Tedak (body tattoo from Dayak Kayan people)

Tedak is the identity of the Dayak Kayan Mendalam community, which has various meanings. Tedak, as a product of the culture of the Dayak Kayan Mendalam tribe, does not necessarily have the form and soul that it appears today. The entire process is created and its existence cannot be separated from the contribution of the Kayan Mendalam Dayak community as owners of this typical ornament. Kayan Tedak ornaments have various shapes and forms This is evidence of high intellectual intelligence, which can be seen from how the Dayak Kayan people visualize objects around them into the form of traditional symbols found on the Tedak. A symbol is a type of sign where the relationship between the signifier and the signified. In the Dayak Kayan tribe, Tedak is very synonymous with women. Meanwhile, for men, Tedak is not as much as female Tedak. According to the stories of the Kayaan elders, Tedak is not just a decoration, but also a light for the soul of the Tedak owner to go to the afterlife when he dies. Tedak is a priority for women because of its added value which is for beauty and is believed to beautify oneself, to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out.