Makers: Balan The Blowpipe Maker

I’ve always been interested in blowpipes. (And I still don’t grasp why they’re illegal in Canada.)

Culled from an upcoming documentary, Sunset over Selungo, this short excerpt shows a Penan who still makes blowpipes. I know that in some cultures that used blowpipes, a groove was cut in two separate pieces of wood and then glued and/or wrapped with cordage back into one element. Here a long piece of wood is drilled through. Funny to see him using a modern rasp though.

I think the Penan are an especially fascinating indigenous people. They are one of the last remaining hunter gatherer tribes, although the Malaysian and Indonesian governments and multi-national corporations are seeing to their rapid demise, by destroying the forest they need to survive. Please consider donating to the Kickstarter campaign for this film.