Dayak

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A member of an indigenous people from Borneo, known for their rich cultural traditions and communal lifestyle
2. A person belonging to a distinct ethnic group from Borneo, celebrated for their unique customs and vibrant social structures
3. An individual from the Dayak community, recognized for their traditional practices and deep connection to the rainforest environment

Etymology: Dayak is a collective name that outsiders applied to the many peoples of Borneo's interior, not one the peoples chose for themselves. Coastal Malay traders and later Dutch colonial administrators used it for non-Muslim inland communities, so a single label came to cover groups as different in language and custom as the Iban, Kayan, and Ngaju. Its origin is uncertain. One proposal links it to a Malay or Banjarese word meaning roughly "upriver" or "inland," which would fit its use for people living away from the coast, but this is not confirmed. Dutch colonial sources wrote it as "Dajak," and English later adopted the spelling "Dayak." Many communities today identify by their specific group name instead. Your supplied definition presents the Dayak as a single ethnic group, but the term is an umbrella for many distinct peoples, so applying it to one person may be imprecise.

Synonyms: Dayak people, Dayak tribesman, Dayak tribeswoman, Iban, Bidayuh