Dead in Borneo Inspired by the philosophical interpretation of William Henry Farness, a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society as recorded in Glimpses of Borneo, privately published by the author in 1896.
Souls Assigned to their proper place Just desserted Good and bad
APO LEGGAN Old age takes Troubled bones Die poor, remain poor Or maintain a rich estate
All is contestable in love or war
LONG JULAN Violent and sudden death Overtakes the heart At battle, by fall Young mothers in childbirth Mourn their infants Destined for young warriors Cut down in the bloom of youth
TAN TEKKAN Born still Little souls Exceedingly brave Together in a world of their own
LING YANG Watered down But rich in legacy Lost Gods emerge For prosperity
RaDayak Parallelism In modes of thinking Among men Far renowned
Why does knowledge develop Natural surroundings?
Aa’s power dependent On the fact That no one knew Its name
An unholy mind Inactivity of mind Non-industrious Yielding to climate
Dense in the jungle On every side Life excepted
Untutored minds Living in constant communication With the aspects of nature
Everywhere soaked with superstition
Headhunting No house is blessed If not sanctified By a row of human skulls
No man can attain To the happy region Unless a head is added To the household collection
Life follows Songlines 