FEATURE When no sample of a given pattern remains in a community, the pattern is “lost.” Villagers have often expressed that they could no longer make a pattern because the last sample of it had been discarded or given away. Certain decorated mats feature a sampling of patterns, although this seems to be done in a non-systematic way, as among the Iban—who appear keen on keeping samples of sacred patterns (Heppell 2009)—and some nomadic groups. Those familiar with woodcarving from the inland cultures 132 of Borneo will find little artistic commonality with the motifs and patterns that appear on decorated mats. Art styles—that is, the manner in which an artifact is executed— are strongly medium dependent and few if any Borneo groups display consistent styles in all mediums. Moreover, like all cultural traits, styles are in a constant state of flux and “their course is determined by the general cultural history of the people” (Boas 1955). Motif, Name, and Meaning Decorative elements on mats and other plaited objects are usually named after elements from the local natural environment. The question of the meaning of such names, however, is a complex one. Equally complex are the questions concerning the actual relation between the motif and the name, or between the name and a possible cultural or symbolic value behind it. The constraints placed on plaiting by its techniques (Dunsmore 2012) led to the appearance—probably independently in various regions—of a number of simple, basic motifs (that is, individual decorative elements) such as the dove’s eye (mata punai) and the hook (kait), which are found throughout Borneo (and even beyond) under the same name. Complex patterns (defined here as an aggregate of combined motifs) are a trickier issue, as it is often impossible to ascertain whether the presence of the same pattern in distant, apparently unrelated regions resulted from independent innovation or historical diffusion. Mats with very similar patterns are found among the Iban of the northwest (Sellato 2012) and the people of Sabah (Regis and Lojiwin 2012), two groups that had little interaction before the mid twentieth century. Whereas for complex patterns, diffusion would seem more likely, an alternative rationale could be that such patterns belong to an ancient common Bornean cultural legacy that survived separately in diverse groups. Motifs and patterns also evolved along different paths, varying with ethnic styles and ingenuity through stylization, expansion, or reinterpretation (Bléhaut 1997; Sellato, 1992). Thus, despite technical constraints, local creativity has allowed for the development of a huge variety of decorative motifs and patterns, many of which have become FIG. 17 (left): Mat with two longitudinal patterned panels and a central herringbone strip. Punan, Kalimantan. Rattan. 166 x 92 cm. J. B. Spurr Collection. Photo: D. Bonstrom. FIG. 18 (below): Mat with torso motifs optically arranged to form either a star or octagon. Punan or Bukat. Rattan. 232 x 122 cm. J. B. Spurr Collection. Photo: D. Bonstrom. FIG. 19 (top right): Sleeping or sitting mat with parallel rows of motifs including a celestial being. Motifs are repetitive in each row except for the center, which serves as a sampler. Ot Danum. Rattan. 193 x 103 cm. J. B. Spurr Collection. Photo: D. Bonstrom.
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