Gezicht op een dorp van een Dajakvolk op Borneo met kinderen voor een huis before 1894

This page from an unknown book shows a village of Dayak people in Borneo. This image and the accompanying text, written anonymously, evoke the social and cultural context of the nineteenth-century colonial world. The picture creates meaning through its stark, documentary style, typical of ethnographic studies conducted during this period. The houses on stilts and the presence of children reflect the daily life of a Dayak community. Borneo’s geography, with its dense rainforests and river systems, profoundly shaped the architecture and settlement patterns depicted here. The text touches upon the colonial dynamics, mentioning the influence of European administrators, the presence of Islamic authorities, and the interactions with Chinese and Malay communities. Understanding this image requires delving into the colonial archives, missionary accounts, and ethnographic studies of the time. By examining these resources, we can better grasp the complex interplay of power, culture, and representation in this historical moment.