLD PARTICIPATED.

MUSIC WAS PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE CELEBRATION BY A GROUP OF CHILDREN WHOSE INSTRUMENTS WERE MADE OF BAMBOO.THE LAST EVENT OF THE DAY WAS A BEAUTY CONTEST.