Cosmological and spiritual beliefs in Borneo are closely related to the human relationship with the natural environment and the forest. This has been an important focus of my research among the Kelabit living in the Heart of Borneo.
In 2017, I began to focus on beliefs among different ethnic groups in Borneo relating to the water beings that are often called ‘dragons’ in English – although there are important differences between the European 'dragon' and the water beings of South East Asia and East Asia. I would suggest that ‘dragons’ in SE Asia and East Asia, which are water beings, are regarded as expressions of the flow of life force or cosmic power – qì in Chinese.
Dayak Daily Articles about Dragons
In 2023 I published a series of short articles about beliefs about water beings / dragons in a newspaper in Sarawak, the Dayak Daily, and I include links to these here:
While researching beliefs about Chinese dragons in Kuching, I came to know a Chinese sculptor who knew a lot about dragons, Ah Chong. I include a link to an article I wrote about him here:
Talks on Dragon Beliefs in Sarawak
I have given talks on my research into ‘dragon’ beliefs and recordings of these are included here.
Talks on Cosmological Beliefs
Publications
I have so far published two articles on my research on Borneo dragons. I include these here. I also include articles and book chapters that I have written that relate to cosmological beliefs but not specifically to dragons/water beings.
2023
‘The Great Spirit and Facebook among the Kelabit of Sarawak.’ Shaman 31(1-2): 33-60
2021
‘Prey into kin : The cosmological role of the pig in the Kelabit Highlands, Sarawak’. Anthropozoologica Special Issue Les suidés en contexte rituel a l’époque contemporaine eds Frédéric Laugrand, Lionel Simon & Séverine Lagneaux. Vol 56 No. 11: 167–180.
‘Journeys in quest of cosmic power : Highland heroes in Borneo.’ In James Fox and Clifford Sather (eds) Austronesian Paths and Journeys. Canberra : ANU (Comparative Austronesian series no. 8), pp. 93–126.
'Becoming Local' by Elena Chai and Monica Janowski
2020
‘Stones Alive ! : an exploration of the relationship between humans and stone in Southeast Asia.’ Bijdragen tot de –taal, -land en volkenkunde 176(1): 105-146.
2019
‘The highland dragon: Fearsome protector of nature.’ Sarawak Museum Journal Vol LXXXII, No. 103: 1–20.
‘Protective power : The nabau or water dragon among the Iban of Sarawak.’ Sarawak Museum Journal Special Issue No. 10, Vol LXXXI, No. 102: 115–151.
2015
'The dynamics of the cosmic conversation' by Monica Janowski in book Animism in SE Asia ed. Sprenger and Arhem
2014
‘Puntumid : Great Spirit of the Heart of Borneo.’ In Indonesia and the Malay World, Vol 42, No. 133: 120–122
2012
'Imagining the forces of life and the cosmos in the Kelabit Highlands', in book Imagining Landscapes ed. Janowski and Ingold
2011
'Footprints and Marks in the Forest' by Janowski and Langub in Why Cultivate ed. Janowski and Barker