Indie Games

We're Tired of the Cannibals Myth, Borneans Tell Creators of 'Borneo: Jungle Nightmare'

'Disrespectful and ignorant.'

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Dale BashirAdrian Lai
by Dale Bashir, Adrian Lai 
 Updated Dec. 8, 2020, 1:58 p.m.
 Posted Dec. 7, 2020, 2:07 p.m.

Even before it has been released, the video game Borneo: Jungle Nightmare has been called out by members of the Bornean community, Malaysians, Indonesians, and Filipinos over its depiction of cannibalism on the island.

Outraged, some have accused the game's developers of misrepresenting the various indigenous tribes of Borneo and reinforcing the age-old stereotype of voracious cannibalism in Asia.

IGN Southeast Asia's report on the game was met with widespread condemnation on Twitter, with some calling for the game to be shelved. The Italian developers of the game, Fantastico Studio, approached us to address the issue.

Before we get into our interview with them, let’s explore the depiction of Borneans in Western media.

The West Lands East

Around the 16th century, during the Age of Exploration, European discoverers explored the world in search of new land. The Portuguese began trading with Borneans after its conquest of Malacca, though it was only after the arrival of the British and the Dutch that Borneo was split into the two halves that exist today.

In their explorations, the Europeans encountered many local tribes in Borneo. The Dayak people, in particular, stood out for their practice of headhunting.

According to British and Dutch Perceptions of Cannibalism in Borneo, 1882-1964 by Adrienne Smith, depictions of the “savage jungles” and indigenous tribes practising cannibalism were perpetuated through reading material of the era, creating a stigma about the region and its people. Numerous reports of cannibalism were also attributed to the Malays as well as the Kayan, Iban, and Milano tribes.

While literary works like Alfred C. Haddon’s The Natives of Sarawak and British North Borneo and the novel Where the Strange Trails Go Down by E. Powell linked the Dayak tribe with headhunting, there was no mention of cannibalism.

In Chapter V of Where the Strange Trails Go Down, titled “Man-eaters and Head-hunters”, the “man-eater” refers to the alligators that the author encountered in his travels, and not cannibals.

Speaking to IGN SEA, East Malaysian activists Tijan and Bethany Luhong Balan said headhunting, or “ngayau” in Dayak-Iban culture, was practised for several reasons: to appease the gods, to collect "trophies" during tribal wars, and as part of mourning ceremonies for the dead. Typically, the practice does not involve the consumption of human flesh.

Where did the myth of cannibalism come from? According to American anthropologist William Arens in The Man-Eating Myth: Anthropology and Anthropophagy, explorers may be to blame for spreading the myth of cannibalism among indigenous communities.

An artist's rendering of cannibalism in Española.

Arens argues that since the 15th century, there has never been adequate information about socially acceptable cannibalism, and he suggests that Western powers perpetuated the cannibal narrative as an excuse to legitimize colonization.

Western reports on the Sambas riots in 1999 and the Sampit Conflict in 2001 that link “ethnic wars” with cannibalism in West Kalimantan may have stemmed from this myth and also helped perpetuate it. Among others, the reports accused the Dayaks of "feasting" on their enemies.

Activist Tijan said if the reports were true, it could have been due to desperation and scarcity of food during the conflicts.

Ruggero Deodato, the director of Borneo: Jungle Nightmare, is no stranger to controversy. He made a name for himself with the 1980 horror film Cannibal Holocaust, which featured a group of filmmakers being pursued by the "cannibals of the Amazon". Borneo: Jungle Nightmare is similar, only this time, it is a video game about a journalist uncovering the "cannibalistic horrors in the heart of Borneo".

Public Objection

Many Borneans took to Twitter to criticize the game, calling it a callous and insensitive depiction of underrepresented communities.

Sino-Kadazan Twitter user @AilemracY expressed her disappointment with the game’s depiction of Borneo, saying: "On one hand, I know natives (my relatives) who are proud of their headhunting culture. On the other hand, I also understand why locals got upset at the game... maybe because the portrayal is negative. Quite a line to walk.”

Filipino game developer Gwen Foster also took to Twitter to criticize Fantastico Studio for its “disrespectful” and “ignorant” depiction of the region’s cultures.

“I believe there’s a new wave of people who want representation but want it done respectfully and appropriately. A lot of people sometimes throw darts and be like, 'Let’s make these people cannibals'. They don’t make the effort to learn and educate themselves about people’s culture, like how headhunting is different from cannibalism. These days, representation for the sake of it just doesn't count. It should be done with care and should involve the people whose culture they are borrowing, and in this case, demonizing."

Nadira Ilana, a filmmaker from Borneo who makes films about the lives of East Malaysians through her production company, Telan Bulan Films, made an interesting link between the Italian filmmaker Deodato and Italian author Emilio Salgari.

Salgari created the character Sandokan, a fictional Bornean prince who battled not only pirates but also James Brooke, the colonial conqueror and “White Rajah” of Sarawak.

“While I don't know much about it (the game), to title the game 'Borneo' tells me the developers want to capitalize on our 'exoticness'. There is an Iban man with the Bungai Terung tattoos in the trailer which is very specific. People still get those tattoos today, including actor Henry Golding, who is part Iban. Dayaks may have been headhunters in the past, but it's disputable whether any groups were ever cannibals.

“The premise of the game alone seems fun, but when it's based on a real place and real ethnic groups, it gives the wrong impression of us. There was an unfortunate incident in Kalimantan in the '90s which did involve ethnic killings and cannibalism, but to turn it into entertainment from an Anglo point of view is colonialist and will likely re-traumatize real survivors.

“I understand that Italians love Borneo because of Emilio Salgari's 'Sandokan', which I do appreciate, but it's been two centuries since the book was first published. Maybe it's time to tell stories with or for the people of Borneo. Our ancestors might have been headhunters, but we also enjoy video games too now.”

Activist Tijan, an expert on Iban mythology and folktale, said: “I just hope the West and people around the world can start learning how to respect indigenous people. We are not animals, not exotic; we are real people with our own distinctive culture and tradition.”

Bethany Luhong Balan, a member of the Orang Ulu community, said: “I understand fictional/creative license. But why did they choose to make a story about cannibals in the 'Borneo virgin jungle'? Why not vampires or zombies or a serial killer? Because in their mind, Borneo means cannibals or savages.

"Their story is set 'at the end of the '90s'. This confused me because in the trailer, the 'native' people are all dressed in 'traditional' clothing as if it was the 1800s. The implication is clear: the cities are modern, but the 'natives' who live in the jungle are primitive and barbaric. Borneo in the late '90s looked NOTHING like what the trailer is depicting.”

Fantastico Studio Says The Game Will Not Be Offensive

Federico Baglivo, a Game Designer at Fantastico Studio, reached out to IGN SEA and was open to telling their side of the story. Through email, we asked them the following questions on the ideas behind Borneo: Jungle Nightmare and the backlash it received.

 

IGN SEA: The game has been criticized as disrespectful to the people of Borneo. While headhunting was practised in the past, cannibalism was never part of Bornean culture.

If the game is meant to be fictional, why didn't you consider using fictional indigenous tribes and islands instead?

Baglivo: We are sorry that Borneo's natives were offended. Actually, we did not say that there are cannibals in Borneo, and we will not show cannibals from Borneo in the game. We realize that from the trailer it might look like (it), but the game is much more than just the trailer. It will be a critique of the prejudice and ignorance spreading in the West. Regarding the culture of the place and the use of real names and places, a lot of research has been done during the writing of the screenplay.

The game's trailer showed a character with Bungai Terung tattoos. How much research went into the study of Borneo's diverse cultures? Did you consult any experts or people from Borneo?

The indigenous people shown in the illustration are the result of Western stereotypes, which will be the pivot of the whole game.

The creator and director Ruggero Deodato not only documented himself but also studied (the) culture on site. He showed us the photos of his study trips to various places in Borneo.

 

Other critics have accused you of cultural appropriation, racism and portraying an already underrepresented community and their traditions in a negative light. As video game developers, where do you draw the line between fact and fiction?

In fact, in the game, the natives of Borneo will be victims of Western prejudices and racism. We cannot yet say what the expedition will find in the jungle. The game will be, above all, a thriller set in a city in the USA.

Was the backlash against the game expected by the team?

Like every product of Deodato, it was inevitable to receive criticism. We are sorry to have been misunderstood by the natives of Borneo. Maybe we could have been clearer with the trailer, but we don't want to spoil it too much and ruin the game experience for those who will have the patience to wait.

How do you plan on addressing the controversy? What do you have to say to those who are calling for the game to be scrapped?

We are sure that the game will not offend anyone. So we will continue the development following the original script. Obviously, we will remain available to anyone who wants to go into the matter in more detail. For (those) judging the game, I would say: “Wait until it’s published”. It will be a complex product obviously, like all Deodato's movies. But we hope everyone will like it.

What message do you think this game will send to gamers across the globe who may not be familiar with the people of Borneo and their cultures?

The main plot is centered in a city in the USA. Of course, the jungle will also be shown, the one in Borneo has been chosen precisely because Deodato is a lover of those places and knows them well. The message of the game is a critique of the decadent values of the West. Prejudices and ignorance are evil, and we will say this clearly.

 

Despite the criticism, Fantastico Studio has made it clear that it will not budge from its vision for the game, which is slated for release in 2021.

Only time will tell if the final product will live up to their assurances, and whether the game will be accepted by the very people it is depicting. What began as a relatively obscure project is now under public scrutiny, and the onus is on the Italian studio and Deodato to produce a game that is both culturally sensitive and accurate.

What is clear is that authentic representation of Southeast Asian culture, especially indigenous cultures, in Western media remains elusive.

It is important for video game developers to be cognizant of the dangers of perpetuating harmful stereotypes and avoid the potential fetishization and exoticization of underrepresented cultures. Game developers can play a unique role in dispelling ignorance about marginalized cultures, and we hope more creators in the industry who choose to include these cultures in their work will be aware of the historical ways some of these cultures have been demonized and will take extra care to avoid perpetuating inaccuracies and put in the work to achieve authentic, respectful representation.

This post might contain affiliation links. If you buy something through this post, the publisher may get a share of the sale.
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