COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Krijgshoed van gevlochten kokosvezel TMnr A-5441

Katapu or Kalapu is a traditional war cap or

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...

used by the

Dayaks The Dayak (; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, older spelling: Dajak) or Dyak or Dayuh are the Indigenous groups, native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central ...

Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...

(

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

and

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

).Albert G. van Zonneveld: ''Traditional weapons of the Indonesian archipelago.'' Zwartenkot Art Books, Leiden 2001, , S. 61. The katapu is only worn during war.

Description

The Katapu is made of natural materials. It is woven from thick

rattan Rattan, also spelled ratan (from Malay language, Malay: ''rotan''), is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the clos ...

strands that are split lengthways in the middle. It has a sturdy inner helmet that offers protection against sword blows. The helmet is often reinforced with other materials such as metal plates, large fish scales,

pangolin Pangolins, sometimes known as scaly anteaters, are mammals of the order Pholidota (). The one extant family, the Manidae, has three genera: '' Manis'', '' Phataginus'', and '' Smutsia''. ''Manis'' comprises four species found in Asia, while ' ...

scales, and the skins of bears, monkeys, and other animals. The decorations of the helmets are often designed in the shape of a monster head. Materials used for decoration include wattle,

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

feathers, claws, beaks, skulls of

hornbills Hornbills are birds found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia of the family Bucerotidae. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a horny casque on the upper ...

, human hair, hair of other living things, shells (including the Nassa shell), and the teeth of

bears Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout most o ...

and panthers. Hornbill feathers can also be used a decorative status symbol for warriors who have already fought in war; the feathers can represent the number of enemies killed. The edge of the helmet can be framed with metal strips or wrapped in red

flannel Flannel is a soft woven fabric, of varying fineness. Flannel was originally made from carded wool or worsted yarn, but is now often made from either wool, cotton, or synthetic fiber. Flannel is commonly used to make tartan clothing, blankets, ...

. Katapu are used not only to protect against wounds, but also to act martially on the battlefield.

Variants

There are different versions of the Katapu throughout Indonesia. Katapu Kaloi is a

Sea Dayak The Iban are an indigenous ethnic group native to Borneo, primarily found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Brunei and parts of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are one of the largest groups among the broader Dayak peoples, a term historically ...

war cap, made by sewing large fish scales on a cap made from a bast-like material.

Gallery

File:Indonesische Helme 1.jpg, ''Katapu'' made of rattan with a hornbill skull File:Indonesische Helme 3.jpg, ''Katapu'' made of rattan, decorated with fish scales File:Indonesische Helme 4.jpg, ''Katapu'' made of rattan, covered with animal fur File:Indonesische Helme 5.jpg, ''Katapu'' made of rattan, decorated with

scales File:Indonesische Helme 2.jpg, ''Katapu'' made of rattan, set with feathers and bird claws

Description

Variants

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading