The island of Borneo has always been a dynamic crossroads of peoples despite the apparent isolation of its cultures. Indeed, its size and geographic location were strategic elements in the pre-Austronesian, Austronesian and modern colonisation process. This vast forested land is primarily home to vestiges of Indian, Chinese and later Malay civilisations, all of which played a role in the Austronesian expansion.

After the arrival of the Europeans in the 18^th century ensued a long tradition of explorers and collectors of objects belonging to the Dayak people – the ''people of the interior' – which appeared in Western collections in the 18^th century. With avant-garde artists and the interest expressed in so-called 'primitive' arts in the 20^th century, various private collections began to form, with major European cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin consequently fostering the emergence of an extensive international market.

Over the 20^th century, the island, politically integrated within the Malay and Indonesian states, became marginalised within its own borders. At the crossroads of cultures, Borneo became a peripheral region in a globalised world. Today, this marginalisation is becoming an asset, as it enables inhabitants to emphasise a strong identity thanks to the reappropriation of their specific cultural and historic characteristics.