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Eleanor Goroh’s quest to preserve Bornean tattoo art

Blending ancient techniques with modern storytelling, Sabahan’s traditional hand-tap tattoo work keeps Borneo’s cultural heritage alive.

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Free Malaysia Today
Eleanor Goroh believes tattoos are a medium to store knowledge. (Eleanor Goroh pic)

KUALA LUMPUR:
The rhythmic tap of ironwood against ironwood fills the air – sharp, steady, and unmistakable.

For first-timers, the sound might send shivers down their spine, fearing unspeakable pain. It’s the echo of a traditional Bornean hand-tap tattoo, an ancient art form kept alive by just a few.

Among them is Eleanor Goroh, a Sabahan of the Lotud-Tindal heritage. “People always ask, ‘Will it hurt?’” she shared with a grin. “I just tell them, ‘It hurts more after a breakup – that pain sticks with you forever. This? It’s only temporary,’” the oldest of three sisters quipped.

At 42, the Kota Kinabalu-based Goroh, one of the few female traditional Bornean tattoo artists around, isn’t just preserving this ancient craft – she’s giving her culture a voice.

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The tools are made from salvaged iron wood, or belian, as the locals call it. (Eleanor Goroh pic)

“How does a song become famous? By being played again and again. It’s the same with tattoos,” she explained.

“Bornean tattoos tell our story. When more people wear these patterns, if more people wear these patterns on their skin, they become our story bearers.”

Eleanor’s designs are inspired by Borneo’s way of life and the natural world – trees, animals, and plants with deep cultural significance.

Bold lines and traditional motifs, often worn by Bornean women on their hands and feet, define her style. Each tattoo, whether it’s a symbol of a medicinal plant or a river from ancestral stories, serves as a living narrative.

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Bold lines and traditional motifs define Eleanor Goroh’s style. (Eleanor Goroh pic)

Once widespread, these tattoos marked rites of passage or spiritual milestones. Today, the practice is fading, but Goroh is determined to keep it alive.

“We’re finding ways to merge traditional tattoos with today’s tattoo industry,” the self-proclaimed tattoo collector said, bridging the gap between the old and the new.

She began tattooing in 2017 at Orangutan Tattoo Studio, the only place in Kota Kinabalu offering traditional hand-tap tattoos. It was here that she discovered that the older generation had not passed down the skill, and that it had been gradually fading for two generations.

“The last women tattooed this way… they’re around 70 years old now,” she noted. This fuelled her mission to ensure future generations understood the spiritual and symbolic importance of Bornean tattoos.

To that end, Goroh dreams of opening her own gallery and traditional art space at Kadamaian, where she can share her skills with the younger generation – whether it’s tattooing, beadwork, traditional music, or community work, she said.

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Goroh has also worked with beads in her quest to preserve her culture. (Eleanor Goroh pic)

Interestingly, her path to tattooing was anything but direct.

Though indigenous art and culture were part of her upbringing in Tuaran and Kadamaian, she and her sisters were more focused on academics in the city. It wasn’t until her university years that she reconnected with her heritage in a way she hadn’t expected.

After two failed attempts to complete her computer science degree, she found herself at a crossroads. In her final year, her supervisor, Jennifer Lasimbang – who later served in the Sabah state government – gave her some life-changing advice: to volunteer at the Indigenous People’s Network of Malaysia, a community-based NGO.

Working with the NGO allowed Goroh to travel and connect with indigenous communities both locally and globally. “I saw so many good practices and success stories,” she shared. That experience opened her eyes to how much of Sabah’s indigenous culture, including its art forms, were at risk of being forgotten.

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Bornean tattoos, like this water serpent, tells the stories of the locals. (Eleanor Goroh pic)

This realisation first led her to start beading in 2007, a hobby that evolved into making gifts for family and friends. As her knowledge of indigenous culture deepened, her curiosity expanded beyond beadwork, eventually guiding her towards tattooing.

Thankfully, her work has received overwhelming support. Locals are reconnecting with their heritage, and international clients seek out the authenticity of Borneo’s traditional tattoo methods.

“I’m really grateful that people appreciate what I do,” she said. “It makes all the hard work worth it.”

With each intricate design, Goroh isn’t only giving her clients a tattoo – she’s giving them a piece of Borneo’s soul. And with every hand-tapped stroke, she ensures the stories of her people, land, and culture endure for generations to come.

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