The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan's Dayaks PDF

02
The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

03

The Heritage of Rural Technology
of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks
Initiator Photo Editor

Darius Pasago Pasaribu Rangga Purbaya
Supervisor Researchers
Bambang Adya Yatmaka Djasli Djamarus (Coordinator)
Darius Pasago Pasaribu Arifin Anis, MZ
Djasli Djamarus Azman Azis
Zukri Saad Nasrullah
Syaharudin Arafah
Cover photo:
Writers
Doh Ding, weaving a mat in Long Tuyoq
Zainal Arifin Anis (Coordinator) Photographers
village, West Kutai.
Asman Aziz Rangga Purbaya
Nasrullah Steve Pillar
Syaharuddin Susi Abdurahman
Illustrators
The Heritage of Rural Technology
Editors Bambang Adya Yatmaka
of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks
Karlina Supelli (Coordinator) Eddi B. Handono
Baby Ahnan
Karina Roosvita Indirasari Graphic Designers © PT Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak
Roedy Haryo Widjono Azis Karuniawan
Bambang Adya Yatmaka Published by:
Wiwit PT Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak
Editors:
Karlina Supelli (Coordinator)
Baby Ahnan
Karina Roosvita Indirasari
Roedy Haryo Widjono
English translation, editing and

design by:
Edelman
www.edelman.co.id
Second Printing, 2013

294 pages; 28 x 28 cm
PT Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak
06
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 06
Foreword from President Director 10
Message from Vice President Manufacturing 12
Message from Bontang Mayor 15
Message from East Dayak Traditional Board Supervisor 17
I. Tracking Dayak People’s Residences 21
Surveying Dayak Technology 25
Disclosing Dayak Technology 29
Sequence of Report 40
II. Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction

43
to Backbone Technology
Housing Technology 45
Lamin or Long House 45
Amin Dadu Long Anai 58
Lamin Pepas Eheng 59
Pintuq and Benung Long Houses 61
Shapes and Parts of Long Houses 62
Building A Long House 62
The Rainbow, A Full Moon and An Owl 74
A Lone House 75
From Lamin to Hall 80
Carving Conveying Message 90
Kitchen Technology 92
Stove Structure 92
Various Kitchen Utensils 93
Sharp Tool Technology 93
Water and Rice Container Technology 94
Food Processing Technology 95
Staple Food and Side Dishes 96
Daily Food Processing 97
Sugar Making Technology 98
Buraq-Making Techniques 99
Meat Preservation Techniques 100
Technique to Make Salt 101
Animal Breeding 102

Table of Content 07
Farming Technology 105

Technology of Sharp Tools 114
Mandau 114
Kelabit 122
Hunting Tools 124
Poisonous Blowgun 125
Nyatap (Spear) 130
Fish-catching Tools 134
Serapang 134
Fish Trap 137
Tuba 138
Sepu and Other Traps 139
From Tongko to Apit 140
Tools for Signaling 148
Various Transportation Means 150
Clothing and Accessories 158
Shirt 158
Loincloth 159
Beads 160
Headwear 162
Tapung Puk 162
Seraung 162
Bluko Ne 163
Tattoo Enriched with a Thousand Meanings 164
The Backpack Basket 168
Types of Basket 168
Child Carrier 170
Instruments for Belian Ceremony 174
Witchcraft 178
Handling Persons With Mental Disorders 179
III. Potential Findings for Further Development 181
Eye Medicine 184
Stomach Ache Medicine 187
Fever Medicine 188
Malaria and Typhus Medicine 189
Tuberculosis and Asthma Medicine 190
Cough Medicine 191
Medicine for High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol 192

08 Table of Content
Medicine for Burns and Bee Sting 193

Fitness and Impotency Elixir 194
Potion for Healthier Menstruation and Breast Milk 195
Medicine for Uric Acid 196
Medicine for Lower Back Pain and Fractured Bones 197
Medicine for Sprains 198
Potion to Remove Facial Dark Spots 199
Medicine to Relieve Pain, Burning Sensation and External Wounds 200
Medicine for Internal Abdominal Wounds 201
Medicine for Gastric Ulcer 202
Medicine for Uterine Hemorrhage 203
Post-Natal Cleanser 204
Potion to Strengthen Pregnancy 205
Natural Contraception 206
Medicine for Vaginal Discharge 207
Food Seasonings 208
Meat Preservative 209
Fish Poison 210
Blowgun Poison 211
Light Poison 212
Anti-Dandruff Shampoo 213
Hair Oil 214
Dead Body Odor Removal 215
Colorings 216
Ulap Doyo 218
Sung Baloq 223
Kisar as Rice Grinding Tool 224
IV. Screams Throughout Mahakam and Other Stories behind the Research 239
In Lung Anai 240
Bound for Sendawar 241
In Tanjung Isuy 242
Bound for Benung 244
From Tering to Tiong Ohang 245
Coal Barge 246
In Long Pahangai and Long Apari 247
Bibliography 252
Interview 252
Photo & Illustration Index 253

09
Pelujuk, Lung Anai’s

Traditional Elder, West Kutai
(Rangga Purbaya)

10 Foreword
Foreword from President Director
It is my great pleasure to publish this “The Heritage of Rural

Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks” from Kaltim Pasifik
Amoniak. As you are well aware, there is a wide range of ethnic
groups, cultures, languages in Indonesia, as, for instance,
various types of cultures of Dayak groups that have long found
entrenchment in the watershed of the Mahakam River in East
Kalimantan.
Unfortunately, globalization in economics, cultures and

languages is likely to be threatening these very precious and
rare properties due to development of natural resources and
market competition. If we leave as it is, those cultures of Dayak groups are in danger of
being extinct from the area. Therefore we decided as one of CSR programs that we are
keeping record of these extraordinary legacy technologies of Dayak cultures in a book and
put them on our stakeholders to preserve.
This Indonesian Heritage contains so many traditional cultures that have come into the
inheritance of Dayak groups in the Mahakam River - an ancient chest of culture, containing
countless types of foods, festivals, medicines and languages in their own cultures. The book
will take you through a re-introduction of the technology of Dayak cultures and if you are
unaware of these cultures, they must certainly surprise and interest you.
It is our most sincere hope, that this book would enhance efforts dedicated to the
conservation of nature, and preserve the technology of Dayak cultures which are likely to be
endangered.

Foreword 11
Last but not least, to the many KPA staff that have supported the publication of this book
with dedicated efforts like collecting information and data by moving deeper into the basin,
as well as proofreading, image layouting etc., I offer you the most profound, heartfelt
gratitude for your contribution to the publication of the book.
Yours faithfully,
M. Kaneta
President Director of Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak

12 Foreword
Message from Vice President Manufacturing
Today, Indonesians have been independent for 67 years. Within

this period, the Republic of Indonesia as a unitary state has
seen through various stages, different leaderships and regimes
in line with the challenges of different eras and the characters
of its leaders.
We can say that our time is a period embellished with numerous

social, political, economic, legal and cultural challenges from
both within and outside the country. One of the challenges
from overseas takes the form of claims by our neighbor,
Malaysia, over Indonesian traditional cultures and products.
As a group of Indonesians working for PT Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak (KPA), we know how rich
our nation is. Unfortunately, traditional technologies such as the ones of East Kalimantan
Dayak communities are not well inventoried and properly documented. Meanwhile, locals
who master such technologies are getting old and, at the same time, the “modernization”
drive has lured the young generation away from their heritage. Forest transformation into
mono-culture plantations has deprived the so-called community technology of its natural
components or materials and, therefore, it has also caused the disappearance of skills in the
community technology.
We seem to have little interest in having our traditional medicine, textiles, food products
and, perhaps, technology that have been part of our culture since a thousand of years ago
patented; as we appear to be equally reluctant in developing sustainable mass products
with high economic values for our people. Meanwhile, many researchers from advanced
countries such as Japan, Canada and the US who have prolonged their stay in the interior
of East Kalimantan for doing researches have indicated an abundance of potential in nature

Foreword 13
and Dayak culture in East Kalimantan that can be developed into industrial products of high
demand.
In responding to this finding, KPA that operates in Bontang of East Kalimantan has
designed one of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to make inventories of
technologies belonging to East Kalimantan’s Dayaks.
The activity has resulted in the publication of a book entitled “The Heritage of Rural
Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks”. The book has put in writing various rural
technologies belonging to Dayak communities of East Kalimantan that has the potential
for development. Reading the book, we can find basic information regarding raw materials,
traditional processes, the use of or the benefit of the rural technologies developed by the
Dayak communities of East Kalimantan. We gathered the entire information from surveys,
interviews and library research and studies prior to presenting them in this book. We hope
that this book will serve as an access and initial reference for researches and scientists in
universities, research institutes and those interested in developing products in companies,
government officials and community members, and all those who are interested in it. We
welcome all further actions as follow-throughs to our work, such as efforts to process the
patents, increase the production scale, and boost the value added or sales value of all that
we have inventoried in this book.
Last but not least, we would like to express our gratitude to KPA’s shareholders, i.e. Mitsui
Co. Ltd. and Toyota Tusho, that have supported our CSR programs, and also Governor of
East Kalimantan, Dr. H. Awang Farouk Ishak M.Si., Bontang Mayor, Ir. H. Dharma M.Si., who
has supported our CSR programs, as well as the Head of East Kalimantan’s Dayak Customary
Council, Drs. Yurnalis Ngayoh, MM., who provided us with a recommendation letter to
support the data and information research in the interior of East Kalimantan, and to all team
members who have dedicated their time, energy and ideas starting from outlining, giving
ideas, survey planning, drafting, editing and in the printing of this book.
Specifically for my close friend from batch 77 of ITB, Yayak (Kencrit), who has earned the
title of “Half-Divine Man” during his stay in the interior of East Kalimantan; Djasli Djamarus,

14 Foreword
who have coordinated the surveys, research and development of this book, and Karnila
Supeli, who provided ceaseless encouragement and wider perspectives, as well as final
editing, I would like to extend them my utmost gratitude. I am grateful that our friendship
has gone beyond the extent of getting to know each other well, but it has also, hopefully, be
beneficial to our society and our nation.
May God bless this work of ours and bless the Indonesian nation so that it becomes a big
nation that can set an example of how humanity can reach its progress in a harmonious way,
and that can benefit other nations.
Darius Pasaribu
Vice President Manufacturing

Foreword 15
Message from Bontang Mayor
Praising God the Almighty, on behalf of the Government and

the people of Bontang I would like to extend my gratitude and
congratulations for the publication of “The Heritage of Rural
Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks” as part of a CSR program
of PT Kaltim Pasifik Amoniak (KPA). I would like to convey this
appreciation as the publication of this book has proved KPA’s
concern and contribution to enhance the cultural values of people
in East Kalimantan, especially East Kalimantan’s Dayaks.
The City Administration of Bontang will continue with and expedite

developments taking place in the region, which sits on massive
amounts of untapped potential resources. For this reason, the City
Administration of Bontang is committed to continuously synergize with companies operating in
the city, one of which is KPA, to realize culturally and environmentally-healthy development by
prioritizing local wisdom.
As sons and daughters of the nation who were born and raised here, we shall be grateful for all
God’s gifts that are showered upon us on the lands and seas of the Republic of Indonesia, amidst
an abundance of various natural resources. We also take great pride in the autonomy granted to
local administrations by the Central Government. The autonomy represents trust that needs to
be responsibly carried out.
Among those gifts, the soil of East Kalimantan excels for its natural resources potential, i.e.
oil, natural gas, coal and various other mining resources. However, we must bear in mind that
in addition to non-renewable natural resources, we also have in our possession, remarkable
potential in renewable resources, i.e. potential of local customs and cultures.
The history of human being always leaves traces for the next generation. However, only a
generation that is determined to love and safeguard their civilization that can take inventory and
develop the customs and culture of their ancestors as historically-valued, exquisite heritage.

16 Foreword
As a great nation, we must develop the spirit of willingness to build, protect and defend
our culture and protect its rightful ownership. The self-declared claim of our culture by a
neighboring country must be responded in a civilized way. Exploited anger is not a solution.
Instead, we need wisdom and concrete results, conceived from our determination to document
textual evidences for the world to see.
Challenges to our future are growing. The globalization trend should be countered with an
earnest attitude and professionalism within the international legal corridor. Responding to
the situation, I expect the role of academicians, researchers, politicians, bureaucrats and all
stakeholders to proactively process the patents of various customs, cultures and traditional
products, especially those possessed by the Dayak cultural communities of East Kalimantan.
The book “The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks” that introduces the
life, art and culture of East Kalimantan communities and their potential promises a great many
benefits, such as information and promotion that can attract tourists and investors.
Additionally, the environmental preservation initiatives that are elaborated in this book can
enlighten us as human beings, immersing us further in the love of nature and all its inhabitants,
all of which we will pass on to the next generation to ensure their quality of life. All these are
in line with one of the six priority programs of Bontang city development, i.e. Environmental
Preservations.
May the steps taken by KPA become a locomotive to be followed by other companies in assuming
their roles to cultivate futuristic values that have grown well in our land.
To make such a dream come true, we need awareness, support and collaboration of all
stakeholders in the spirit of Bessai Berinta. With the publication of this book, may God
strengthen all of us so as to be able to realize a noble, advanced and prosperous Bontang city.
Therefore, this city can yield its best performance for East Kalimantan within the frame of the
unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.
May God’s blessings will always be with us all.
Bontang, July 2012
Ir. H. Adi Darma, M.Si

Bontang City Mayor

Foreword 17
A D AT D
AN AY
W
A
D
UR K
PR
IM
O
IN T
P
SI N
K A LI M A N TA
Message from East Dayak Traditional Board Supervisor
First of all, let us praise the God Almighty, that because of His
blessings, the publication of “The Heritage of Rural Technology
of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks” is brought to completion. This book
surely holds, in its pages, important values and meaning, in our
efforts to preserve a unique and distinctive culture that is the
nation’s pride. Every single culture deserves to be preserved,
for each of its exquisite colors and voices all contribute to the
diversity of our nation, keeping within their unique folds, countless
of priceless knowledge and an infinite source of wisdom. However,
the globalization era, and along with it, sophisticated technological
advances, may endanger the preservation of art, culture and
traditional values passed down to use by our ancestors.
Through this book, I would like to reach out and ignite the undying passion and the unwavering
spirit and dedication to life of Dayak people as well as the intellectual fervor in which the
scholars pursue science and knowledge – and applaud their efforts to stay on course in
excavating traces of history, research, assessment and publications of the arts, culture, and
customs of the Dayaks. I encourage them to share with the world, their work of passion, and to
lend a hand to enriching the nation’s cultural development that is faithful to its roots, yet agile
enough to weather the dynamics of today’s world.
I hope the Almighty God will always grant us His presence, His blessing and divine wisdom in
every step taken in our efforts to preserve and promote the wealth of Dayak cultural heritage, for
the welfare and prosperity of the Dayaks under the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.
DR. Yurnalis Ngayoh, MM

East Dayak Traditional Board Supervisor

The morning ambiance at Jembayang
riverside, Lung Anai, West Kutai
(Rangga Purbaya)
Panyan, pembuat mandau dan alat
pertanian dari Long Anai.
(Rangga Purbaya)
01. Tracking Dayak People’s Residences
“Our Greatest Teachers

are Our Ancestors“
(Revius Mering, Kenyah Dayak)
22 Tracking Dayak People’s Residences
As indigenous people, Dayak people call the (Kalimantan) island “Bagawan Bawi
Lewu Telo” (Cilik Riwut, 2003). In Dayak Ngadu language, bagawan means Queen,
bawi means woman, and lewu means village, while telo means three. So literally,
Bagawan Bawi Lewu Telo means “Queen that rules in Three Big Villages.” The
Kaharingan religion, especially among Ngaju Dayaks, they believe in the existence of
a goddess named Jata that lives deep in the river. So, the use of Bagawan Bawi Lewu
Telo may be interpreted as a sign of respect to Goddess Jata who lives in the depth
of the rivers in the three big villages.
Tering port in West Kutai.

(Rangga Purbaya)
We know the island as Kalimantan,

Indonesia’s largest island and the world’s
third largest after Greenland and New
Guinea. In local language, Kalimantan also
means an island with big rivers. Europeans
often refer to Kalimantan as Borneo.
We also know Kalimantan through artifacts

that lead us to the Hindu civilization
in Kutai, East Kalimantan; an ancient
civilization that first introduced the idea
of a nation-state in the archipelago. In the
oldest Hindu tradition in Kalimantan, the
Kalimantan island island is called Tanjung Negara. Powerful
illustration
kingdoms in the archipelago such as
Majapahit and Sriwijaya extended their
influences to Kalimantan.
In the 16th century, when sultanates grew

in South and West Kalimantan shores
such as Banjarmasin, Pontianak, Sambas,
Pasir, Sukadana, Kutai, Sambaliung,
Gunung Tabur, Bulungan and West Berau,
European nations came and imposed
sovereignty over them. The first European
to visit Kalimantan was Italian Ludovico

(1507), followed by Portuguese Laurenco descendants of Yunnan immigrants from This stone is called Batoq Tepakit Lejo (Lion’s
Stone Jump). According to the legend of
de Gomes (1518). There are suggestions South China. Gunung Batoq Ayo, the stone was allegedly
used by Batoq Ayo’s lion pet to jump and cross
that the two coined the name Borneo, a the Mahakam River.
(Rangga Purbaya)
word that finds its root in Brune, Berunai, In the beginning, European researchers
Brunei, which in the beginning referred used the word Dayak with pejorative
to a village in Northern Kalimantan. meanings to refer to Borneo’s indigenous
Kalimantan’s historical dynamics were people who at that time were considered
developed through interactions of its uncivilized yet. Such opinion stemmed from
people with Chinese and Malays, and of their interpretation of civilization, which
course with Europeans. referred to the European civilization only.
As a result, they named “uncivilized” those
During the Dutch colonization, Kalimantan whose cultures were different from theirs.
was administratively divided into
Westerafdeling Borneo (West Borneo) and August Harderland (1859) offered different
Zuider- en OosterafdelingBorneo (South understanding of the word Dayak.
and East Kalimantan). In Jan B. Ave’s record, Harderland, as quoted by Ukur (1971),
as quoted by Arman (1984), Dayak referred showed that indigenous people initially
to Kalimantan’s indigenous people. They are named their tribes based on the location

Left: Research team members interviewing Lama, traditional of their residential areas, which were Danum, (3), Iban, (4) Murut, (5) Klementan,
elder of Benung village, West Kutai (Rangga Purbaya)
mostly along riverbanks. For example, Oloh and (6) Punan.
Right: Banyak demonstrating how to make animal traps
(Rangga Purbaya) (people) Kahayan and Oloh Barito referred
to communities dwelling around Kahayan After studying and quoting writings of
and Barito Rivers, while Tering people earlier experts, and pointing at their
referred to communities living around differences in cultures, languages, and
Tering River. geography, Michael Dove (1985) concluded
that there were three big groups of Dayak
Mikhail Coomans (1987) used the word Daya, communities: (1) the Northern Group
meaning hinterland or up-stream, to refer including Dusun and Murut, (2), Southern
to the indigenous people of Kalimantan. Group including Ngaju, and the Central
Daya is the name of people living in the Group, including Kenyak, Kayan, Kayang,
upper stream. Coomans also suggested that and Iban.
Daya was the name for all non-Muslims
living in the hinterland of Kalimantan, while Djuweng, dkk. (1994) referred to Tjilik
Haloqadalah for Muslims. Riwut who devided Dayak communities
in East Kalimantan into four big groups:
H.J. Mallinckrodt (1928) divided Dayaks (1) Kenyah Bahai Dayak, which consists of
into six groups based on their similarities 26 small tribal groups living in areas along
and dissimilarities in their customary laws: the around Mahakam river, (2) Benuaq
(1) Kenyah-Kayan-Bahau/Wahau, (2), Ot Dayak, Apu Kayan comprising 38 small

Tracking Dayak People’s Residences 25
Grandma Oey, Ulap Doyo weaver from Tanjung Isuy,

West Kutai (Rangga Purbaya)
tribes living in the Upper Mahakam, (3) Surveying Dayak Technology

Tonyooy/Tunjung Murut Dayak, including Research team members together with the traditional elder of
Damai village (Rangga Purbaya)
Idaan Dayak in the Sandakan area and Dayaks are known to have rich tradition Team members on the way to Hulu Mahakam
Tidung Lenden Dayak in Tarakan area, and and culture. They practice shifting farming (Steve Pillar).
(4) Bentian Dayak, Tidung Dayak living in system, have one communal long house
Malinau and Tidung Pale. called lamin (Kutai), lou (Benuaq), betang
(Ngaju, Manyaan), and umaq dadoq (Kenyah).
They also have various herbal medicines
believed to have the efficacy to heal various
diseases.
How do they open new land for farming,

build houses, and concoct herbal medicine
from plants around them? They acquire
their knowledge on various sciences and
technologies transferred verbally from one
generation to another, and did not bother to
document systematically in writing. Slowly
but surely, Dayak’s traditional technologies
are replaced by modern technologies,
despite the fact that many of them remain

RP
applicable to this day. Dayaks also have

various local wisdoms that have proven to
be able to help them deal with problems
they are facing everyday.
Surveys on technologies owned by Dayaks

of East Kalimantan, especially in West
Kutai and Kutai Kartenagara, are done
with the hope that those technologies
could be preserved and inherited. The
surveys also aim to get to know various
potentials in Dayak traditions that could be
developed for the greater benefits of larger
communities.
A boat pulling logs passing along

the bank of Mahakam river.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Rice granary belonging to Lung
Anai village, West Kutai
(Rangga Purbaya)
Lung Anai village appears very

quite as majority of its residents
go to work in the farm.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Disclosing Dayak Technology In Tanjung Isuy, we observed the technics

of making ulap doyo, which is at the brink
Surveys and documentation of Dayak of extinction due to raw material shortages.
Technologies were done in two stages. The The thread used for weaving ulap doyo is
first phase was conducted from October made of doyo plant (curculigo latifolia),
27 to November 8, 2010. At this stage, we a small plant that grows in shady forests
visited Long Anai Cultural village in Kutai and riverbanks. The conversion of forests
Kartanegara Regency, Kutai Museum in into productive areas and monoculture
Tenggarong, Kutai Regency, and Tunjung plantations has destroyed the plant’s
as well as Benuaq tribes in Barong Tongkok habitats, causing the number of doyo plants
district, West Kutai Regency. We also growing near residential areas to drop
observed ulap doyo (weaving) in Tanjung sharply. To make things worse, doyo plants
Isuy District, West Kutai Regency and visited growing in farmlands are considered as
Sungai Bawang cultural village in Pampang, weeds that have to be removed.
Samarinda City, to collect information about
the technologies of Kenyah Dayaks living The second survey took place from March 5
there. We visited those areas using rented to March 23, 2011. At this stage, we started
cars, riding ces (a motorized boat known as surveying from villages in Long Hubung
ketinting), and a ship. subdistrict such as Datah Bilang Hulu, Datah
Bilang Hilir, and Long Hubung, followed
In Long Anai, we collected information by Long Bagun subdistrict in Ujoh Bilang
from Kenyah Dayaks on their traditional and Long Bagun villages; Long Pahangai
handicraft technology, farming tools, subdistrict: Lirung Asa village, Long Tuyog,
accessories, and sword-making (mandau- Long Isun, Long Pahangai, and Long Pakaq,
making). and villages in Long Apari subdistrict such
as Tiong Buu, Tiong Ohang, and Naha Buan.
We also learned sword-making We also visited Tering Seberang in Tering
technologies from Tunjung and Benuaq subdistrict, and Lambing in Muara Lawa
Dayak communities in Barong Tongkok, subdistrict. The two villages are located
together with information on construction in the Mahakam hinterland in Kutai Barat
of the long house or lamin, herbal mixtures, Regency. Our survey ended in Samarinda.
and religious system. Data collection was done through direct

30
make alutpasa, a long boat used by Kemah

Umaq Bakung Dayak tribe for racing. They
also explained how to process sap collected
to trap birds, to construct a long house
called lamin, how to make the Dayaknese
sword (mandau), traditional medication
using herbs, and the farming system.
In Datah Bilang, there is a gotong royong1

organization called Pekua for activities
related to public interests. When we
visited the place, Pekua was still fixing the
A speedboat carrying research team members took a short observations, interviews, and library destroyed roof of a local lamin so we were
stop before entering Riam Panjang, Mahakam Hulu.
(Rangga Purbaya) research. able to document how they made shingles,
food and water containers, seraung (caping
Datah Bilang Hulu and Datah Bilang Hilir Dayak), and cooking activities.
villages are residential areas of Kenyah
Umaq Bakung Dayaks that were inaugurated We continued our journey to Long Hubung,
in 1975 by Soeharto, then president of the the residential area of Dayak Bahau Saq,
Republic of Indonesia. In the two villages, to meet Ding Hat, a well-respected former
we observed residential and housing traditional elder, and M. Jiu, an officer of
patterns and daily activities of local people, Long Hubung village, and Cisilia, a senior
both in the village and in farmland. We village midwife. We obtained information
interviewed Pigen (a blacksmith in Datah on how to concoct herbal mixtures and
Bilang Hilir), Palamu Alung (traditional techniques on how to make cane sugar
elder of Datah Bilang Hilir), Kulle (an officer using a traditional miller called kerabatang.
of Datah Bilang Hulu), Revius Mering (a We also observed long posts to be used for
prominent local leader in Datah Bilang Hulu) making the long house, and various shapes
as well as Charles, a public Senior High of mandau typical of Bahau Saq Dayak.
School teacher, Jhonson, a Kenyah Dayak
youth from Datah Bilang Hilir. Charles and
Jhonson acted as translators when we
interviewed some resource persons who
could only speak in the local language.
1
Gotong royong is an Indonesian term referring to
The interviewees narrated their story of working together to achieve desired results. A gotong
royong activity is done on voluntary base and those
migration from Apo Kayan down to Datah involved in such activity do not receive any financial
Bilang, describing techniques on how to compensation.

Lung Anai village appears very quite as
majority of its residents go to work in the
farm. (Rangga Purbaya)
Kenheq waterfall at the brink of Riam Panjang,
Upper Mahakam. (Rangga Purbaya)
From Long Hubung we returned to Datah

Bilang to visit farms of Revius Mering and
Broto, located next to each other. While in
the farms, we did interviews to learn about
various paddy varieties consumed or made
into seeds, different models of huts for them
to sleep in on nights away from their village
and rice granary (lepubung) models. We also
joined an entourage of local people looking
for plants whose sap could be used to trap
birds. Revius Mering also demonstrated the
process of making eye medicine from herbs
around his house.
We then proceeded to Long Bagun

subdistrict in the downstream area of
Mahakam River. In the lodging, we met
Leonardus Janum, a resident of Long Apar
from Penihing Dayak or better known
as Aoheng Dayak. Leonardus gave us
information about Long Apari village and
several contacts that we could get in touch
with. In Long Bagun, we documented a long
house with Bahau Dayak motives.
Our next destination was Long Pahangai.

At the arrival port, we met Sugiarto,
Long Pahangai and Long Apari military
commander, as well as Adrianus Liah raider during the era of Dwikora2 and Above, right: A floating inn at Datah Bilang.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Belawing, a son of Bahau Busang Mahakam is a former traditional leader of Long
traditional elder who we encountered in Pahangai Village. From them, we retrieved
Samarinda. more details about the long house, anjat
handicraft, which is made of rattan, sword,
Before we began the survey, we visited the traditional medication using herbs, sape
Subdistrict Office to meet Tigang Himang, (traditional guitar of Dayak people), and
the head of Long Pahangai Subdistrict. dangai (literally: life recycle ceremony)
Tigang gave us names of people we could tradition. We also documented two lamin
interview. He also allowed us a closer look (long houses) belonging to Bahau Busang
at herbal medicines, sword-making, lamin Dayak communities, including the activities
construction, religious belief system of of those living there.
Bahau Busang Dayak as well as the history
of Long Gelat community in Hulu Mahakam.
The following day, together with Liah,

Tigang’s in-law, we interviewed Lawing, 2
Dwikora refers to a command issued by former
former principal of Long Pahangai Indonesian president, Soekarno, to stop the
establishment of Malaysia. The Dwikora period was
Elementary School, Y. Ngau Ajaat, former marked with a confrontation against Malaysia.
Above, left: M. Jiu, a leader of Long Hubung village Armed with the information from Y. Ngau we amassed massive helpings of information
Second photo from the left: Kulle, a leader of Datah
Bilang Bawah village Ajaat, we left for Lirung Asa, a farmland area on lamin-construction technology,
Third photo from the left: Datah Bilang people belonging to Bahau Busang Dayak, using ces. Kayo traditional rite, tattoo, Long Gelat
working together (gotong royong), while the elders
prepare lunch We met with Hang Beq in his hut. Hang Beq traditional attire, coloring substances, and
is maker of mandau sword and hudoq mask. techniques in making rattan weavings.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Our interview covered mandau-making
techniques, hudoq mask, rattan handicraft, From Long Tuyoq, we returned to Lirung
herbal medicines, and hunting techniques. Asa to document how to turn iron into the
Meanwhile, our photographer captured Dayak sword or mandau, winnow rice and
pictures of Hang Beq’s kitchen. various information on daily activities of
local people and tools they use everyday.
On the following day, we proceeded to Long
Tuyoq residential areas of Dayak Bahau We then found our way into Long Isun
Long Gelat community. In the Long Tuyoq village and interviewed Lusang Aran,
lamin (long house), we met with Blawing traditional elder of Bahau Busang Long
Belareq, the traditional elder of Bahau Isun village, and Kuleh Liah, an elementary
Busang Mahakam, and Doh Ding, a rattan- school teacher. It was there that we became
weaving craftsman. Through an interview, more finely attuned to the intricate yet

captivating processes of rattan weaving, the Kayan traditional elder who had an old Right: Lamin Pintuq, Sendawar, Kutai Barat
Second photo from the right: The inner condition of Pepas Eheng
traditional medicines, lamin, fish-catching mandau, which was often used as a war
lamin, Sendawar, West Kutai
tools, and so on. weapon (headhunting). There were 90
(Rangga Purbaya)
visible marks ingrained on the mandau’s
Hiring a speedboat powered by a 400PK blade near its handle, signifying that it had
engine, we went to Tiong Ohang in Long killed 90 people. We also interviewed an
Apari District. On the way there, we stopped elementary school teacher named Yakobus
by Datah Suling and Long Lunuk while and made documents of various plants
bringing home Belawing. At Long Unuk, we used as medicines by Kayan Dayaks in Long
made documentation of traditional drink Pakaq. Leonardus Janun (hunter), Devung Anyang
made of sticky rice called Balo Tau Boraaq, (wife of the late Irang Napap, a respected
observed and took pictures of an old lamin From Long Pakaq, our next leg of the traditional elder of Penihing), A. Kaya (a
that still used rattan, instead of nails, to journey took us to Tiong Buu and Tiong trader) and Fransiscus Jiu, a teacher of Long
hold the joints and statues of Bahau Busang Ohang in Long Apari subdistrict, which Apari Public Senior High School, to collect
Dayak. were inhabited by Aoheng/Penihing Dayaks. information on mandau-making techniques,
Long Apari District is East Kalimantan’s telavang (shield), traditional medicines,
Our next stop was Long Pakaq, the village farthest district near the Serawak border. and Aohen Dayak shirt, including coloring
of Kayan Dayak community. We interviewed We conducted an extensive interview with substances and their preservatives.

Bottom: A woman of Kenyah Dayak tribe weaving anjat, Lung Anai, West Kutai
(Rangga Purbaya)
RP The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Left: Belawing Belareq, Bahau traditional elder

Middle: Dong Ding, mat and cap weaver from Long Tuyog
Bottom: Children playingin the porch of lamin dadu, Lung Anai.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Our next destination is Naha Buan village

to interview Pahang − a prominent leader
of Naha Buan village − observe Naha
Buan lamin, and document the process
of assembling the traditional blowgun by
Lasan.
After visiting Naha Buan village, we held

an evaluation meeting and concurred
that we already had enough information,
and decided to go to Tering Seberang in
Tering subdistrict through Long Bagun. We
dropped by Temula village, Barong Tongkok
subdistrict to observe the activities of
Benuaq Dayak blacksmith and directly
witness how mandau is made. There, we
also had the opportunity to observe alut (a
boat made from ulin or meranti wood).
We then took an overland trip going to

Lambing. Upon arriving in Lambing, the
day began to lose its light, yet we were still
able to observe and take pictures of two
70-yeard old lamin inhabited by Benuaq
Dayak community: Lamin Tolan Atas and
Tolan Bawah. The lamin’s wall is made of
tree bark, its floor is rattan and bamboo,
and is supported by ulin posts 15 meters
above the ground. All joints are held
together with rattan. Lighting in the lamin
still uses kerosene lamps called pelita.

For Dayak women, the long-ear

tradition is part of local wisdom related
to make-up and beauty
From Lambing village, we went overland As additional information, almost in all the
back to Samarinda. We interviewed Lukas villages we visited, we saw many Dayak
Kupang, ‘commander’ of Kalimantan Dayak women and men with long ears. For Dayak
Culture Defense (KPAD) and Roedy Haryo women, the long-ear tradition is part
Widjono, Dayak culture observer who of local wisdom related to make-up and
married a Benuaq Dayak girl from Benung beauty.
village, Damai subdistrict in West Kutai
Regency. Based on the interview, we learned
about the Dayaks living in the northern part
of East Kalimantan province (Lun Dayeh,
Punan, Murut, Berusu, Agabaq Dayaks, and
so on), about salt production by Lun Dayeh
Dayaks in the Krayan mountain, mandau-
and blowgun-making, and philosophical
values embedded in Dayak technology.
Lastly, we visited Citra Niaga market in
Samarinda to document various Dayak tools
and accessories sold there.

Dayak Kenyah children playing in

the afternoon, Lung Anai
(Rangga Purbaya)

Sequence of Report
The main findings of our surveys are In part four, which is the closing, we offer
classified into four parts based on some overview that may serve as a small
categorical proximity. Part one, “Tracking mirror for various problems confronting
Dayak People’s Residences,” offers overviews the Dayaks, especially in the areas we
of locations we visited in East Kalimantan visited. This “lamentation” is not meant
and our research method. for finding or even creating a scapegoat
in the problems but for seeking agreeable
Part two, “Culture and Local Wisdom”, solutions.
explains technologies Dayak communities
use daily, particularly in house construction, To facilitate readers looking for further
farming, transportation, and various tools information, we equip this book with
they use for different activities. Part two sources of information supporting our
also talks about food processing techniques research and writing, both in the list of
they use, as well as their famous technology bibliography and detailed information about
called teknologi punggung, aside from attire the interviewees.
and cultural rites.
Part three deals with “Findings of Potentials

for Development”. This part in particular
talks about various plants usually used by
Dayak communities in East Kalimantan to
deal with various diseases. Aside from that,
we also explain doyo-weaving techniques
and several tools typical of Dayak
communities.

41

Children in Pepas
Eheng lamin,
Sendawar,
West Kutai
(Rangga Purbaya)
02. Cultures And Local Wisdom
from Long House Construction

to Backbone Technology
44 Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction to Backbone Technology
Each technology offers dreams and

hopes, as well as human efforts to
materialize them.
Technology, in a narrow sense, is result of

human effort to deal with nature around
them. A technology developing in a
community cannot be separated from its
views toward nature and fellow humans.
In a broad sense, technology is not merely
a tool to achieve an end, but also a place
where various activities take place. Each
technology offers dreams and hopes, as well
as human efforts to materialize them.
For most Dayaks, their technology and

science systems are closely related to
their subsistent farming. We could better
familiarize ourselves with the technology
of Dayak people through physical work
inherent in their daily lives. This part of
the book explains various technologies of
Dayak people in East Kalimantan that reflect
their cultural richness and local wisdoms,
starting with their lamin (long) house,
farming system, various daily tools, food
processing, ritual equipment, sound signs,
transportation, to the birth of the famous
ulap dolo.
Umaq dadu, Long Anai.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction to Backbone Technology 45
Housing Technology is the longest long house still standing

in Kalimantan (Wisetyo, 2007). In East
The typical material culture of Dayak tribes
Kalimantan, there are several long houses
is manifested in their lamin or betang,
called lamin. Several of those long houses,
or long house. Lamin is found almost
especially those in West Kutai, are still
throughout Kalimantan. The Dayaks consist
very strong and still have occupants,
of hundreds of sub-tribes. According to
although they have undergone several
Charles Hose’s analyses as referred to
renovation works. Meanwhile, in Central
by Maulani (2000), lamin was a cultural
Kalimantan, long houses are rarely found
heritage of Kahayan Dayaks who migrated
as they have split into individual houses
less than 1,000 years ago from Irawadi
that accommodate nuclear family members
highland in Burma. Evidences of Kahayan
(Maulani, 200).
Dayak’s existence could be found at least Datah Bilang Dayaks working to-
in four big rivers in Kalimantan – two in gether to renovate a lamin.
Based on their residential types, Dayak (Rangga Purbaya)
Central Kalimantan, one in East Kalimantan,
communities in West Kutai are divided
and another one in North Kalimantan,
into two: those who live on land and those
Serawak – that are named Kahayan.
who live along rivers. Long houses or
lamin built on dry land can be reached
with land transportation, such as Pepas
Eheng, Engkuni, Pintuq/Benung, Tolan,
Lamin or Long House Mancong, and Tanjung Isuy. Meanwhile,
long houses built by Dayak communities
Just like other cultural heritages, the living along rivers are Amin Aya Uma Belua
number of long houses (lamin or betang) in in Long Pahangai Hulu, Amin Aya Uma
Kalimantan continues to decrease and is Baleh in Long Pahangai Hilir, Datah Bilang
now near extinction. One of the few betang Hilir Long House, and Datah Bilang Hulu serving as a dwelling place, lanting also
houses still standing is the Sungolo Betang Long House, can be reached through river functions as kiosks selling a wide variety
House of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak transportation only. of goods such as fuel, food, lodging, and
community in West Kalimantan. Inhabited even as ports where Dayak people wait
by 500 people (around 130 families), Before entering the Datah Bilang area, we for river transportation going upstream
Betang Sungolo, which is 268 meters long observed houses on rafts called lanting in or downstream. While in Datah Bilang, we
and has 53 rooms (from previously 63), local language in Mahakam River. Besides also spent several nights in lanting.

Shops on a raft found in a great number along Mahakan river.

(Rangga Purbaya)
firm them up by nailing them to the logs.

The wood panels serve as the raft floor.
They then erect posts on the panels to
build a house. The house’s walls are made
of wood panels and its roof of ulin wood
shingles. To prevent oscillating or being
drawn by current, the raft house is then
tied to ulin wood posts planted firmly on
the riverbank.
Compared to stilt houses, raft houses are

very simple from the architecture point of
view, with sparse ornaments. Raft houses
usually last for 20 years but the raw
materials such as logs with diameters and
In other words, houses built by the Dayaks length mentioned above are now difficult
along Mahakam river are classified into to find.
two: raft houses and stilt houses (rumah
panggung). The stilt house, simply referred The construction of stilt houses uses
to as lamin or balai, and ordinary houses several long columns to support the house
are located along the riverbank, while raft as we witnessed in the research area.
houses float along riverbanks.
In Datah Bilang Hilir and Datah Bilang
Raft or floating houses use bengkirai logs Hulu, there are two long houses owned by
with a diameter of 60 centimeters and four Kenyah Dayak Community. Named Amin
to five meters long. The logs are arranged Biu Lepoq, the long house in Datah Bilang
horizontally. The number of logs used Hulu was built in 1976. It is 20-meter in
depends on the owner’s financial ability. length and 60-meter in width. Lamin’s
After being arranged, the logs are tied with roof is made of ulin wood (Eusideroxylon
rattan in such a way that the surface is flat. zwageri) shingles, while wall from wood
After arranging and tying the logs, they panels and floor from ulin wood panels.
then place wood panels on top neatly and The long house in Datah Bilang Hilir, on

the other hand, is called Amin Data Bilang Manifestations of those values were clearly Left: The view inside a Long Anai lamin.
Right: Datah Bilang residents piling up roofing shingles..
Hilir and was built in 1975. It is 16 meters recorded in the working together, which
(Rangga Purbaya)
long and 50 meters wide, with roofing is locally known as gotong-royong, in
made of ulin wood shingles, walls from fixing the roof of Datah Bilang Hilir long
wood panels, and floor ulin wood panels. house. All male residents of Datah Bilang
The lamin stands firm on mid-height ulin Hilir, regardless of their ages and faith or
wood columns not far from the Mahakam religion, and ethnic groups – Buginese,
riverbank. Banjarnese, Javanese, and Dayaknese – all
participated in the activity. That activity
Lamin, amin, or long house is part of the also demonstrated fair distribution of job:
Dayak identity. Lamin may be considered young people were involved in tough jobs
as a symbol that consistenty promotes such as making shingles from very hard
values of togetherness and brotherhood ulin logs under the scorching sun in the
based on conviction of solidarity, mutual yard just outside the long house. Elderly
help, and harmony (Sedyawati dkk., 1995). people, on the other hand, worked inside
Philosophical values on life priorities are the long house, in fact in the long house’s
lived out in the lamin everyday. kitchen. Some of them weaved banana

SP
Amin Biu Lepoq, Datah Bilang Hulu.

(Rangga Purbaya)
leaves to wrap rice and hold meat broth as well as its values still use lamin as
and drink, while others whittled bamboo, reference. So, just like lamin, function
and others cooked rice, meat, and boiled rooms or balai, also now serve as one of
water. This work-together activity did not Dayak identities and must be present at
involve women since they have their work every Dayak villages.
in their respective families, such as drying
unhusked rice under the sun, making The Kenyah Umaq Bakung Dayaks own the
rattan handicraft, cooking, and so on. Datah Bilang Hulu and Datah Bilang Hilir
long houses. In the lamin’s front, there is
an ulin wood belawing with a diameter of
Built by the Dayak Kenyah community, 50 centimeters. On the belawing, the date
the long houses in Datah Bilang Hilir and when it was made is written: 24-4-1996.
Datah Bilang Hulu were not meant to be The long house that serves as balai or
communal residence but as places for function house has six main columns, each
community meetings and socio-cultural with a diameter of 60 centimeters, which
activities. From our current perspective, are carved with Kenyah Dayak motifs. In
lamin is now identical with a function hall the verandah, there is a stage about a half
as its structure, construction method, meter high. In the front side just under the
RP
Built by the Dayak Kenyah community, the long houses in Datah Bilang
Hilir and Datah Bilang Hulu were not meant to be communal residence
but as places for community meetings and socio-cultural activities.
stage, there is a relief describing gradual To keep the poles erect, the logs are tied to there are two poles of ulin wood, 30 cm in
migration of local people from Tege village one another using bamboo bars and rattan. diameter. At the edge of the planned lamin,
in Apokayan. They began to leave Tege there are piles of construction materials,
village in 1861 and 1930 and arrived at The long house is to stretch eight meters including logs of ulin wood, ulin shingles
Datah Bilang village in 1975. wide and 24 meters long. In the middle of and shingles of other woods. We were
the planned long house, there is a pole of tipped that the same lamin would be used
Just like in Datah Bilang Hilir and Datah the same height but of bigger diameter, as the government’s District Office.
Bilang Hulu, the long house we visited in around 50 centimeters. In the front side,
Long Isun, Long Nunuk, Long Pakaq, Long
Pahangi and Long Apari also function as
places for socio-cultural activities only
and as symbols of identity for local Dayak
communities. In Long Isun lamin, the
verandah where people use to gather is
equipped with a drum, boat, mortar, and
various tools and equipment for traditional
rites such as hudoq, ngayau, mamat, dangai,
and so on. The carvings on the poles and
inner and outer walls carry typical Dayak
motifs. There are also statues of hornbill
and belawing birds.
Unlike in Datah Bilang, where long houses

are already used for community activities,
long houses in Long Hubung are still
under construction. Residents of Long
Hubung generally belong to the Bahau
Dayak community. Sixteen ulin poles are
now standing 10 meters high. The poles
were planted one and a half meters deep
to serve as foundation. The distance from
one pole to another is around four meters. A scenery at Datah Suling village, Mahakam Hulu.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Lamin Long Tuyoq (Rangga Purbaya)

The lamin’s kitchen is located inside the main room and is used
during traditional rituals only. The house also has two stories: the
first story for activities of local people, especially for meetings.
The Bahau Long Gelat Dayak community into anjat (Dayak traditional bag) and
owns the Long Tuloq long house. gravitate around farm work.
Currently, three families inhabit the lamin.
The house has a unique feature compared The long house appears very old but still
to other long houses. The lamin’s kitchen well maintained. In front of the lamin,
is located inside the main room and is there is a yard of the football court size
used during traditional rituals only. The and a belawing statue carved out of ulin
house also has two stories: the first story log. Just outside the court, there are
for activities of local people, especially several poles of ulin logs that appear
for meetings. The first and second story to be very old. The field, along with the
is connected with a staircase made from poles, is the place where local people hold
carved ulin wood. On the second floor, the kayau ceremony. In the past, kayau
there are three doors leading to the room ceremony was a ritual designed to show off
of the three families, descendants of Bahau the heads of the enemies they have killed
Long Gelat Dayak royal families. The to villagers. Not far from the field is the
royal descendants are called hipuy, while Mahakam river.
ordinary people are called panyin.
The houses of Bahau Busang Long Gelat
On the second floor Belawing Belareq, head Dayak are located not far from left and
of Bahau Long Gelat Dayak tribe in Long right of Long Tulog long house. In other
Tuyoq, who also serves as traditional elder words, the Long Tulog long house is
of the Long Pahangai District, greeted us. located in the middle of the village and
The second floor is also used as a meeting becomes the center of socio-cultural
place for hipuy. As a meeting place, the activities of local people.
floor in front of the rooms is elevated by
around 50 centimeters from the seats of We can say that the long house in Datah
hipuy. In the event of a meeting with the Dawai is older than the Long Tuyoq lamin.
panyin, the hipuy usually hold an internal This is due to the fact that people still used
meeting first in the second floor before rattan, not nails, to tie and hold the lamin’s
they go down to the first floor to meet walls and roof. The house is standing
ordinary people. Usually, the common on ulin wood poles of around 4 meters
people work as craftsmen weaving rattans high and diameters of 30 centimeters.

Statues in front of
lPepas Eheng lamin. (Steve Pillar)
The house’s floor is made of thick wood Underneath the long house, there is a
panels, each tied with rattan. The house is chickenrun and piles of wood. Tolan
inhabited by only one woman aged more Bawah lamin has three rooms, which, as
than 65 years. Although the house is still mentioned above, are no longer inhabited
standing tall, the long house’s durability is as the former occupants have all passed
slowly worn out due to age. away, while their surviving family members
chose to build their own house in front
Meanwhile, Tolan Bawah and Tolan Atas of the long house. Tolan Atas lamin, on
long houses in Lambing, Muara Lawa the other hand, is still inhabited by two
District, are owned by Benuaq Dayak families. The walls of Tolan Atas long house
tribe. Our resource person, Y. Nyangkum, is made from tree bark, while its floor is a
says the two long houses already existed mixture of rattan and bamboo. The house’s
during the colonial time, around 1920s. poles are tied with rattan. The house has
The Tolan Bawah long house, which is 12 main poles and four windows. People
younger than Tolan Atas lamin, is no longer who stay in the Tolan Atas long house use
inhabited. In front of the lamin, there is a oil lamps to illuminate the house in the
wooden belontakng statue signifying that evening. Tolan Atas long house, to a certain
a traditional rite called kwangkai (seeing extent, reflects past long houses.
off the soul) was once held there. The
condition of Tolan Bawah lamin is rather The physical appearances of Tolan Bawah
worrisome. Its shingle roof is now leaking, and Tolan Atas long houses are very
its wall, which is made of tree barks, are similar to long houses in Pepas Eheng,
also worn out and torn, while its rattan though their sizes are relatively smaller.
and bamboo flooring is also on its way of The sizes of Tohan Bawah and Tohan Atas
becoming dilapidated. long houses are more or less the same
as those of the long houses in Benuang.
The kitchens of both Tolan Bawah and Pieces of mattress spotted folded during
Tolan Atas long houses are not separated daytime indicate that the inhabitants also
from the lamin’s main room; they are use the lamin’s main room for sleeping.
lower than the floor of the main room. In the evening, they spread the mats to
Meanwhile, the bath, laundry, and toilet sleep on.
room is separated from the long house.

The front side of the long house is facing

east, where there is a belontakng and big
field and un-asphalted road stretching
over one kilometer towards the main
road. The back side, facing west, water
is flowing for bathing. Underneath, there
are animals such as dogs, pigs, chickens,
cows, and cats. Coconut trees, papaya,
star-fruit tree, areca palm, orange, and
mango trees grow around the long house.
The well-maintained grass is used to dry
mats or mosquito nets. On the right side
of the lamin, which is a little bit slanting,
there are cemeteries of relatives of the
inhabitants.
When we visited the Tolan Atas long house,

two women staying in the house were
still weaving rattan into mats, although
the night had began to fall and enveloped
us with darkness. Perhaps, this is one the
characteristics of people working with
their intuition, uniting their hands with
their hearts, as darkness did little to deter
the women from continuing with their
work, while their husbands were working
as farmers.
The Busang Dayak long house in Long

Pahangi is named Amin Aya Long Pahangai.
The house, which is also called Amin
Adat Uma Ulu and Hilir, is more or less
40 meters long and 15 meters wide. The
two lamins or amins have 10 poles, four
of which are 50 centimeters in diameter
and two main poles are 60 centimeters in
Doh Ding, weaving a mat, Long Tuyoq.

(Rangga Purbaya)

diameter. The six poles are decorated with for consultation meetings. In the Above left: Rattan peel being
shaped and smoothened, Long
incisions of asolejo motive, a tiger legend verandah, there are two tuwung (drum) Isun.
(Rangga Purbaya)
and a human face named nangbrang. made of bengkirai tree bark for rituals,
Above right: A big tamborine at
and one sung (mortar) in the shape of a Umaq Dadu, Lung Anai.
(Steve Pillar)
The house floor and land surface is boat with four holes for pounding rice. On
connected with stairs − three meters in the upper pole were hung equipment for
height − made of ulin wood. The stair rituals such as the statue of enggang bird
is covered with wood panels to prevent and kaliwet (a cat-sized animal, one of
people and animals from entering the those protected animals)
house easily. In the past, the stair was
pulled upward in the evening to prevent Residents of Tiong Ohang village in Long
enemies and animals from entering the Apari District belong to the Aoheng/
long house. The lamin’s floor is made Penihing Dayak sub-tribe. They have
from bengkirai wood panels as thick as 10 a long house called Amin Aya Bangun,
centimeters and 60 centimeters wide. The which was built in 1980. The house is 40
long house has two rooms occupied by meters long and 15 meters wide, four
two families. meters above the ground. The lamin’s
roof is made from shingles of ulin wood,
The two houses have spacious verandas while its walls are of wood panels, and its

Above left: Lesung, Noha Buan. floor is made of wood panels. This long The long house in Tiong Buu is located
(Rangga Purbaya)
house is exclusively used for traditional across Tiong Ohang village and Naha
Above right: A tamborine at Lamin Baang
Adat Huvung Nyoang Noha Buan. rites and meetings. Buhan and is separated by the Mahakam
(Rangga Purbaya)
River. The size of Tiong Buu lamin is
The long house in Naha Buan village in Long almost the same as that of the Naha Buan
Apari District, named Baang Adat Huvung long house.
Nyoaang Noha Boan, is smaller in size
compared to the Tiong Ohan long house. Its Dayak Kayan owns the long house in Long
length is only 20 meters and is 15 meters wide. Paka. Its length and width are the same
The long house has 10 poles of ulin wood and as those of the Naha Buan and Tiong Buu
is only one meter above the land surface. long houses. Inside the long house, there
In the lamin’s verandah, there is a tuwung is a drum and lesung (rice pounder). The
(drum), suan (alu), and losung (lesung). The long house also functions as a meeting
tuwung is reversed to its support, so with the place and place for traditional rituals. The
losung (rice pounder) at a corner. A staff, Lasa, traditional elder head of the Kayan Dayak
explains that the reversed positions of the tribe lives behind the long house.
equipment means mourning over the dead of
a community member who believes in their
ancestors’ religious belief.

Totem, Lamin Tiong Buu.
(Rangga Purbaya)
(Rangga Purbaya)
Amin Dadu Long Anai
A small long house built in Long Anai in 2007 is called Amin Dadu. Amin could be translated
as a dwelling place (room) of a family unit in an umaq dadoq (lamin – long house). Amin
Dadu stands facing the jananbio (village road) and is situated next to a church. When we
visited the house, Amid Dadu was inhabited by two families that had just arrived from Apo
Kayan area. Kenyah community members in Long Anai, out of their great respect for the
spirit of brotherhood, togetherness, allowed the two families to stay in Amin Dadu. Their
consideration was simple: the two families had just arrived and were not yet able to build
their own houses.

(Rangga Purbaya)
Lamin Pepas Eheng
The long house in Pepas Eheng is 70.4 meters long and 30 meters wide, supported by 33
main poles. The color of the building is now fading, suggesting that the long house is already
old. Inside the long house, there are seven rooms accommodating 33 families. Animals such
as pigs, chickens, cats, and dogs are roaming around freely underneath. The long house is
located exactly next to a big road. Behind the long house lie the forest and the scattering
of bushes. Across the main road, there are typical cemeteries of Benuaq Dayak. Most of the
inhabitants of the long house work as rattan craftsmen for traditional bags called anjat.
Around the long house are various handicraft materials, including mandau, luring potential
buyers almost every week.

(Rangga Purbaya)

Bathroom
61
Bathroom Bedroom
Kitchen
Open
Bedroom
Kitchen
Pintuq and Benung Long Porch
Houses
Family
Tradition head of Benuaq, Petrus Lama, Room
stays in the Pintuq long house in Benung Guest

Room
village. The house has 12 main poles and
Bedroom
four windows. Unlike the Pepas Eheng long
house, the Pintuq long house has only three
rooms. Its walls are made of wood panels
arranged downward. In exact reflection of the
Tolan Atas long house, inhabitants of Pintuq Porch
long house also sleep in the main room. A A lamin’s interior

smattering of mattressses were spotted layout in Benung
folded during daytime.
The long house faces east, towards the main (Steve Pillar)
road, while its backside facing west, towards

the bathroom. Shadowed by the house
looming over their heads are animals and pets
such as dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, and cows.
There six water tanks in front of the long
house, each of which can hold around 200
liters of water.
Around the long house there are coconut

trees, papaya, star fruit trees, areca trees,
orange, and mango. The grass around the
long house is well maintained that it resmbles
a park, with long benches under shady trees.
The grassy field also serves as a place where
people rest their mats and mosquito nets
under the sun. Inhabitants of Pintuq Benung
long house work as farmers and rubber
farmers. Every week, vehicles collecting saps
drop by the long house to buy saps. family members of Mr. Banyak, the customary belontakng, while on the left size of the long
secretary of Benung community. The Benung house’s front is seen a tempelaq. The long
Not far from the Pintuq long house, another long house is located at a crossroad leading house, which appears to be well maintained
long house, Benung, stands firmly. The house to Engkuni and Mencimai. On the front with decayed woods replaced, is also
has six doors and is inhabited by extended side, facing the long house’s stair, there is a equipped with a parabolic antenna.

Shapes and Parts of Long performed the traditional rite kwangkai

as an offering to their ancestors. The
Houses numerous water buffalo horns in front of
the rooms mean the family or inhabitants
As its name suggests, a long house is
have conducted the ritual many times.
built elongated along the main road or in
Those who place water buffalo heads or
the upstream-downstream direction for
horns usually belong to the royal family
Dayak people living around the upstream
or hipuy (Bahau Dayak), paren (Kenyah
of Mahakam river. A long house is divided
Dayak), mantiq (Benuaq Dayak), or a
into two parts: the lamin itself and the
wealthy family residing in the long house.
kitchen that is separated from the long
house. Lamin itself is divided into Open
The kitchen area is divided into three
Upper below: Lamin structure Space and Closed Space.
at Long Lunuk, using rattan for sections: the dining room, cooking
binding. space, and bathroom. The kitchen is
Lower right: Some elders of An open space defies the use of
Benung village received our team
also elongated along the long house but
partitions, only house poles. The open
in their home. is smaller in size as it is intended to be
Lower left: Datah Bilang Hilir space may also be called a public space as
for cooking and bathing and laundry
residents cooking in a lamin. lamin inhabitants gather there for various
purposes only. Such is the brief overview
(Rangga Purbaya) activities, including weaving, meetings,
of long houses found in West Kutai,
greeting guests, conducting traditional
including Long Tuyoq, Pepas Eheng,
rites for healing (belian) or rituals for
Datah Dawai, and so on.
the dead, as well as weddings. Various
equipment for cultural activities and art
performances are hanged in Open Space.
Closed Space which serves as a private Building A Long House

room functions as a room where each
family congregate. Closed spaces are Before building a long house, the Dayaks
also elongated as if to honor the shape first decide on the location where the long
of the long house. Inside the closed house would be constructed. The most
space, inhabitants place their respective ideal position is an east-facing long house,
beds and personal belongings. Also toward the rising sun. In other words, the
inside the room, the head of the family, long house must stretch over a piece of
children and wife conduct various family plain and dry land that allows the front
activities. Up in the ceiling of the closed side to face east and backside face west.
space, the family stores various personal This position allows the whole house to
belongings such as porcelain, spears, sun exposure throughout the day.
and mandau. On lamin poles in front of
their rooms are hung the head of a water When building a long house, the Dayaks
buffalo signifying that the occupants had closely follow beliefs they inherited from

Left: A scene inside Pepas Eheng lamin; center: Lamin pole structure under construction, Long Hubung; right: Detail of lamin pole
carving, Long Hubung. (Rangga Purbaya)
their ancestors. Either when they are When finding a location to build the long residential areas built on Dayak values
about to start construction or when the house, they also observe areas hit by floods may save us more money. This opinion
construction is already well underway, to determine the height of poles supporting is in line with philosophical values of
they always observe the moon’s position. If the house. With correct estimates, the solidarity, harmony, and mutual help
the moon is half-covered – meaning not it house’s floor would be impervious to dearly held by the Dayaks. Kulle adds that
is not a full moon – construction may not overflowing water in the event of floods. the Dayaks also have a belief that a long
be continued. And if they force themselves The proposed lamin location should be house or just any other house should
to continue building, they believe fire big enough to accommodate at least 20 not be completely made of ulin wood
would burn down the long house. families, or around 12 meters. No regulation but must be mixed with other woods
on width. The poles or supporting pillars such as meranti and others. And if this
They may not cut down trees for the long should be planted into the ground up to one conviction is violated, they believe that
house at random timing. The Kenyah and a half meters down to ensure that the the inhabitants would never feel peaceful
Dayak fell trees for a long house at the long house would stand firm. and there will always be conflicts among
beginning of the full moon. By following family members.
this conviction, they believe they would Kulle of the Datang Bilang Hulu believes
get woods that are slow to decay and have that instead of building private houses,
better resistance to termite activities. which tend to occupy more space,

Left: A scene at Long Tuyoq village.

(Rangga Purbaya)
Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka
Below left:
Doh Ding, peeling an areca nut,
Long Tuyoq.
Below right:
Ding Hat, making mandau sheath,
Long Tuyoq.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Moon 1
The Dayaks also subscribe to the principle

of meticulous time calculation to start
building a long house. No matter how
small the planned lamin is, the same
Moon 2 calculation still applies. They would wait
Moon 3 for the ninth night the moon is up in the
sky, even if it means they need to assign a
Moon 4 specific person to do the counting. They
have little use for calendar dates since for
them, calendars are mere creations of the
humankind, while the moon is God-given.
The moon calculation is made based on

Moon 5 Moon 9 parallelism of the moon’s position with
certain parts of the human body. One-
night moon, for example, is when the
moon is right above our head, two-night
moon is when it is parallel with human
eyes, three-night moon with human ear,
four-night moon with the mouth, five-
night moon when it is parallel with the
Moon 8 Moon 6 human shoulder, six-night moon under
the elbow, seven-night moon in human
palm, eight-night moon levels at the
human elbow, and nine-night moon in the
heart. The meaning of the last calculation
is that everything should gravitate toward
Moon 7 the heart.
After determining the nine-night moon,

the long house begins construction based
on the mutual-help work principle, with
a strong and deep awareness of living
together under the same roof. The first
step is erecting the poles. Since the poles
are extremely large and tall, The Dayaks
employ an effective technology: pulling
small-size woods are placed along the
area where the poles would be pulled so
Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka the big tree trunk could slide without
meaningful hindrance. Another way of poles with diameters between 40 and

doing it is to use a wood carriage. Roll the 80 centimeters. The entrenchement
logs into the carriage. The logs are placed is meant to secure the position of the
in such a way that they protrude forward poles so theyr would not veer out of the
and thus push the carriage’s front part designated path or become slanted when
down, making it easier to push, making erected. The poles are planted together,
the activity less of an exertion. with some people lifting while others
pulling the poles with ropes (in the past
To erect the main pole called orin they used rattan). This process requires
bungan, the Dayaks would first lay down concerted, all-at-once efforts. The higher
trenches for the poles. They then dig up the poles go, the deeper they sink into
holes where the poles would be erected. the holes.
Each hole is up to two meters deep for

68
Balancing
Rope
Balancing Balancing
Rope Rope
Tow Ropes
The length of poles covered by soil should

Pole be equivalent to the height of the eldest in
the group from toes to mouth. The meaning
contained in the conviction is an interesting
Sewer one: that fortunes do not fall off the mouth,
Hole the mouth being the place where people
feed food into the human body.
The number of orin bungan planted is in

line with the desired length of the long
house. The length of a lamin is relative as
even after the construction is completed,
the long house may still be extended.
Nevertheless, the length of a long house
is based on a specific calculation, that is

depa (stretching both hands sidewise) of

the oldest men in the group. But even then,
when measuring the stretch, the oldest man
has to hold the measuring rope or rattan
in his grasp. This way of measuring has a
meaning (or wish) that fortunes would not
go away and are always within human reach.
Sometimes, the length of traditional houses

reaches 125 meters and between 15 or 20
meters wide, while the distance between
poles is between four to five meters. Poles
are mostly plain without any oscillation,
except the main poles, which are engraved
or decorated with ornaments. The height
of the poles from the ground surface is
generally four meters.
After the poles are erected, the next step

is making the dasay or floor. Wood panels
for flooring are usually five centimeters
thick. The floor has five components: susuk,
sulur, matuq, sikar, and
dasay (floor) so people
can sit conveniently.
Back in the ancient
times, the long house’s
floor was made
out of uwei taman
(extraordinarily-sized
rattan). Usually, certain
parts of the floor are
slightly elevated, they
are called benturan or
impact.
Carvings on lamin pillar in Long

Pahangai. (Rangga Purbaya)
group. They first measure the height of

the oldest man in a sitting position up
to the head, then measure the height
of the youngest from the toe to the
head. Add up the two heights and you
have the height of inner poles of the
long house. Primary poles are usually
chiseled into figures of humans, tigers,
birds, and so on.
The upper part such as peturak (stillage),

batang bungan (upper longitude), and the
roof are patterned after the lower part.
Sometimes, the lower roof is made even
lower, making head bumps while going
in and out of the long house inevitable.
In the upper part of the long house,
another story is built to keep drums,
gongs, and a variety of equipment for
traditional rites.
Above: Rattan floor of Tolan lamin.
(Yayak Yatmaka)
Rattan floor would produce sound when

people walk across it and the inhabitants
can still see underneath. Now, wood
panels are arranged with certain distance
between them so people can easily throw
waste underneath. Not all of these floor
types are open space. Some spaces are
divided elongated, with one part assigned
as family room. To divide the family room
into small rooms for the inhabitants,
they put up a wooden partition of
30-centimeter-wide panel called kapuk.
Once the f loor is completed, the next

step is setting up a pole that links the
f loor with peturak (stillage). The height
of the pole is determined based on the
height of the eldest and youngest in the
Ilustration by Yayak Yatmaka

Above: Shingles, Pepas Eheng lamin

(Rangga Purbaya)
Below: The manufacturing process of
The long house’s roof is made from ulin shingles and roof structure
wood cut into shingles using the traditional (Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)
sword, mandau. Each shingle is usually 20

centimeters wide and 75 centimeters long.
The shingles are installed by tying them Rattan
to roof-batten with rattan. The ridgepole

is also tied with rattan. The rattan is then
stretched and given roof-batten and
covered with ulin shingles. In the event
of a fire, the inhabitants can climb up the
ridgepole and cut the rattan to make it
convolve.
Cutting
The door and staircase are important rattan
components of the long house. Because

of its height, it is impossible for people
to reach the floor without the stairs. The
primary reason why Dayak people in

72
Some types of lamin stairs.

ancient time built houses on high poles the gate and fence, according to Dayak (Rangga Purbaya)
was security reason. The height of the people’s beliefs, should not be made
poles is relative as long as the inhabitants straight, but meandering with numerous
are safe from spear or wild animal attacks. left and right turnings to complicate
Security consideration also determines entrance for evil spirits attempting to
where to place the stairs and door of the harm the occupants of the long house.
long house. In its original form, a long
house’s door was located in the middle, Another important part of the long house
which basically means underneath and is the kitchen. Although its size is smaller
was always closed. This gave off a certain than the long house, the kitchen must be
sense of protection for people staying in situated in parallel with the lamin and
the house. And you can guess that one long must not be built across the long house.
house has only one door. This is meant to ensure that in the event
of a fire, the fire does not spread easily
A staircase consists of body stairs and to the long house or vice versa. The size
ladders or steps. The body stairs refer to of the kitchen, especially the fireplace,
the lower part of the staircase, while the refers to the length of rope used
ladder is made of tree trunks for people to measure distance starting
to step on. As mentioned earlier, the from one of the ears around
staircase could be pulled up. Meanwhile, the head down to the heart.

Above:
The meaning of this calculation is related Parts of a kitchen.
to the controlling power of owners over (Rangga Purbaya)
disasters such as a fire. The ear signifies Below:

Philosophy for determining kitchen size.
sensitivity to pick up signs that something (Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)
has gone awry, while the heart means
sensitivity to feel something that might
be hazardous to the humankind, including
disasters.
While depa is used to measure the length

of a long house, Dayak people would still
avoid number seven. Seven, in Dayak
culture, means death, as is the calculation
in kwangkai ritual in Dayak Benuaq. Eight,
on the other hand, is the lucky number,
which also means life, for the people of
Benuaq Dayak sub-tribe.

The Rainbow, A Full Moon

and An Owl
A lamin is built facing the direction apply to farmers,

of the sunrise, corresponding to the who believe that
Dayaks’ belief that sunrise symbolizes the phenomena
the beginning of life. Building a lamin signify a day of
indicates a new life is unfolding. misfortune.
Nevertheless, a construction of a
lamin would sometimes be brought Construction will also be
to a temporary halt due to natural halted at signs of animal activities, like a
phenomena, signs of animal activities or sound of an owl during daylight. Whereas
the human factor. the human factor comes into play in the
case of death of a family member, as a
The construction of a lamin will be form of solidarity and deep condolences
postponed temporarily to accommodate for the dead.
mother nature’s whims, for example,
when a rainbow appears following a hot
rain. Construction will also be stopped
for three days during a full moon. Both
natural phenomena are considered as
a sign of death. These prohibitions also

YK
Long Tuyoq villagers.

(Rangga Purbaya)
A Lone House
The people of Datah Bilang Hilir and to the city, in a hope for a better life. A
Datah Bilang Hulu came from Tege village relief in Datah Bilang Hulu lamin shared
in Apo Kayan, which is included in the with us a recount of that long journey.
area of Kayan Hulu sub-district, Malinau
regency. They left Apo Kayan gradually Embarking from Tege village, Long Bon,
in several groups and it was years before Metulang, Dumu, Tebuan, New Map
they finally reached their current habitat. and then traversing along the Mahakam
They left their home village to get closer River, they arrived in Datah Bilang village

Left: The interior of Datah Bilang Hulu lamin. in 1975. Migration from one place to eighth migration; believing Datah Bilang
Right: Datah Bilang Hulu lamin seen from
outside. (Rangga Purbaya) another took at least three years, and at was their last resort.
the longest, ten years. The lengthy travel
was used to farm for supplies. When We were also observing Datah Bilang
they had enough supplies, they would village to learn the shapes of its buildings.
move to the next destination, repeating There are four types of buildings in
the pattern each time until they finally Datah Bilang Hulu and Datah Bilang Hilir,
reached Datah Bilang. The inauguration which are, (1) the long house/lamin that
of Datah Bilang as a village in 1975 by the is called umaq dado in Kenyah language,
president of the Republic of Indonesia (2) the cottage or the lone house that
was held simultaneously with the people is called amin tengen, (3) the cottage
resettlement program (Respen). We or lepau that is built on fields, and (4)
received information that the migration lepubung that serves as storage to keep
of Kenyah Dayaks to Datah Bilang was the farming products such as rice. The

Amin tengen is built based on

Kenyah Dayaks’ individual
initiatives with materials
mostly made up of ulin wood;
with roofing mostly made of
ulin wood-based shingles, walls
from timber, and flooring from
ulin wood
building materials of umaq dadoq, amin wood. The community of Dayak Kenyah The bathroom is located to the side of the
tengen, cottage and lepubung are mainly in Datah Bilang Hilir and Datah Bilang house, comprising two booths; one serves
ulin wood. The roof makes use of ulin Hulu has long ago abandoned the use as lavatory and the other one for bathing.
wood-based shingles (in Kenyah language, of the lamin (umaq dadoq). Today, they In front of the bathroom, there is an open
kepang), while the wall (enteing) and floor inhibit lone houses (amin tengen), which space to hang clothes, while the left and
(aso) are made of ulin wood panels or are lined up on the left and right side of right sides are lined with vases of flowers
other types of wood. the village’s road (jananbio) that stretches and medicine plants. The space under
alongside the Mahakam River. Amin the house is used to store ulin wood of
The most common professions aside from tengen is built based on Kenyah Dayaks’ various sizes and the back of the kitchen
farmers are fishermen. The Dayak people individual initiatives with materials mostly holds numerous wild plants and ponds.
also make a living off occupations such made up of ulin wood; with roofing mostly
as weaving rods for various traditional made of ulin wood-based shingles, walls
handicrafts such as lampit mat and anjat, from timber, and flooring from ulin wood,
as well as making swords and shields from although some are inclined to use cement.

Lepubungs in Apo Kayan area, such as in Barang River village, Long

Uroq, Long Lebusan and Long Ampung, are decorated with animal or
floral motifs and ornaments that represent the social status of the owner
The Dayak people keep numerous field Lepubung is a stage structure that serves
cottages (lepau) on their fields. Lepau as a rice barn. A long time ago, lepubung
serves as a resting cottage, a place to take was also used to store valuable belongings,
shelter from the rain or the sun, as well as a including heirloom items. Lepubung’s
place to stay the night on nights away from columns were made from timber and walls
the village. Lepau has a single roof that is from wooden boards, while the roofs are
supported by poles (suka) in the form of shingles. A lepubung hovers 2 meters over
raw wooden blocks. The floors are made of the ground, and is connected with stairs
small wooden sticks, while some were made (can). Lepubung’s supporting columns
from unpolished boards. To climb up a were buried 1.5 meters deep into the
lepau, there are wooden stairs with grooves ground. These poles are usually covered
carved out in the middle section of the by 20 centimeter-long tin planks from
Below left: Lepau seen from outside. steps. The construction of a lepau is simpler the ground towards the floor, preventing
Below right: Interior of a lepau.
(Rangga Purbaya) than amin tengen. mice from climbing up. Lepubung has two
RP

chambers. One chamber serves as rice

storage and the second one serves as a
terrace that serves as holding space to
farming equipment such as tapan, ingen,
machetes, drills, kiba, tahieng (a mat to dry
rice), tabilung (rice container), bubu and
nets to catch fish.
The material used to build lepubung is

wood that stretches over a 10 centimeter-
diameter that can be found around the
field, and is usually unpolished. Lepubung’s
walls are also made out of wood from the
field’s surroundings. Lepubung’s roof is
made of ulin wood. In general, lepubung
buildings are left bare, maintaining clean
outlines. However, lepubungs in Apo Kayan
area, such as in Barang River village, Long
Uroq, Long Lebusan and Long Ampung, are
decorated with animal or floral motifs and
ornaments that represent the social status
of the owner.
Lepubung
(Rangga Purbaya)

From Lamin to Hall
It seems like the shift from long houses (lamin/betang/lou) to lone houses is inevitable.
This condition is consistently identified virtually throughout the entire Dayak community
in Borneo, even though there are still several lamins that are used as community residential
structures. During its development, lamins have undergone a functional tranfsormation, from
residential to hall. In other words, the long house that used to be a communal residential
structure, based on their views of life and ancestors’ values, as well as a symbol of the Dayaks’
identity, has now become a building that exclusively caters to social-cultural activities.
Umaq Dadu, Lung Anai.
outer part
(Rangga Purbaya)

Lamins in Datah Bilang Hilir, Datah and ulin boards laid out for flooring. the entrance and exit for dancers during
Bilang Hulu, Long Pahangai, Long Tuyoq, The building’s skeletal system is glued a show. The show itself would be held in
Long Isun, Long Pakaq, Tiong Ohang, together with nails or tied with rattan The the usei. The usei and the back space are
Tiong Buu and Naha Buan are now called main pole that reaches up to 3.5 meters separated by a wall.
halls. The halls are wedged between the is made of ulin timber ingrained with
people’s houses and serve as a meeting Dayaknese signature motifs.
place, cultural performances hall, and
storagehouse for art instruments. The layout sees the halls divided into
two, which are, porch or foyer (usei) that
The lamin building is built using highly is an open space for entertaining guests,
resilient ulin wood and supporting poles meeting, holding art performances, and
made of ulin branches. The walls are made socializing with one another; and a back
of ulin panels, roofing from ulin shingles, space that is use as a storage, as well as
Lamin interior and some
ornament details, and a staircase
(Rangga Purbaya)
(Rangga Purbaya) (Steve Pillar)
(Steve Pillar)

1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8
1. Lamin Naha Buan; The middle wall is chiseled with various A wall emblazoned with kalong-motifs can
2. Tering Seberang lamin;
3. Lamin Tiong Buu; intertwined circular patterns (kalong). be found in lamins that belong to those with
4, 5, 6, 7, 8: carving details of a lamin’s pillar(s).
(Rangga Purbaya) Decorations with kalong motifs boast a royal or noble lineage (paren). Meanwhile
figurative patterns such as the hornbill bird, over a barren space hanged two armors of
a tiger, a dog, a dragon, a vessel, a large tree, war that made of the skin of dahan tiger and
human faces, leaves that resemble moving the skin of goat (mek) − worn to protect the
clouds (jantun nguku/ Dayak Benuaq). user’s chest and back.
There are also some motifs that resemble a
beehive (waniq ngelekunq/ Dayak Benuaw),
tiger’s tail (bengkolokokng timang/ Dayak
Benuaq), tiger (asoq lejo/ Dayak Bahau),
as well as geometric motifs. Figurative
patterns adopt the use of bright colors
such as white, yellow, green, red and blue.

Lamin Long Lunuk (Rangga Purbaya)


The front part is decorated with shells and various

2 3 4
ornaments, a waistcoat for war (besunong), a mask (maoq)
and a shield (kelempit) that is made of strong wood with
transverse ties in the upper and lower parts and dried
leaf decoration in outer part. A mask shaped in human
face (hudoq), a hat (belukot) made of plaited rattan and a
gong (tawek) are placed in the middle. Waistcoats for war
or besunongs currently function as accessories of war
5 6
dances and are worn by Kenyah Dayak warriors. A boat
with around 3 meters long and a hornbill statue are hung
on the wall. A 4-meter long mortar made of ulin wood and
six pounder sticks made of ulin wood too are placed at the
right part of usei.
A lamin interior design can have the following description.

A lamin is built on many ulin wooden pillars with the
height of over 2 meters above the ground. The main pillar
7
is made of ulin log that has a Kenyah Dayak motif carving.
Some pillars near the entrance stair are carved to form
statues. To enter into the lamin, we need a front staircase
(canjuma), which is made of ulin wood and have some
concaves (takik) that function as stairways.
9 8
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 : Details of lamin roof and structure.

1, 9 : Dance shows at Pampang lamin.
7, 8 : Amin Dadu and Lamin Datah Bilang Hilir as seen from
outside (Rangga Purbaya)

(Rangga Purbaya)
Upon climbing the stairways, we entererd

into a rectangular room without any
partition that serves as usei. Around
the usei, we can see permanent wooden
benches. We also saw a 3-meter long
tambourine (jatong) hung transversely in
the front part of usei. The middle wall of
usei has a Kenyah Dayak motif decoration
on a white foundation color and white,
yellow, red and green decoration motifs.
Aside from being a space for various
kinds of activities, the usei has a space for
playing ground for children.
We learned some valuable lessons from

the lamin. First of all, the technology of
lamin building has important points that
are still relevant today. The seemingly
outdated lamin has actually been adopted
by modern housing. Long before the
popularity of apartments or flats, a
communal housing under the same roof
has become part of the life of the Dayaks.
Benung lamin’s porch (Rangga Purbaya)

Secondly, the communal life pattern of
lamin gives a learning point related to
interior design, i.e. the availability of
private and public spaces. People often
pay less attention to these public and
private spaces that are located under
the same roof. The lamin construction
enables its inhabitants to interact with
each other when they are in and out
of their respective rooms. This kind of
pattern enables the inhabitants to have a
closer relationship among them.
Any office building, student dormitory and

campus can apply this pattern of public

and private space integration. The actual cultural function buildings, in which the Above left: Amin Dadu transformed into an
education building for early education.
form might not always be the same but residents can welcome guests. Lamin Above right: a child studying at Amin Dadu.
(Rangga Purbaya)
there is a public space through which the living rooms have been transformed as
inhabitants can always pass. This pattern classes. Children can play safely in the
gives opportunities for them to interact, open space, while their parents watch
see each other’s face and greet each other them.
without exerting any effort.
Fifthly, we carried out this research in
Thirdly, the changing time has enabled a rainy season. We witnessed that the
the Dayaks to build individual houses. residents’ homes situated the bank of
However, lamins still survive. In Pampang, Mahakam river were inundated, while
a lamin house serves as an art show lamin homes were not affected by the
building that can attract many visitors. flood as they were erected far above the
In Tanjung Isuy, there is a Batubara ground.
lamin that has been renovated with the
assistance from the private sector and it We tend not to pay any attention to our
is now functions as an inn. In Long Anai own good values, such as the values of
and Hulu Mahakam, lamins have become lamin houses.

Carving Conveying Message
During our stay at Dayak housing

compounds in Kutai Besar, we were
always confronted with various things
and drawings that are extremely beautiful
and full of meanings. Incisions of Dayaks’
skillful hands have become their means for
conveying ideas and messages. Sometimes,
we found a decoration in tiger motif
attached on an entrance door of a lamin. A
tiger as the king of forest has inspired the
Dayaks about the existence of traditional
elder who commands respect. On top of
the front roof and upper part of the lamin
wall, they placed a hornbill statue. A hornbill
symbolizes life in the supernatural world,
which is related with a good character and
high human dignity.
Each room has human face, clouded

leopard, dog and suluran decorations, which
are believed to protect the room’s residents
from any bad spirit. The edge of lamin
roof is also decorated with tip of spear and
fern carving ornaments. Those ornaments
show that the Dayaks are faithful to their
traditional elder.
(Rangga Purbaya)
(Rangga Purbaya)

Stove Structure
Dayak stoves use firewood for fuel. The

stove or atang in Kenyah Dayak language
stands around 80 centimeters to 100
centimeters high from the floor. The
atang has a rectangular shape whose
area spans between 1 and 1.5 square
meter, and whose height and thickness
are 100 centimeters and 40 centimeters
respectively. The stove structure is made
of logs and planks from hard wood, which
is filled with black soil to serve as a
foundation for stove’s stones.
(Rangga Purbaya)
A rack made of small long bars with the
diameters of 1 centimeter is placed one
meter on the upper part of the stove.
In some lamins, the rack is not made
Kitchen Technology of iron bars but hard wood of ulin tree
species. The rack serves as a place to
Many humanities experts agree that our smoke fish or meat from hunted animals.
civilization starts from a response to our Above the rack, there is a space to keep
basic needs, such as food and drink, all wet firewood. The activity of placing
of which later developed into culinary the firewood is done by both male and
art – the art of cooking. The cooking female. The sufficient amount of firewood
activities are conducted in the kitchen, stored is believed to show that the house
which becomes the center of daily owner is a hardworking person.
food and drink processing. As in many
other houses, the kitchen in lamins and The stove head on the stove structure is
individual houses of the Dayaks is located called anang in Kenyak Dayak language.
at the back part. The most important part The stove head generally consists of three
for cooking activities is a stove that still rive stones that are arranged in a triangle
uses firewood. This section of the book formation. Above the stove head is placed
elaborates the stove structure and various ntang kuden, which literally means “pan
tools used by the Dayaks to prepare food, handle”. The ntang kuden is a variant of
their staple food and their method of hanging stove and is made of wood stick
animal husbandry. with a branch, which is tied with rattan

and hung on the rack. When a person peluput aay creates flames of fire that
is boiling water in a kettle, its handle is burns dead branches and dried wood.
attached on the ntang kuden.
If there is a feast, they also cook outdoor

by creating a stove called jo. This kind of
Various
stove is created by planting two wooden
poles with the heights of 1 – 2 meters Kitchen
in parallel position and that serve as a Utensils
supporting instrument. A long wooden
stick that serves to support cooking The kitchen
containers made of bamboo poles is utensil
placed on top of the two branches of the technology covers
wooden poles. The jo is usually created various tools used in
for cooking lemang pulut ( jenai). A tool the kitchen. The tools that we gathered
for controlling the fire on the stove is can be divided into three kinds, i.e.
called peluput aay, which is made of a sharp tool technology, water and rice
30 centimeters long bamboo cane for storing technology, and food processing
blowing air toward the fire on the stove technology.
to keep them glowing.
In the past, the Dayaks already possessed

the technology to make fire. To produce
the fire, they gathered dried wood
Sharp Tool Technology
debris, dead branches and other dried
Sharp tools are meant for cutting and
wood pieces. Next, they made a 20-30
peeling food materials, both fish and to sharpen tools, it will become thinner
centimeters long stick with a diameter
fruits. The sharp tool technologies vary and smaller due to abrasion.
as big as that of a thumb, and then they
as described in the following section.
shaped it with a shaping knife until it was
smooth. After all materials were ready, Sagan/Jerokat also called telenan is
Grinding stone is made of a black and the base for cutting meat, fish, etc., and
the stick was placed vertically between
smooth river stone and is used to sharpen is made of a thick plank. The plank is
two palms. Then, they moved their palms
a knife, lingga, mandau, chopping knife, normally of ulin wood and has a round
quickly in such a way that the stick lower
etc. They do not make a grinding stone or rectangular shape and a handle. A
tip keeps rubbing the bottom, gets heated
by themselves but they look for and find sagan is made by cutting or sawing a log
and produces sparks of fire that burn
it in the river. The type of stone must with a span of hand in diameter and 5
dried wood debris nearby. After the fire
be strong enough can be used for a long centimeters long. This tool has a short life
came about, they blew it slowly through
time. However, when it is frequently used span as it is frequently brought in contact
the peluput aay. The air coming out of the

94
The sheath of this small mandau span of hand in length – is put on the
(kumpang) is made of bark that is tied to glowing coals until it becomes burning
the mandau, making them an inseparable red. The burnt steel was then picked up
unit. and molded a dozen times into a knife,
and then it is dipped into water and
The base material for the blade of this sharpened with a grindstone. The small
mandau knife is steel, while the handle knife is flattened with the grindstone and
is made of ulin wood. The steel is often is re-molded until it reached the desired
obtained by gathering the leftover sharpness.
materials of a mandau and machete
production. The types of steel that are Sambilu is a knife made of a 15
now commonly used are obtained from centimeters long bamboo’s outer skin. A
a car spring, ketinting axis or chainsaw. sambilu works as a substitute to a knife
The durability of a mandau knife depends when eating Barania or Gandaria fruit. In
on the type and quality of the steel. the past, a sambilu was also used to cut
If the quality is good, a mandau knife a baby’s umbilical cord. In recent days,
may last up to couples and hundreds of sambilus are rarely used anymore because
years. However, high usage intensity may knives have substituted their function.
cause the mandau knife to break or get
damaged more quickly.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Pue is a kitchen knife that is used to slice,
Water and Rice Container
peel and cut fish and vegetables. A pue is
made by a blacksmith through molding. Technology
with sharp tools. Moreover, if the sagan is Like a l mandau knife, pue’s main material
not made from ulin woods, the material came from various types of steel. Its life Sung Baloq serves as a container to
can get peeled off faster. span is also more or less the same as carry or keep water, and is made of an
that of mandau knife due to its old pumpkin, the flesh of which has
Nyu is a mandau knife that serves as its high usage intensity. been taken, and is dried. The neck of
complimentary knife. The length of its the pumpkin is holed to pour water in
handle reached up to 20 centimeters, As an inseparable part of a and out. The bloated bottom part
with a sharp-pointed blade on its edge. mandau, a mandau (nyu) knife is attached with a rattan rode as a
This tool is used to clean, whittle and is usually made by a mandau- handle to enable people to carry it
smoothen rattans, carve a mandau’s end, maker blacksmith. The making around just like carrying an anjat
carve a mandau’s sheath and cut off meat. process starts by preparing or ingen.
This mandau knife is also used to remove a furnace and making a
thorns that are caught in one’s feet, since fire. After charcoals glow, Karay Urong was made
a long time ago the Dayaks were often the base material of the of an old white pumpkin
travelling in the forest without shoes. mandau knife – a half that is split into two and

kelangkakng is round grain, or

in shape and made of also often
an approximately 2-3 used as a
centimeters long plaited container to
bamboo. wash and drain vegetables.
When we were in Datah Bilang Hillir, we Ileng uleq is a tool to winnow or sift,
saw the substitutes for eating utensils round in shape and made of rattan-
emptied out. The karay urong serves as a
such as plates and glasses from banana framed bamboo with a smaller size than a
wooden spoon for cooking and plating.
leaves that were used as food and drink tapan. An ileng uleq functions to winnow
containers by people who were working rice flour, cassava flour or wheat.
Telukin also functions as a water fetcher
together in renovating a lamin/hall.
and container, but is made of a 1-2 meter
The way to make such containers is Kra Batang is a sugarcane squeezer made
long bamboo instead of a pumpkin. The
very simple; a banana leaf that has been of ulin wood log with a 1.5-meter length
space between one bamboo internode
separated from its stem is then smoked and 60 cm in diameter. This sugarcane
with another is holed to enable it to be be
on a stove, and then is shaped into a squeezer is called kelumpi/uwet by the
filled fully with water.
stretched rectangular container. Its outer the Kenyak Dayaks, and ork by Aoheng/
and inner sides are pinned with a stick- Penihing Dayaks.
Labuk or pumpkin is used as a water
like thin bamboo piece.
container. The water kept inside a labuk
Parutan is a tool to grate coconut and
will stay cool and fresh.
cassava, and is made of a large-sized
rattan rod’s midrib (we ngono/ Dayak
Aokanen is a tool used as a rice ladle, and
Benuaq). But in a number of family
is made of a one and a half span of hand Food Processing Technology
kitchens in the village or lepau, several
long, whittled by a mandau knife into a
graters are made of a recycled-sardines
ladle, then is smoothened by sandpaper. Soeeq is the Dayaknese language for
Because it is made of ulin wood, aokanen mortar. Its shape is round and comes in
may last for more than ten years. various sizes, but commonly in a size of
an eating plate. A mortar was made of
Tareng is a frying pan made of steel. A ulin wood that is given a handle, and is
Tareng is not made but bought instead. used to make sambal or pound various
kitchen spices using a pestle that is
Supak is a tool used to scoop rice. called pengerujaq. As they are made of
This tool, which also works as a rice ulin wood, soeeq and pengerujaq may last
measurement tool, is made of a coconut more than 10 years.
shell that is split into two.
A tapan/nyiru, ilik pare is
Kelangkakng or a food cover is made of a round plaited
used to protect rice and side bamboo that is used
dishes from ants and cats. A to separate rice from
can. To make one, the empty sardines smoothened by sandpaper. Once it is

can was split by a chisel until it became clean and sleek, the half-cup shell was
a plate. Then, they create holes in close given a handle. There are also spoons or
proximity to each other. The edge of the tavii (in Bahau Dayak) that are made of a
plate was attached with a bended-shape split pumpkin that is given a wood handle.
rattan that serves as a handle. The other A spoon made of a pumpkin may last up
side of the plate that has sharp pointed to 10 years.
holes is used as the grater.
Tebuan is made of bamboo, used as a

cooking container.
Staple Food and Side Dishes
Kuden is a pot made of aluminum that
Just like for other Indonesians, rice is also
is used to cook half-done rice. A kuden
the staple food for the Dayaks. Among
can be bought. A water vessel is made of
the Dayaks, there is a type of rice known
a large bamboo or pumpkin. A bamboo
as mayas, of which the grains are small
vessel is made of a 1 meter-long bamboo,
and have a good smell when cooked. The
whose internodes are crushed by ulin
rice consumed by the Dayaks is produced
woods. (Rangga Purbaya)
from their own rice fields. Aside from
rice, the Dayaks also like boiled sweet
Atip is a word used for a hot coal or
potato and cassava, which they ate with
firewood pincers. An atip is made of a
side dishes or cooked as vegetable.
split bamboo, of which the end is tied by a
The Benuaq Dayaks call it lepet jebau. eggplant. Meanwhile, the spices used
rattan rope.
As for corn, aside from being boiled or to cook vegetables are lemongrasses,
grilled, they are also cooked as vegetable galingales, chilies, turmeric, gingers, salt
Sendok (spoon) was made of a coconut
ingredients. and many more. The Kenyah Dayaks in
shell and is used to scoop food. A sendok
Datah Bilang Hilir uses a Bumbu Seribu
is made by splitting a coconut shell into
The Dayaks is very fond of eating rice (literally ‘A thousand Ingredients) leaf
two, taking its flesh out, and drying up
with vegetables. The types of vegetables as food fragrance and seasoning. To fry,
the shell under the sun. After it is dried,
that are cooked by boiling include cassava some of them use pork-fat oil (dawakng
the shell is scratched by a knife and
leaf, papaya leaf, fern leaf, long beans, uneq) and/or coconut oil.
peanuts, pumpkin, young pineapple and

Daily Food Processing
The Dayaks process vegetables, side Besides from being boiled or grilled, fish
dishes and meats in a simple way. After all and meat as well as animal offal can be
the ingredients are available and crushed cooked inside a bamboo. To do so, the fish
into smooth powder, the ingredients are or meat must be cleaned and cut in small
put into a pot with some amount of water, pieces, then seasoned and immersed in
and then are boiled on a burning furnace. water. All ingredients are then put into
After the seasoning stew is boiled, the a bamboo and are boiled or cooked until
vegetables or meats that have been done. Sticky rice can also be cooked with
washed thoroughly were put into the pot a bamboo pole. After being cleaned and
until they are cooked, then served directly. put inside a bamboo pole, they pour
coconut milk and slices of
Types of fish that are consumed by the meats or pig’s skin, and
Dayaks are river fish (ato) such as jelawat, cook on a furnace until
belida, baung, belutat, seluang and catfish done. Pork is also usually
that are caught in fishing, netting, or cooked into goulash/
trapping. Meanwhile, the meats that they curry. Two finger-
consume are chicken (iyap bai), pig (buin), sized pork slices are
wild boar (baboi), cow, antelope (teleo), cleaned thoroughly,
deer (payau), young duck, duck, pigeon, then mixed with
snake and proboscis monkey (bekara). seasonings made of a
‘thousand spices’ leaf,
Side dishes made of fishes or meats are turmeric, lemongrass
usually cooked by grilling, boiling or and salt, and cooked
cooking inside a bamboo pole. After being until done.
cleaned and given salt, meat or fish are
grilled on fire until they are done. Specific
(Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)
types of fish such as lais fish is usually
made into satay before grilling. There is
also a type of fish that is not allowed to be
cooked by grilling, namely, seluang fish.
According to the Dayaks’ belief, seluang
fish is the favorite food of the forest,
field and house/lamin guardian spirits.
Therefore, if the fish is grilled, the spirits
will come over to eat the fish and the
person grilling the seluang will suffer from
disasters.
Sugar Making Technology Another tool to squeeze sugarcane are this tool became less popular. Moreover,
kelumpi, uwet, krayak (Dayak Bahau), and the Dayaks no longer cultivate sugarcane
The Dayak communities in East ork (in Aoheng-Penihing Dayak language). in a massive amount nowadays. This tool
Kalimantan (Tunjung, Benuaq, Kenyah, The shape resembles to a tree with bird is also quite difficult to move around
Bahau, Kenyah and Aoheng/Penihing) beaks-branches. Compared to kra batang, because it requires lots of energy and
have a sugar making tool, called apeeq, this tool is smaller and lighter, even though needs to be transported by car – making
kelumpi, uwet, krayak, ork, kra batang and it is made also of ulin wood. This tool, which it an unpractical option.
any other names. is equipped with a suppressor handle made
of ulin wood, is attached to houses’ pillars.
Kra Batang, as stated above, is a tool On the top of the handle, there is a hole to
placed in a position as high as an adult’s insert the sugarcane squeezer.
back, then is given a handle to enable
it to be moved forward and backward. Apeeq works by attaching it to a strong
Sugarcanes that have been cleaned are wood pole. Then, the sugarcane that will
placed in front of a squeezer hole, and be squeezed was clamped to the apeeq
then are clamped with wood that is put so that the sugarcane cider will flow into
into the squeezer hole. When the wood the prepared container. Based on our
is pressed, sugarcane cider will flow into observation, the size of an apeeq may
the container that has been prepared for vary and can be made domestically. In
it. Due to its big size and being heavy, kra contrast with the kra batang that is now
batang is now rarely used anymore and seldom found, apeeqs/ kelumpis are still
deemed inefficient. widely used. However, the convenience
of buying sugar in the market has made (Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)
(Yayak Yatmaka)

Yeast
Stored inside
a closed-jar
for a week
Water
Rice/Sticky Rice
Buraq-Making Techniques
Buraq is a traditional drink containing When there is a mistake

alcohol. There are two kinds of buraq in the process, buraq could
within the communities of Long Gelat and turn into vinegar or retains its
Bahau Busang Dayaks, i.e. the one made plain-water blandness, which
A holed
of mountain rice and the other made is known as uli ataq in Bahau bottle cap
of glutinous rice. To make buraq, either Dayak language.

mountain or glutinous rice is mixed with
yeast, then watered and soaked in the jar. Within the Dayak community,
The amount of water used depends on the buraq drinking tradition is
taste of buraq maker or rather adjusted to practiced during traditional
the measurement of each maker. The soak ceremonies, such as rice
is left for around one week to a month, harvest, weddings or other
until natural fermentation perfectly occurs. feasts attended by large crowds.
For Bahau and Long Gelat
Glutinous/rice extraction that has been Dayak communities, a traditional
fermented is then filled into a bottle and ceremony without buraq is not yet
tightly closed. The lid is perforated for a feast. Buraq is served to warm
air circulation or “breathing” channel of the atmosphere and to boost the
the liquid in the bottle, ensuring excellent festive atmosphere. The reason is that
quality for the buraq. Buraq would last a traditional ceremony or a feast always In the case of a person getting intoxicated
for years as long as its container is free entails various art shows, notably dances and is forced to purge the night’s alcoholic
from bacteria and fungi. The longer it is that rely on the people’s spontaneity. excesses in public, he will be subject to
kept, the higher the quality; its alcoholic Stimulating drinks like buraq would lend shame and gossip within the community.
contents would also be equally well to the occassion the desired atmosphere. The most important thing is that the
preserved. One way of increasing buraq’s customary law prohibits its people from
alcoholic content is by dropping ripe nuts Bahau and Long Gelat Dayak people have getting drunk, let alone creating problems
into the mixture during the storing time. a disdain for social intoxication. When a and endangering others. Those found
Buraq is later kept not in the bottle, but in Dayak feels dizzy after drinking buraq, he drunk would face a sanction in the form of
a jug planted under the eaves for months. would be wise to immediately go home. customary fine.

Salt
1 kg of Pork Dried Another known method to preserve meat,

under
especially pork, among the Dayaks is
the sun
called tempayak. After being cleaned and
salted, pork and its fat are fried without
cooking oil until completely crisp. Next,
the pork and fat are cooled, stored in a
bamboo container sealed with a tight lid.
The meat or fat can be reheated at any
time. This technique can preserve meat
or fat for six month.
The Dayaks also preserve pork, chicken

meat or fish by washing them thoroughly,
a plate of and then drying them and keeping them
cold rice in a pan or bamboo. The amount of salt
depends on the weight of the meat, but
generally 1 kilogram of meat is mixed
and meat would remain edible for one with a package of salt. Preserved in this
month. The types of fish to be smoked method, the meat is good for 20 days. This
Stored inside a are lais and baung fish, while the types of technique is used to prepare provision for
bamboo or pot.
Kept for 20 days meat are normally pork and payau meat. those set on making a long trip.
The Dayaks are also familiar with Payang leaves are also used to preserve
preserving techniques that would allow meat. The leaves are put in the same
(Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka) the meat and fish to retain their original container as the pork, chicken or fish.
flavor. This technique is called tempo, Payang leaves can preserve meat up to one
which includes the following steps: fish month. Payang leaves can be found in the
or meat is washed thoroughly, sufficiently forest and their plant can be cultivated in
salted, and placed in a container that is the yard. Aside from leaves, payang fruit
Meat Preservation Techniques already filled with water, and then put can also be used as a preservative
over a hot stove until it is half-cooked. by pounding them into
In addition to possesion of knowledge During the cooking process, the container powder, and then mixing
on producing salted fish, the Dayaks are should remain covered. When it is already them with meat or fish
also privy to techniques for preserving cooked, the container is removed from to be preserved.
fish and preparing fish using smoke- the stove with its lid intact. The container
cooking techniques (salai). The steps cover is only removed when the fish or
are as follows: fish and meat are washed meat is ready to be devoured. Preserved
thoroughly, and then put over glowing using the tempo method, the dish will be
fire for drying. Preserved this way, fish good for only two days.

Technique 1:
Salted water is cooked in a frying pan
or pan for 24 hours. After the water
evaporates, the salt crystals will be left.
(Yayak Yatmaka)
Technique 2:
Technique to Make Salt 1. Make a hole around a
salty spring.
The Dayaks previously looked for springs 2. Put wooden cylinder with
on the mountain to find salt. They placed a diameter smaller than
the hole.
the water in a big container, and then
3. In several days, the salt
boiled it over the fireplace for 24 hours
will stick to the inner part
until the water completely evaporates and
of the wooden cylinder
the salt crystalizes. The Dayaks believe
that salt from a mountain spring would
render additional energy. If a hunting dog Wooden
Cylinder
is given water mixed mountain salt, they
believe that the dog could run faster and
fueled with extra fervor when chasing
after a hunted animal.
Bahau Busang and Long Pahangai Dayak

communities make salt from airsopan Crystalline salt
sticked to the
from sandy stones. The water is boiled inner part of
to produce salt grains. Nieuwenhuis the wooden
cylinder
(1994) also mentioned that in the past,
the Dayaks obtained the salt from saline
a hole
spring (sepan daya) or from the leaf of a around salt
hanging root, called deken. Nowadays, springs
they no longer make salt from the
mountains as they can easily buy it.

Aside from reban piak,

Dayak people also make
chicken cages similar to
birdcages and made of
plaited bamboo
(Steve Pillar)
Animal Breeding covered with palm leaves or shingles that

will serve as the roof.
The Dayak’s animal breeeding methods
are also unique. They are familiar with The pigs are provided with food, such as
the construction of pigpens and chicken leftover food, fish intestines mixed with taro
coops. A small pigpen is built in the leaves, morinda fruit, cassava, and forest
backyard or beneath a lamin (long house) banana cabbage, given twice a day, i.e.
so that the pig, referred to in Benuaq morning and afternoon. Sometimes the feed
Dayak language as uneg, would not is mixed with by-products of the rice mill.
roam around freely or get wet from rain.
Pigpens, or tangukng uneq (Benuaq Dayak) The Dayaks are much aware that pigs bring
are made of a tree trunk, measuring 5 – 10 with them worm infestation. But they do
centimeters and is tied with rattan, until not see it as a problem as they have the
they form a small house with one door at protection that would shield them from
the center or on either side and is finally the worms, i.e. morinda fruit mixed in the

(Steve Pillar) (Rangga Purbaya)
(Rangga Purbaya) (Steve Pillar)

(Steve Pillar)
pig feed. “The sap inside morinda fruit normally are also given food, such as rice,
contains a substance that could vanquish rice grains, corn or cassava.
the bacteria inside the worms”, said Petrus
Lama, Benuaq Dayak community leader Aside from reban piak, Dayak people also
in Benung village. The Dayaks also breed make chicken cages similar to birdcages
chicken. They build chicken coops at the and made of plaited bamboo. To make a
back of the house or under the lamin. cage, they split a bamboo using mandau
Chicken coops, known in Benuaq Dayak and shape it with a mandau knife in order
language as reban piak, are made of bamboo to produce several smaller blades − 60
blades or a small tree trunk, with adjustable centimeters long and 1.5 centimeters wide
sizes. A chicken coop plays a protective −forming a flat square. Bamboo blades that
function and encages the chicken at night. have finely been shaped are plaited with the
During the day, the chickens are left to help of a diagonal technique. This sort of
roam free to look for their own food. In cage would endure 5 years, and even longer
the morning or afternoon, the chickens when protected from the heat and rain.


The cutting activity is done together with

siblings. Women are also involved in this task.
Cutting is done every day until the would-be
farming lot is considered clean.
Farming Technology
Paddy is one of the Dayaks’ farming In the past, “the elders always gave
products. The most sought-after areas the advice”, said Ding Hat, Busang
plains, slopes, and low lands. Most Saq Dayak community leader in Long
terrains used for farming by Kenyah Hubung as he began his explanation
and Bahau Dayaks in the upper stream about the conditions that constitute a
of Mahakam River are the ones close to perfect farming land. If in the process
the river banks due to their fertile soil. of opening a farmland, the sound of
According to Revius, a leader of Datah isit birds was heard, the Dayaks should
Bilang Hulu community, the best soil for turn their course to return to their
farming is the one with black and red village. The sound of an Isit bird sends a
colors. The tools used by the Dayaks to dangerous signal, or that bad luck awaits
plant the rice in the farm (uma) consist a journey. To cultivate the land or start
of a machete and a stick to make holes the farming activities, the Dayaks have
(tugal). to ensure that the sun is oriented in the
east and passes through two mountains.
(Rangga Purbaya)


When such a phenomenon occurs, the task. Cutting is done every day until the
community leader would give the signal would-be farming lot is considered clean.
to community members to prepare for
paddy planting. Managing farming lots and the tools used
are pretty simple. Initially, the forest is
Farming begins by cutting the bushes cleaned away by the use of machetes
and trees using the machete. Not all (babig). Big trees are then cut using a
trees are cut down. The trees where the pickax (asay), a type of long-handled axe.
bees stay and whose sap contains poison Currently people use chainsaws to cut big
or those that could be used to trap birds trees. The trees with multiple branches
are left alone. In Revius Mering’s and are cut down with a machete, pickax or
Broto’s farm, there were just bananas, chainsaw.
jackfruits and rambutans. However, terap
trees, whose sap is used to trap birds, The cutting activity is generally executed
are mostly found in the forest outside by men, even though women are allowed
the farms. It is possible that the trees to assist if need be. The process of
with poisonous sap could still be found cutting a tree is done from one direction
in the forest around their farms, but so that the tree tumbles toward one
the informant refrained from providing direction. The aim is to cover the surface
information. of the soil with the trunks and leaves so
that when they are burned, the would-
The cutting activity is done together with be planted soil is also burned and the
siblings. Women are also involved in this fertilization evenly spreads.
YK

(Rangga Purbaya)
To prevent fire from breaking

out of control and spreading
to other areas or to a nearby
forest, the Dayaks would clear
off the area − around 3 meters
wide − surrounding the future
farm lot. Such a method would
localize the fire.
RP
The next process is burning. The trunks,

branches and leaves are cut and spread
evenly on the surface and are let dry
naturally. Drying normally lasts for a
month. After the branches and leaves are
dry, they are burned using a fire, started
using stacks of bamboo or tree bark.
Burning activity is conducted towards
the end of August through the middle of
September. Leftovers from the burning
process are collected and are burned
again, leaving a clean lot to be planted
with aromatic mountain paddy seeds
(Depdikbud, 1993). To prevent fire from
breaking out of control and spreading
to other areas or to a nearby forest, the
Dayaks would clear off the area − around 3
meters wide − surrounding the future farm
lot. Such a method would localize the fire.
(Rangga Purbaya)

(Rangga Purbaya)
After the lot is cleared, the following using phalus (blu’ing), a type of a sickle
activity entails making holes. Men using used to cut the grass, or using bended
hole-making tools are in front while the machete (lubo’), the shape of which closely
women fall behind to place the paddy resembles a Betawi machete.
seeds into the planting holes.
The next activity is to harvest rice. Such
Rice planting is done by making holes using activity is undertaken after the rice
a planting tool (tugan) and rice seeds are is declared the right shade of yellow.
put into these holes. Each hole could hold Paddy trees are then cut using a reaping
up to 5 – 10 seeds. The person familiar knife (ilangajau). The women
with spreading the seeds in such a way are entrusted with
would stand near the hole and bend over this particular task.
a little bit while throwing the seeds into Harvested paddy is
the hole. At times, the thrown seeds would placed inside ingen or
miss the target and splattered outside the lanjung and is stored in
designated hole. Following this process, the lepubung, although
the rice is left to grow. Three months after some are brought to the
planting, the grass, which grows all over house at the village.
the farm and among the plants are cleaned

(Rangga Purbaya)
Wooden lid
Bark
Separating rice from

its stalk is done by
stepping barefoot on the
rice that is placed on mats
made of pandanus to produce unhusked
rice (bani). This activity is executed by
women and usually done in the evening.
Rice grains are stored in the tabilung.
Tabilung is a rice container that is as big
as a drum and made of a rounded bark,
whose edges are connected and tied with
rattan. Tabilung base is made of a round
wood bearing a diameter the same size as
that of the drum bark. Tabilung capacity
is around 100 cans. One can contain some
Wooden base 16 to 20 liters.

The next steps require processing

paddy grains into rice, the work of
which is done by means of pounding (meca), using a
wooden mortar (lesong) and pounding stick made of
ulin wood. There are several other ways, including
by using a rice-milling tool called kisar. This tool is
made of kahoi wood. Kenyah and Bahau Dayaks rely
on kisar, which is around 50 centimeters long and 115
centimeters in diameter. Such equipment is big and
heavy, while the Dayak farming system is a shifting
cultivation so that a kisar, which has to be lifted
by three adult persons, is not practical. Nowadays
in several certain areas, one is bound to encounter
the use of rice mills (ricehuller) bought using money
taken off the Village Aid Funds and managed by local
Village Cooperatives.
(Rangga Purbaya) (Rangga Purbaya)
(Steve Pillar)

(Rangga Purbaya)

(Rangga Purbaya)
Usually, the Dayaks farm in the same area for three

consecutively years. According to their belief, after
such a period, the soil is no longer fertile that they
have to move to another area, naturally next to the
old lot and is thus still their own property. Eliminating
pests is rarely done. They adhere to the belief that the
cutting activity at the would-be farming lot
should be undertaken in the beginning
of the month. If the set time is not
adhered to, the plants would
probably be attacked by pests,
such as grasshoppers, cutter
pillars, and birds.

Bahau Saq Dayaks in Long

Hubung call mandau ‘muwung
bilah’ that means ‘grave soil’.
Technology of Sharp Tools Mandau
The Dayaks possess a sharp tools Mandau is a weapon of the Dayaks

technology. In the past, such equipment inherited from generation to generation
was used for war and hunting, as well as and is deemed a magical tool. Mandau
for daily activities. Nowadays, mandau could be seen hanging in every house of
has fully become a part of daily staple Dayak people in the interior Kalimantan.
tools for farming, hunting and also for Mandau is inseparable from the life of its
traditional rituals. This section is going to owner for it shows a symbol of respect
elaborate about mandau and kelabit, i.e. and identity of the Dayaks. They believe
Dayak shield. that mandau also carries with it a magical
power. They use mandau is assigned
to certain situations, such as during
a war (mengayau), and in a traditional
ceremony.
Bahay Saq Dayaks in Long Hubung named

mandau muwung bilah, which means
‘cemetery land’. Aoheng-Penihing Dayaks
call it Olok. There are three kinds of
olok, namely: (1) olok eton, believed as
a heritage; (2) olok daya, used to make
shingles; and (3) olok kokom, used to cut
trees in the forest or in the farm.
The length of a mandau is normally a half

meter. One side of the mandau blade is
thicker than the other side. In the past,
mandau blade was made of mountain
stone iron, but nowadays it is mostly
made of good quality white or yellow iron.
(Rangga Purbaya)
The mandau blade is always decorated of a dog. The glue used by Kenyah Dayaks
and sometimes has several holes made by is malau sap. The sap is heated to liquefy
a tool called klikasaup. The white mandau it and then placed into a hole in mandau
handle is made of a deer’s horn, while the handle. Meanwhile, Kayan, Aoheng/
black one is made of a buffalo’s horn or Penihing and Bahau Dayaks use the nest
meranti wood (lempuk). Mandau’s handle of small black ants (tipai), mixed with
is carved and decorated with fur. The the sap of uluy wood in order to produce
tip of mandau handle is also decorated glue. The mixture is put into bamboo
with human hair or fur combined with and is boiled for 15 minutes. Tipai’s
hornbill feathers. In the past, the hair was cohesive power is stronger than that of
taken from the head of a man defeated in malau. After being glued to the blade, the
mengayau tradition in a war. mandau handle is bound with rattan to
make it tighter.
For Busang and Aoheng-Penihing Dayaks,
the shape of the mandau handle is similar
to the beak of hornbill bird, or to the head
(Rangga Purbaya) (Rangga Purbaya)
Yellow iron is the most A mandau maker is very skillful in product, mandaus made by the late Irang
selecting iron for mandau blade material. Napap, one of Aoheng/Penihing Dayak’s
sought-after material as it Yellow iron is the most sought-after traditional elders in Tiong Ohang, are
is considered to be highly material as it is considered to be highly also famous. Government officials, both
resilient and not easily bent. Bo’ Beng, of local and national levels, have used
resilient and not easily bent.
Bahau Long Gelat Dayak farmer in mandaus produced by Irang Napap. One
Lirung Asa, is known by Bahau Dayaks of the mandaus owned by a Kayan Dayak
in Long Pahangai as a person who has traditional elder in Long Paqaq, for
inherited the skill of Mandau-making instance, is used by the commander of
from his ancestors. Bo’ Beng said that Mulawarman Regional Military Territory.
his mandau products are used by many
respected public figures and have The tools used to make mandau are (1)
become a required item for proposing tail feather of cocks for blowing air;
a girl prior to a traditional wedding (2) ranai as an anvil for iron cutting;
ceremony. In addition to Bo’ Beng’s (3) chisel for cutting iron; (4) telessu

(hammer) for flattening iron; (5) nasak The two bellows tubes are always present
(anvil) for iron cutting and flattening; (6) in a blacksmith’s workshop in addition
firewood from ulin, bengkirai wood or to a high chair for a person who pumps
other types with good quality for longer- the tubes. Bird feathers or other soft
burning and blue-reddish flame; (7) batuq materials are attached to the bellows’
(sharpening stone) that is purchased at handle sticks. The pumping process of
the store or taken from the mountains; the two tubes runs alternately resembling
(8) rasp for sharpening in addition to a piston’s mechanism. If the right hand
modern grindstone; (9) lange for charcoal draws one of the pumps, the left hand
container; (10) dulaqn for soaking mandau pushes another pump. With such a
iron that has been burned; (11) bilit for method, airflow alternately goes out from
holding mandau when it is being gilded;
(Steve Pillar)
(12) tipai, the nest of small black ants
taken from tree branches for gluing the
mandau handle on its blade; (13) the sap
of ului tree for gluing function similar to
tipai, i.e. attaching the mandau handle on
its blade.
Mandau makers are called blacksmiths.

They have bellows to ensure consistent
heat. The bellows consist of two tubes
measuring around 150 centimeters long,
and 10 centimeters in diameter. They
stand vertically near the fire, while their
upper parts are exposed. The lower part
of the tubes has two holes linked with
5-centimeter bamboo poles that serve as
air channel facing the fireplace. When the
bellows’ pumps are pressed with up and
down movements, the wind will blow the
fire to increase its flame for heating the
iron blade that will be forged. The leftover
iron from mandau blade production is
called podot and is usually used to make a
shaping knife.

each pump and the fire remains stable.

Pumping activity will brief ly stop while
the iron blade is being shaped by the
iron master.
The tools used by Bahau and Long Gelat

Dayaks differ from the ones used by
other Dayak communities. They attach
wooden pumping sticks to the two tubes
using pliable wood. This kind of wood
could lighten the pumping process, as
there is no need to lift the pumping stick
as all it needs is pressure and it will be
automatically lifted. The Dayaks in Teri
Seberang village even resorted to using
bicycle rims and chains to enable the
mandau making process to be carried
out only by one person as the distance
of the pump mover device is not too far
from the fireplace for heating iron blade.
The glowing iron blade is then forged

to produce a long f lat shape of machete
blade with pointed tip. One particular
part of the blade is forged to form a
curve like a bird beak, the upper part
of which is f lat. One side of the blade is
sharpened, while the other side is left a
bit thick and dull.
The next step is to decorate the mandau

blade with curves and serrations,
and holes. This process is done by
heating the mandau blade, pounding
it repetitiously to obtain the desired
ornaments. Next, the mandau blade is
smoothened with the grindstone.
(Rangga Purbaya)

(Rangga Purbaya)
The tool for shaping mandau blade

is umpak (chisel). Sometimes, a thick
mandau blade is used to improve the
shape of a damaged mandau blade. The
blade is then soaked into water and
sharpened with a black sharpening stone
made out of creek stone.
The shapes of mandau blade vary. There

are both similarities and differences
among mandaus from Aoheng/Penihing,
Kenyah, Bahau, Benuaq and Tunjung
Dayaks. The tip of Kenyah Dayak mandau
that looks like a single-edge machete
(kelewang) is slightly different from
Benuaq Dayak and Bahau Dayak mandaus.
A mandau blade is always equipped

with mandau sheath and mandau knife.
Actually, the Dayaks understand mandau
to have five inseparable components,
i.e. mandau blade, mandau handle,
mandau sheath, mandau knife and
RP

(Rangga Purbaya)
RP
mandau knife sheath. Various types of Each part is smoothly scraped and a
ornaments on mandau sheath serve as concavity is formed at the size of mandau
motifs that distinguish the identity of blade. Both parts are placed on a board
each Dayak tribal group. The decoration and are joined together using traditional
motif of Kenyah Dayak mandau sheath glue, while rattan peel is used to tie it
always has aquatic animal elements and for a stronger bond. A bracelet-shaped
dominated by red, yellow, white and bone is placed on the upper part of the
black colors. Meanwhile, the mandau mandau sheath, while rattan peel binds
sheaths of Benuaq and Tunjung Dayaks the middle and lower parts. In addition
– or known also as Tonyooi Dayak – tend to being a bond, the coiled rattan peel, in
to emphasize their carving motifs. At combination with bird feathers and beads,
the back of Mandau sheath, there is the also serves as an ornament for aesthetic
sheath of the mandau knife. purposes.
The mandau sheath is made of meranti The Mandau handle is made of deer horn
wood or other sorts of soft wood. or of wood that is carved with the motifs
To make one, a meranti wood is split that incorporate a dragon head, hornbill
into two parts, measuring around 4 beak, or a dog head. The equipment
(Rangga Purbaya) centimeter longer than the mandau blade. for carving mandau handle is a shaping

121
knife whose handle measures around 30 Among the Dayaks, mandau is a home
centimeters long. industry product. A mandau maker
can make two mandaus in a day at the
The mandau handle and sheath are absence of other commitmtents. Mandau
usually decorated with goat beard that is technology adopts several typical terms,
colored red on top of a yellowish white namely (1) boet or mandau blade; (2)
color foundation. The coloring for goat brikankq or mandau back; (3) teban or
fur is no longer derived from typical mandau sides; (4) pancuk, Mandau head
Dayak natural coloring but from ready- decoration using three motifs: pancuk ca,
made coloring due to practical reasons. pancuk dua, and pancuk tellu.
This phenomenon is a sign that more and
more local wisdoms are abandoned. Many For the Dayaks, a good mandau is one
Dayaks find this phenomenon unsettling. that is believed to have magical powers,
Amai Pelunjuk, a Kenyah Dayak traditional such as olok eton. In the past, this kind of
elder in Long Anai, for instance, regretted mandau was used in a war for mengayau
that people have taken to replacing purposes. A machete-type mandau that is
natural herbal concoctions intended for used for farm work and made of ordinary
strengthening the body’s immune system iron and devoid of carvings is normally
with medicines produced by industries. purchased from the market. (Steve Pillar)

A shield can last to dozens of years, especially if

it is seldom used, and is only put to use during
cultural events and traditional ceremonies.
Kelabit
The shield in Bahau Dayak language is called kelabit. Aoheng-

Penihing Dayaks name it talavang. It is made of meranti wood.
In spite of being light, kelabit’s strength to withstand a mandau
strike is exceptional.
All kelabits are decorated with carvings to further accentuate

their owners’ social standing or drawings with various motifs
on white, black, red and yellow foundations. Black color is taken
from the mixture of jelatung wood and charcoal, red is from the
mixture of lime and gambir, while yellow is created from the
mixture of turmeric and lime, which is stirred in coconut oil
(Depdikbud, 1992).
The typical Dayak shield has a hexagonal shape. Its length is

around 1 meter, while its width is around 30 or 50 centimeters.
The shield’s upper and lower parts have sharp points. However,
some shields displayed in Sendawar Museum in West Kutai
Regency have a long, quadrangle shape with upper and lower
parts in triangle shape. Those shields have no decoration except
on their exterior, i.e. three rattan peel bonds with human hair
placed around two spans from the upper parts and from the
lower parts that leave the impression of the shields having
magical powers.
The shield of Bahau Dayak is made of mesal wood. The upper

(Rangga Purbaya)
and lower parts are bound with rattan peel called tap kelabit

(Rangga Purbaya)
by the Bahayu Dayaks. Belawing Belareq,

a traditional elder of Bahau Long Gelat
in Long Tuyoq, explained that the shield
is not only used to protect the body in a
war but is also used as a means of river
transport to replace a boat for crossing
a river. The trick is to float the shield
in the river with its outer side touching
the water. The shield edge is held by
stretching the hands while the body is
placed downward over it. The shield is
paddled with legs and maneuvers like
a boat. It is also used as an umbrella to
protect the body, or at least the head
during a rain shower.
A shield can last to dozens of years,

especially if it is seldom used, and is only
put to use during cultural events and
traditional ceremonies. To date, shields
are still used, granted its use is limited
to home decoration, placed next to a
mandau. Shields are also part of traditional
dance accessories and certain traditional
ceremonies. When used in traditional
dance, a shield could be damaged from
constant collisions with a mandau.

124 Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction To Backbone Technology
01-02
(Rangga Purbaya)
03-05
(Steve Pillar)
01
Hunting Tools 03
The Dayaks are blessed with finely tuned

skills in hunting animals. The hunted
animals include boars (sus barbatus),
deers (cervus unicolor), squirrels
(sciuridae species) and various kinds
of birds. The tools commonly used for
01
hunting are spears (nyatap), blowguns
(klepu seput) and traps (belek or blantik)
for catching payau, boars, mouse deers
and birds (klebak/blu) (Depdikbud, 1993).
Dayak hunting techniques, especially

those of Kenayak Dayaks in Malinau have
been documented by Ndan Imang, a
professor and researcher at Mulawarman
University, Samarinda. The book written
by Ndan Imang (2003) specifically 02 03
compares boar hunting technique of

Kenyah Dayak to those of Punan Dayak.
Imang mentioned that essential hunting
equipment aside from a spear and a
blowgun is a typical Dayak trap. In
addition to revealing hunting techniques
and tools, this section is also dedicated
to tools employed in catching fish and
trapping birds.
04
04 05

125
02 03
04 05
01 06
01-06
(Rangga Purbaya)
Poisonous Blowgun
A blowgun in Bahau Dayak is known as The material used to make a blowgun is

hemput, a ranged weapon reserved for ulin wood, bitung (Garciania mangostana),
hunting. The blowgun is shaped like a long or blet wood (dipterocarpeceae). Quoting
pipe, with a diameter of around 2 or 2.5 Uluk cs, Imang (2003), top quality staples
centimeters with a length of around 1.5 in blowgun-making are bitung and ulin
and 2 meters. A blowgun’s upper part has woods. The rationale is that ulin wood
spear-point blade made of iron, bound to it has excellent durability, not easily broken
with plaited rattan. and allows a firm, slip–free grip even

when handled using sweaty hands during in less than 10 minutes and is dangerous
a daylong hunting time. Blowguns made for humans. A person hit by a poisonous
of bitung wood, on the other hand, are dart could die if within 10 to 20 minutes
slippery and when when the handler he is denied access to a poison neutralizer.
perspires profusely, accuracy becomes The Dayaks produce poison neutralizers by
compromised. mixing certain plants’ roots and leaves.
Blowgun-making techniques involve The technology used to make savuts is

complexity and call for specific skills. principally the same as that of a blowgun.
Thus only certain people could make good A hole measuring 10 cm x 10 cm is placed
quality blowguns. In Naha Buan, Long Apri on a 160-centimeter long ulin trunk. The
subdistrict, we were able to meet Lasan (76 hole is made using an iron instrument
years old) who was making a blowgun and, (kerajang savu) designed for making holes.
at the same time, modifying it into savut. The perforated ulin trunk is then hung
Lasan is a member of Aoheng/penihing on a tree. The ideal blowgun’s length is
Dayak community and a well-known between 1.5 to 2 meters. If a blowgun is
hunter. Lenardus Janun, Aoheng/Penihing shorter than 1 meter, the propulsive power
Dayak in Tiong Buu village said that the is compromised. On the other hand, if a
present hunters prefer savuts to blowguns. blowgun is too long, it loses flexibility.
Savut is a type of blowgun that bears more
similarities to a long-handled rifle, the part Aside from being equipped with darts
of the gun where the user blows has a rifle (langaq) and poison (salo), a blowgun usually
butt, a cock and trigger for shooting. Savut has a cork (piping) and a tube for storing
range could reach as far as 100 meters or blowgun darts (tebulu langaq). The tube is
farther than that of the average blowgun. made of bamboo pole and has a lid. Blowgun
darts are made of the stem of talang buo
Prior to the existence of savuts, the Dayaks leaf (Arenga undulatifolia). The leaf has to be
preferred to hunt using blowguns as spears dried before being straightened, hardened
as they were deemed more effective. A and made into sticks of the same size as a
blowgun could reach a target as far as 50 broom stick or satay stick. Blowgun darts
meters. When blown by a hunter, a blowgun can also be made out of palm stick (cemaka),
betrays any sound that can alarm a hunted branches of black selo tree, dried temiang
animal about the hunter’s presence. The bamboo and ulin wood. The dart’s length
weapon’s lethal silence certainly helps the is around 20 centimeters. A type of cork
hunter land his targeted pray. is placed on the rear side of the dart
and functions as an air compartment to
Dayak blowgun darts (langaq in Bahau contain the air produced by the mouth,
Dayak language) are slathered with poison and also as a balancer that enables
made of the mixture of ivu wood roots and faster maneuver of the projectile and
trunk. Such poison is able to kill an animal better accuracy.

Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction To Backbone Technology 127
The cork is taken from the midrib of a

thorny palm type called nanga (eugeissona
utilis). Selecting a good cork needs
attention to details. The cork has to be
from young leaf midrib and with dense
thorns having a diameter of not more
than 3 centimeters. Midrib meeting such
requirements is deemed of good quality as
its fiber is soft enough that it can easily be
cut into sticks. Prior to being processed
into a blowgun dart, the leaf midrib is
dried near a fire place or exposed to the
sun for a week to make the cork lighter
and to maintain its crispness in its storing
chamber. This preservation method would
also allow the dart better velocity.
There are several tools used to make a

blowgun, i.e. papen spout, kerajang savu,
machete, thread, rattan which tip has
been pounded, lubricant, and mandau
knife for shaping. The Papen spout
represents six wood sticks with the height with holes on the center. The blowgun
of 4 meters, arranged in standing position hole has to be straight and smooth. Making
in a triangle formation. Lasan uses very blowgun holes requires attention to details,
natural papenspout from trees around patience, and forceful energy to twist the
his home. Other tools are a 2-meter long long iron while drilling the ulin trunk. The
iron with a very sharp, pointed tip called drilling can be done from both the bottom
kerajang savu to poke holes on the ulin and upper parts.
trunk. This iron stick has a handle that is
made of wood and cloth. To make a hole, When the hole is done, the next step is to
the iron stick needs a thread soaked with shape the ulin trunk into a rounded stick,
oil to make its job far more efficient. The and carve it with a mandau knife. If its
thread serves to create a straight line, size and shape is deemed proper, the stick
while the oil makes the iron slick. is scrapped with sandpaper to obtain a
smooth surface. To clean the blowgun hole
A big trunk of ulin tree can produce 10 from wood debris, a blowgun maker inserts
to 15 pipes. A blowgun is made by cutting a rattan stick whose tip has been pounded.
out ulin logs of some 3 meters long, and Once the process is done, an iron rod for
shape them into a long and round shape shooting guidance is attached on the upper

Savut, a modified blowgun that resembles a gun with longer

shooting range.
part of the blowgun, and a spearhead is Normally the tip of the dart that is not
then tied to it with plaited rattan. Thus, the attached with iron is sharpened and
blowgun can also function as a spear. provided with a loophole for poison.
The poison administered into the hole
Blowgun darts, and especially poisonous to contain it when the dart tip hits the
ones, are stored inside a tube-shaped target. As such the poison can work more
container to prevent them from effectively inside a hunted animal’s body.
endangering people. The container is
called tebuluh langaq in Bahau Dayak It is obvious that the most crucial part
language and is made of bamboo with a of the blowgun is the poison applied to
diameter of around 8 to10 centimeters with the dart tip. The poison is usually taken
a coconut skull lid. The lid is shaped in from the sap of poisonous trees (antiaris
such a way that keeps the container from toxicaria). The sap is placed in a special
being easily exposed and from accidental container, cooked until it thickens, and
falls. This bamboo tube can accommodate wrapped in palas biru leaves (licuala valida
50 to 100 darts. Tebuluh langaq can be becc). To avoid unwanted incidents, such
attached on mandau rope that is tied to the as destroying surrounding plants due to
hip. Meanwhile, stick corks (punuk langaq) the smoke and the smell emanating from
are kept inside a dried gourd (tavii kebara). the poison-making process, or to maintain
the effectiveness of the killing power, dart
There are three kinds of blowgun darts, poison is made outside the village or in the
i.e. ordinary darts (langak lan), darts with forest. According to Imang’s explanation
poison applied over a one centimeter (2003), some poison makers multiply the
area of the tip (langak salo), and darts poison’s lethal effects by mixing it with
with poisonous thin and sharp iron tips tobacco liquid or with the saliva of a brown
(langak lan). Langak irang, is a kind of cobra snake (ophiophagus hannah) or a
dart that is now rarely made (Uluk et al., black cobra (daja sumatrana).
2001). According to Ndan Imang, another
name for this type of blowgun dart is Animals hit by a poisonous blowgun dart
langanlat (ordinary dart) and langan will die in seconds, or 10 minutes at the
be’ladang (poisonous dart which tip is longest, depending on the kind and size
made of thin iron). of the animal or on the poison quality

01 02
129
used. At more than 10 minutes, the poison

has already begun to lose its power. The
poison works longer in the body of a boar 03 04
due its thick skin and masses of fat that
keep the poison from penetrating the
blood vessel longer.
Lenardus Janun, a member of Aoheng/

Penihing Dayak community in Tiong
Buu always uses the sap of tasam tree to
poison his blowgun. During the interview
process, Lenardus excused himself into
his room and returned bringing a bamboo
tube containing poison. He went on to
explain the techniques used in concocting
the poison, i.e. by boiling tasam tree sap
on the stove until its color turns brownish
and its liquid becomes thick. The cooked
sap is stored inside a bamboo tube until
05 06
it curdles. When it is ready for use, tasam
sap is applied to the tip of the blowgun
dart. The poison of tasap sap will dissolve
upon contact with heat from the hunted’s
animal blood.
Lasan, showing how to make a

blowgun, Naha Buan, Long Apari.
01-06
(Rangga Purbaya)

(Steve Pillar)
Nyatap (Spear) not have any strings for tying; (2) bakir easily thrown at a targeted animal from
bese-bese, similar in appearance to a boat a 15- to 30-meter distance. A spear is
oar and equipped with a string for tying; highly lethal as it inflicts extensive, deep
The typical Dayak spear is called nyatap,
aside from becoming a hunting weapon, (3) bekir kelivo or hole-making spear with impact, yet it only has one window of
in the past it was also used as a war a drill-shaped head; (4) bakit pelbuu has a opportunity to make an effective killing.
weapon. Nyatap has a 2-meter long chisel head for piercing an enemy’s kelabit If the spear misses its target on the first
in a war. (belareg, 2008). chance, the hunted animal is likely to
handle and its tip has a spear blade
escape. Usually, a spear head is dipped
that is tied with plaited rattan. In the
past, the main material for the blade Kenyah Dayak nyatap is made of a good in poison to increase its killing power.
quality iron blade measuring 15 to 25 However, this method is no longer used
was iron ore obtained from traditional
centimeters long and 3 to 6 centimeters as high quality poison has become a
mining that were processed into iron
wide. Its edge is made thicker to avoid rarity, and to adhere to health concerns
sheet used to produce a spear blade.
bending when killing a hunted animal. regarding the well-being of those
However, due to difficulties in securing
This iron blade is tied to a hard wood consuming the hunted animal meat killed
such material, the Dayaks currently use
regular iron. In addition to its use as a stick, normally ulin wood or lighter but using a poisonous weapon.
hunting tool and weapon for warfare, a stronger wood, i.e. sanam betan wood
(anacardiaceae). A spear and a dog (nekukung/Kenyah
nyatap is considered as a heirloom that
Dayak; logan/Punan Dayak) are actually
requires excellent maintenance as it is
The shape and size of the spear vary inseparable elements of successful
also perceived to be capable of bringing
depending on its usage. If it is used for hunting. Hunting spears used on a hunt
good luck and magical powers. In certain
ceremonies, a nyatap is mandatory in mengusiq (hunting without dog’s help), with dogs are made of thicker iron
the size of the iron is made longer and and sharpened head. Its handle has to
performing traditional rituals.
wide, but thinner and sharp at the front, be made of hard wood since a hunter
left and right sides. Its handle is smaller, frequently finds himself face to face with
This typical Dayak spear is named bakir in
longer, and is made of light, strong and the hunted animal. If the hunted animal
Bahau Dayak language and is divided into
pliable wood. This kind of spear can be is cornered by the dogs, the distance
four types, i.e. (1) bakir selung, which does

between the hunter and the animal Our sources said that the damaged forest
narrows. If at that moment the spear in the interior of Mahakam has impacted
handle is broken, the hunter’s safety is at the animals’ habitat that animals such
stake as the animal might be inclined to as boars, payau and mouse deer are
attack him. increasingly hard to find. Nowadays, the
Dayaks find it extremely challenging
The spear could be made in different to hunt boars by relying only on
variants depending on its usage. For a spear. Hunting frequency has
example, to hunt a swimming boar (babui also been reduced as distance
nyatung) the spear head has to be shaped continues to grow between
like a hook so that once it pierces the boar’s their villages and the hunting
body, the animal will be hooked. The tip of grounds. They hunt boars only
the spear handle is attached with rope and when they catch the animals
buoy to prevent the hunted animal from swimming to cross a river.
escaping and sinking in the river.
The spear has high durability, especially if

it is well maintained. The handle is made
of ulin wood or other kinds of hard wood
that are slightly lighter. Combined with
a good quality iron, the spear could be
in service for 50 years. Due to its high
durability, the spear can be handed over
from generation to generation, which
makes it part of the Dayak heritage in
addition to blowguns and mandau.

03-05
(Steve Pillar)
01
Fish-catching Tools The Dayaks fish with the assistance of

various tools and herbal concoctions. They
During our sojourn at the Data Bilang have various types of fishing tools, i.e.
village, we stayed at the only inn found in serapang, suruq, pakit, fishing hook, trawl,
the area. The inn was situated on a raft. luka, lawa, tangap, and plant-based poison
Every night we saw the water of Mahakam as elaborated below.
River that was flickering under the
moonlight. On the glassy surface bathed
in the silvery moonlight, we saw lights
moving back and forth. We found out later Serapang
that the lights emanated from the lanterns
of small fisherman boats that were fishing Serapang is a three-blade fish spear (serpak)
patin, baung and jelawat fish. They sold or a single-blade spear (tiruk/bakit). The
the fish to the inn owner and who then tip of tiruk/bakit is attached with a device
cooked it for the guests. that resembles a straightened hook. The

03
02 04
length of serapang handle is around 2 reaches dry land in addition to being used 01-02
(Rangga Purbaya)
meters and is made either of bamboo to catch fish hiding between trees that
pole or temha wood with a diameter of 2 grow alongside a riverbank, swamp or lake. 03-04
(Steve Pillar)
centimeters. Another tool that looks like Fishermen would tread their way into the
tiruk is pakit. The difference is that pakit’s water to retrieve the captured fish.
hook is attached with 0.5 to 1-meter rope
that is made of the root of krop wood. An Dayak fishing techniques do not not differ
officer of West Kutai Museum said that the from those of other fishermen. To catch
wood used to make pakit has to be straight small fish, they use a fishing rod made of
and pliable. The Serapang is used to capture palm leaf ribs. A small-sized rattan pole is
large fish emerging to the water surface or used to catch medium fish. Their fishing
fish exposed to herbal poison (tuba). ropes are made of wood fiber or nylon
with a hook attached on the tip. Around
Meanwhile, suruq is a single blade spear 10 centimeters from the hook, they place
made of ulin wood and is 3 meters in length. a buoy and a piece of tin to make the bait
A suruq is used during high tide when water (pengelotak) heavier.

136
01
02 03 04 05
02 (Rangga Purbaya) 01, 03, 04, 05 (Steve Pillar)

137
Fish Trap
The Dayaks also catch fish with the help of a because the edge of lukah has been covered
trawl, lukah, and a scoop net (tangguk). The with grass, lightwood or mineral water
trawl and fishing net are made of woven bottle. Lukah is placed in rivers with weak
nylon thread with iron rings attached to currents, and is positioned facing the
their tips to make them heavier. Meanwhile, incoming current during high or low tide.
poad is a net made of woven nylon thread
and has a wooden or bamboo handle. Poad Meanwhile, lawa is used by Bahau Dayaks to
is used to catch small fish. catch shrimp in the stony parts of Mahakam
River (karangan). Lawa is made of rattan
Lukah is a cylinder-shaped fishing and nylon.
instrument with a sharp-pointed tip.
Lukah’s length is made according to its Tangap/libang is made of a snake fruit tree,
owner’s taste. Its inner side has a hanjab rattan and nylon. Previously, when nylon
that is made of rattan and has a cone shape thread had not been available, they used
and inward-pointing pointed tip. Hanjab is keliat (a sort of root hanging from trees
a trap that would lure fish in and keep them in the primary forest). Tangap is used to
from swimming out. The fish would swim catch fish at night, especially seluang
into the lukah, drawn by the bait placed in fish or other fish exposed to
it. However, before it can get to the bait, the herbal poison.
fish has to pass through the hanjab. After
passing the hanjab, the fish is entrapped

Tuba
The Dayaks do not use chemical potassium poison but tuba to

catch fish. Tuba is made of the root of tuba tree. It is pounded
to produce white poisonous liquid. Poisoning fish in a lake does
not need too much poison as the water in a lake does not flow as
01
strong as that in a river.
Poisoning fish could be done alone or in groups by spraying tuba

liquid in the morning. A person spreading the poison has to inform
the villagers on the preceding day. A person who violates this rule
will be subject to traditional sanctions, since he would endanger
the life of others who make use of the river water on a daily basis.
Among the Dayaks, spraying tuba can only be accomplished
at one- to three-year intervals. Such rule ensures them of well
conserved fish population.
After being exposed to tuba, some of the fish would be intoxicated.

02 Small fish are scooped while the big ones are speared with
serapang or tiruk. A member of Benuaq Dayak in Pepas Eheng
explained that the floating fish are also collected using ponuk. In a
shallow river or swamp, the Dayaks use tudu/tiruk.
Among Benuaq Dayaks, spraying tuba performed in groups during

a draught season is a ritual asking for rain.
03
01, 02 ,03 (KPA)

Sepu and Other Traps
The Dayaks hunt birds for consumption or feet will be attached to the bamboo blades
breeding, which includes several pigeon that have been smeared with sap.
04
breeds. There are various techniques and
tools to catch birds as elaborated below. Another tool used for catching birds,
especially pigeons, is named bumutn
Trapping birds with tree sap (pulut) is sepukng. Such a tool is made of wood,
done by preparing 25-centimeter bamboo rattan, bark and leaves. To use it, a hunter
blades, which have been smeared with the would first build a small tent made of tree
sap of tohop, terap, pekaluku and lomuk leaves as a hiding place. He would then
trees. These trees grow near villages, farms spread rice around the tent and blows
and along riverbanks. The sap is acquired sepu, the sound of which bears a close
by scratching the trunk with a mandau or resemblance to pigeons. Upon hearing
machete and heating the sap to make it the sound, a bird of a pigeon breed would
thick. The bamboo blades smeared with approach to eat the grains. Capitalizing on
05
the sap are ready to be used to catch birds. this momentum, the hunter would target
Sap has an advantage over the fact that it the bird’s neck with bumuntn sepukng.
dissolves when exposed to the sunlight so
that it acquires stronger cohesion.
Trapping birds with the sap needs

additional equipment called sepu. Sepu is
a span long bamboo blowing tool shaped
like a flute and functions to attract birds.
To achieve this purpose, the sound of sepu
has to be similar to that of birds. If a bird is
attracted by the sound made by sepu and
lands on the tree where a trap is placed, its
06
04, 05, 06 (Steve Pillar)
(Rangga Purbaya)
From Tongko to Apit
Besides hunting birds, the Dayaks also have Tongko is a contraption that would encage hole and into the gawa. This sort of hunting
techniques to catch various animals around an animal in a hole. The hole is dug like a technique does not kill or harm the hunted
their farms. To identify animals’ path, they well (gawa) that goes as deep as 3 meters animal, except when killing is desired,
use pepi, namely heaps of grass tied with and around 1.5 meters wide. It is dug near namely by putting up tamiang bamboo
small ropes and then disguised. the farm where boars or payaus frequently or sharp pointed wood (seraiakng) on the
pass by. The mouth of gawa is covered with ground of gawa. The pointed end is placed
The pepis are placed around the farm. When small branches and leaves as camouflage, as upward.
pepis collapse, the hunter can identify the deceived, unsuspecting targets slip into the
path taken by animals. The hunter then
puts a trap near the pepis, separated by a
distance of one foot.
By assessing traces left by footprints, the

hunter would get an inkling of the kinds of
animals that frequently traverse the area,
for instance boars, payau, deer, porcupines
(hystrix brachyura), etc. There are several
kinds of traps, namely tongko, poti, rain deer
trap, penjare or apit.
01

Poti is made of tamiang

bamboo or hard wood with
a sharpened edge and uses a
camouflage. Poti is equipped
with a device functioning
like a trigger (balar). When
balar comes in direct contact
with a hunted animal, the
sharp tamiang bamboo will
immediately entrap the
animal.
02 01, 02 (Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)

A mouse deer trap is made of a

pliable wood measuring around 4
meters long. One end of the wood is
planted into the soil and another end
is bound with around 2 meters long
rattan that enables the wood to bend
01 02
as the rattan is drawn downward. The
pliability of the wood is maintained
by tying it at a 25 centimeters long
pole at its tip, which is knotted into
a slipknot. When an animal steps on
the slipknot, the trapped animal’s feet
would become entangled.
03 04
05 06
01-08 (Rangga Purbaya)

07 08

09
Penjare takes on the shape of a barred

cage that is made of hard wood and
rattan. Penjare is used for catching
monkeys, short-tailed macaque and
proboscis monkey. Penjare has a door.
A bait such as cassava or a ripe banana
inside the bars. When a monkey is
lured into penjare drawn by the bait, it
will accidentally activate the penjare’s
rope, pulling the penjare’s door close
and trapping the monkey in it.

Apit is a tool to catch the civets and made of

sharpened wood and bamboo and is usually
put up close to a farm or in the forest and is
placed between two poles. On the top of the
wood, a hunter would place forest bananas
attached to a disguised rope. As the civet
approaches the banana, it will touch the
trapping rope that would cause the two
poles to collapse, trapping it in the middle.
In honoring traditional Dayak customs, a

person is not allowed to set up a trap at will.
The person setting up a trap has to place
a clear signal at the location of the trap
even though it is situated in his own farm.
Normally, the sign is made by putting up a
pole as high as 1.5 meters that is inserted
with a sharpened bamboo. The person has
to inform the residents both through the
village chief and through an announcement
at houses of worship that advises other
residents to refrain from entering or
hunting in the areas.

They also have a rule in their customary As these animal traps endanger human
law that handles cases in which a person is safety, this technique of trapping animals is
injured through contact with animal traps. largely abandoned by the Dayaks. However,
Usually, a traditional elder will settle such if it is used, traps would be placed away
cases by deciding on the customary fine from farming areas, and maintain isolation
that has to be paid by the person setting up in the middle of the jungle.
the trap. The amount of the customary fine
is decided in accord with damages suffered
from contact with the trap. If a trap leads
to the death of a person, usually the case
is handed over to police to be processed
under the criminal law.

148
01 02
03 04 05 06
Tools for Signaling There are two kinds of tawek. If a gong is In addition to gongs, the Dayaks are also
beaten with a quick tone, it signals a fight or familiar with a long drum that has different
For the Dayaks, a gong does not merely fire is taking place. Meanwhile, if it is beaten names according to different tribal groups,
serve as a tool for making sound but also in a rather slow tone, it marks the arrival of for instance the Kenyah Dayaks, the Bahau
one for communication. When the Dayaks an official, a summons for cultural event or Busang Dayaks and the Kayan Dayaks call it
hear the sound of gong , they will certainly death. respectively jatong, tuvung and katung.
wait for the next sound to understand the
sign that is being conveyed by the one For instance, the tawek for conveying A jatong is made of a 2-meter long bengkirai
beating the gong. the death of a person takes the form of log with a diameter of 50 centimeters.
three-time beatings, each of which is The center of the log is drilled, creating a
The 50-centimeter to 70-centimeter separated by a time interval to signify hole with a desired length and a diameter
gong would sound when it is beaten by a sadness so that the gong will produce the of around 40 centimeters. The hole is
wooden stick made of ulin wood whose tip sound “gooooonggg......goooonnnnng........ covered by a sheet of cow skin, the ends
is wrapped by clothe so that it has a round goooooonnng”. Meanwhile, the tawek are bound together with a rattan string
shape. The cloth wrapping serves to protect informing people about a fire makes quick that circles the jatong from the upper part
the the outer part of the gong from being repetitive sounds at shorter intervals to its bottom. The cow skin serves as the
quickly damaged. Every strike will create “goong goong goong goong goong....goong drum membrane, while the ratan string
different tones depending on the message. goong goong goong goong....goong goong functions to fasten the membrane to enable
The sound of gong made to deliver news is goong goong goong”. it to produce a loud sound. The jatong stick
called tawek.

149
07 08 09
10 11
12
13 14
called tit jatong hang is generally made of Aside from the two sound-producing tools,
the same type of wood as that of the drum. remains a hand drum (gimer) that is only
used in a traditional healing ritual (belian).
The drum is commonly placed on the The drum hand’s length is a fathom with
veranda or in a corner of a lamin, hanged a 50-centimeter diameter. This type of
in a diagonal position. But the Bahau, Kayan hand drum is found only in the lamin of the
and Aohen/Penihing Dayaks provide the head of customary body of Dayak Benuaq
drum with a wooden seat to support it, in Pintuq/Benung, and in the houses of
and the drummer sits on a chair facing pawang belian. 15
the drum. In the past, the drum functions
as a sound-producing tool that alerted
the people of an imminent enemy attack.
The nobels, i.e hipuy, paren respectively
in Bahau and Kenyak Dayaks, are the only
ones entitled to beat the drum. Nowadays,
a jatong is beaten if someone from the same
village encounters an accident in the forest.
16 17
16-17 (Steve Pillar)

01 (Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka)

01 02
Various Transportation Means shift is a commonly found phenomenon in River transportation has also seen
Indonesia due to, among others, practical significant transformation following
It was getting dark when we set foot at considerations to shorten distances, saving the introduction of modern water
the Long Anai village. Suddenly, a bright time or reducing fatigue. transportation modes. Nowadays, engine-
light burning through from a motorcycle’s powered boats have mostly replaced
headlight. We immediately turned to see Walking relies on physical power. The rowboats. Nevertheless, the Dayaks still
who it was. A rattan-plaited bag (ingen) Dayaks usually walk from their homes to retain the basic knowledge and skills to
containing two chopping knives (baheng) their farms, or from home on their way make riverboats.
is on his back. We greeted him asking his to a ghat to which they tie their boats,
destination and received an answer: “I’ve and then continue to walk towards their In Kenyah language, a boat is called an
just returned home from farm”. farms. Normally, those who are used to alut. A long boat (alut pasa) is commonly
walking from their homes to the farms sighted in many of the lamins and balais
Kalimantan is a vast area with big and small need between 1 to 2 hours. Those who are in Hulu Mahakam area. The long boat has a
rivers separating dry areas. Assigned to not used to it will need a longer time. To thickness of 15 centimeters and a length of
such geographical profile, the Dayaks have protect their feet from thorns in the forest, 28 meters, and can accommodate 25 people.
certainly familiarized themselves with two the Dayaks sometimes wear sandals made
types of transportation means, i.e. land and of rattan (sumpa) that has been smoothened Alut makers usually select red Meranti
river transportation. Forests and rivers are and woven into slippers, and there are still wood (Parashorea) or medang wood
inseparable from the daily life of the Dayaks. slippers that are made of bark. On the way (Deheasia) to craft into a boat, they are
to the farm, they would carry equipment drawn to the lightness of the two types of
In the past, the only way for them to such as a blowgun, of which the tip is wood, which also have better resistance
travel on land was on foot or by boarding attached with a spearhead, a large knife to water compared to others of their
a rowing boat to roam the rivers or lakes. (mandau) slung around their hips, big kind. To make a long boat, the Dayaks
However, as illustrated above, walking no chopping knife, grindstone, ingen anjau, choose a log with 4 fathoms in length and
longer becomes the only option to travel on ingen ateg and other essentials. 4 kilans (1 kilan equals to approximately
land for the Kenyah Dayaks. This cultural 15-20 centimeters) in width. The log is

03
04 05
cut in half, and its center is dug out using Jejera comes in handy when there is
a pickax (asai) to form the boat’s body thick wood to be drilled. Jejera is made of
(blempiang), which is fastened by four bengkirai wood; its rotating part’s width
clips to form a concave shape. One tip spans 100 centimeters, the rotating disk’s
of the log will become the boat’s prow diameter stretches 15 centimeters and it
(julong alut), while the other tip will serve looms 30 centimeters in height. This tool
as its stem (mureq alut). The thickness can last up to to five years, depending on
of the boat’s body spans over 2 fingers, its usage. However, frequent use is likely to
while the thickness of its bottom part is 3 contribute to rapid laceration. Even though
fingers. The convex forming the bottom of the Dayaks of today are more inclined
the boat is then heated by fire to make it to use electric-powered hand drills for
smooth. The boat is heated by hanging it efficiency, the jejera continues to stand the
upside down, 0.5 meter from the glowing test of time and has become testament to
fire (Depdikbud, 1993). how conventional ways and wisdom often
extend way beyond their time, even in
The Dayaks have also developed a technique intricate technical craftmanship.
for keeping the boat’s balance. They need
to ensure that the entire boat surface - on
left and right sides, on the tips as well as the
center – has the same thickness. They have
a special tool called jejera for making holes
on both sides of the boat to measure the
thickness of the boat’s body. After ensuring
the entire surface has the same thickness,
the holes are filled again with wood to
prevent the boat from potential leakage.

152
Alutpasa Boat Manufacturing Technique
Tools:
YK

153

154
01
02
In the past, the Dayaks used to row their and water-resistant quality. The bigger the The river transportation means called ces
boats with an oar (besei). The oar is made of size of the planks forming the body of the or ketinting is unique compared to boats in
hard wood, usually ulin wood. The oar size boat, the bigger the ketinting’s size is. The South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.
is adjusted with the required usage. Oars inner part of the ketinting is equipped with Its uniqueness comes from the propeller
for children is smaller in size than those planks for seats. The distance between the wheel axis that protudes from the engine.
meant for their adult counterparts. Men seat plank and the boat’s base is around On the ketinting engine, the axis is attached
and women are each assigned their own 0.5 meter. The boat’s base is also covered to the boat engine. Anwar, a driver of “taxy
oar designs. Women usually use oars called with planks that serve as floor called kelasa boat” in Tering Seberang, explained that the
besei bawi. Its stick is carved, while the part alut. The Dayaks utilize kelasa alut as protruding propeller axis enables smooth
that is under water has the shape of three accommodation for goods. Aside from the rotation of the fan that starts the engine.
angles. Meanwhile, men use besei hatue, the planks, the boat’s floor can also use plainted
size of which is smaller than besei bawi, with bamboo attached with rattan string. The The means of transportation that is
uncarved stick, while the part that is under boat’s engine employs a long handle, placed currently used for a trip from Long Bagun
water has a blunt shape. in the stem and controlled by a boatman to the area of Hulu Riam Mahakam at the
called motoris. When the engine is started, Sub-district of Long Pahangai and Long
In addition to aluts, there are engine the rotating propeller that is under water Apari is long boats, which are able to
powered boats called ces or ketinting. A will produce the sound ces ...ces. Due to this withstand a load capacity of 2 tons and
ketinting’s body is made of wooden planks sound, the engine-powered boats are also 3 tons and driven by 200 horse-power
that are glued to each other with wood referred to ces boats in local tongue.
sap that has a strong adhesive substance

155
05
03 04 06
03, 04, 05 (Steve Pillar)

01, 02, 06, 07 (Rangga Purbaya)
engine. In addition, there are speedboats

for passengers that are made of fiber glass,
its power propelled by 400 horse-power
engine. Although the speedboat owners
are not Dayaks, the motoris of the boats are
Dayaks with exceptional boat-maneuvering
skills the boats; they know the condition
of the Riam Mahakam like the back of
their hands. The long boats owned by the
Dayaks are usually used for passengers and
cargo. Meanwhile, the long boats owned by
logging companies are also captained by the
Dayaks, carrying fuel.
07

(Rangga Purbaya)
158
01 02 03 04 05
Above from left to right: Doyo leaves washing process.

01 (Rangga Purbaya)
02-05 (Illustration: Eddie B Handono)
Clothing and Accessories grass found around most villages and on

the forest ground floor. There are four
Just like other Indonesian ethnic groups, types of doyo leaves, i.e. doyo pentih, doyo
the Dayaks have various traditional clothes temoya, doyo tulang and doyo bramang.
worn in accordance with certain types of Out of the four types of leaves, only doyo
rituals and activities. They have several bramang leaves that can produce fiber for
types of dresses and accessories, such threads (Chaniago, 1983). Those making
as hats that are both decorated with ulap doyo said that it is getting increasingly
ornaments as well as plainer ones. They also difficult now to find doyo plants as the
have in their indigenous wardrobe chest areas previously grown with doyo plants
bead ornaments that are attached to their have been transformed into large-scale
clothing and various daily accessories. monoculture plantations. The logging done
for a large-scale production may also affect
the habitat of doyo plants, which require a
rich palette of shades.
Shirt boiled water of glingem fruit or otel wood.
The boiled water of uwar wood produces
The production of ulap doyo is mostly done
The Benuaq Dayaks call their traditional brown colorings. The colorful thread is
by women. The production starts with
shirt ulap sape, which is woven from dayo woven in a traditional weaving tool called
picking and soaking the leaves in water, and
fiber. The ulap dayo is the fine art of Benuaq gedokan (atem). An ulap doyo cloth with the
drying them under the sun. When the leaves
Dayaks who reside in the sub-district of size of 100 centimeters x 150 centimeters
are already dried, they are rubbed with a
Jempang, i.e. the villages of Tanjung Jan, takes 10 days to make.
dull tool to produce doyo leaf fiber that is to
Tanjung Isuy, Mancong, Pentat, Muara
be spun into thread. The spinning tool can
Nayan, Perigiq, Lembonah and Muara A Tenggarong Museum official explained to
also be used to spin doyo fiber into rope.
Tae. The woven ulap doyo shirt retains its us in an interview about various motifs of
The tool works if the rope that coils around
prominence in the areas. typical Benuaq Dayak ulap doyo, including
its two pegs is pulled so that the pegs
tipak nowala, tempaku, pucuk rebung,
rotate. Wood fiber is tied in the tips of the
The raw material of doyo woven clothing tengkulat, rangkang, berubung, upak talang,
pegs, which will be spun it into thread or
is doyo leaves (Curculigo latifolia), pupu, temang nuat, tengkulun tangkau,
rope. After the spinning process, the thread
whose shape is similar to anggrek tanah temang sesat tengkar, ero tungkai, toray. The
is colored black, red and white using natural
(Spathoglottis plicata) with wide leaves. This variants of motifs that have been developed
colorings. A red color is produced from
plant grows among bushes and a cogon are those of a dragon, molar, banyan tree

159
root, fish, stairs with serration, sleeping which is a type of sack dress worn by
tiger, coconut bee motifs, and so forth. women. They also wear clothing named Various Ulap Doyo weavings.
(Susi Abdurahman)
toa beh. A robe called besunung, is made of Loincloth
The Dayaks have several types of shirts. the skin of clouded leopard. The back part
Benuaq Dayak men of the past, for instance, of the besunung is garnished with either a During a wedding ritual, in addition
liked to wear clothes made of jomok tree sprinkling of ornaments, or several hornbill to wearing the above mentioned
bark. The way to produce it is by peeling off feathers. garments, Dayak men wear a long
the jemok bark, soaking it, and then drying loincloth decorated with beads called
it under the sun. The dried bark is pounded In the old days, some Dayaks wore clothes abat or bah. The loinccloth is made
into a sheet, and then it is made into a made of animal skin, including that of of bark (ewah nyamo). The loincloth
traditional garment. In addition to being a clouded leopards along with their tails. is between 4 meters to 6 meters in
clothing material, the jomok bark can also From a distance, the tail of a clouded lenght, adjusted to the roundness of
be used as blanket material. leopard would look like as if it was attached the waist of its wearer. Bah is used
to the body of the person wearing the by children, teenagers and adults.
In a traditional wedding ritual, men wear a clothes, contributing to the myth that the Nowadays, bah is worn together with
garment called sepay dada, which consists ancient Dayaks had tails. short pants (Belareq, 2008).
of a long-sleeved shirt and sepay sepa,

160
01
Stevanus Oey, Ulap Doyo craftman, Tanjung Isuy.
Beads
The Dayaks have a way with bead handicrft, Nangin, a Busang villager aged 64 years, The process of threading beads into woven
in which beads are threaded into various explained in an interview about several products begins with attaching a basic
ornaments, for instance, ornaments motifs of bead weaving by Bahau Dayaks, thread on the upper part of the supporting
attached on a mandau, traditional shirts, such as human (kelunan), dog (asoq), dragon plank. Next, threads use to join the
seraung, tablecloths, curtains used as room (beraang), and sitting frog (bunang bello) beads are juxtaposed to the basic thread,
partition, various types of wallets, and so on. motifs. separated with an even space throughout,
and are separated by one to three beads
Bead handicraft has excellent durability To thread beads, they need a supporting depending on the desired pattern. Then, the
as they are made of hard materials, such plank made of wood, thread from pineapple beads are attached to one of the threads,
as stones, that they can last for dozens of fiber or an ordinary thread dipped in squeezing them close together, and then
years. Bead making is a preserved tradition, bee wax so as to enable it to be inserted they are joined with one bead, starting
even today, and is a common activity smoothly into the bead hole, as well as with the second thread, left and right sides.
involving Dayak women, especially when colorful small beads. One bead is also sewed on to the first
they do not have to attend to farming. standalone thread. The next step sees the
beads sewn into the threads, and all threads
RP The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

161
03 04 05 06
02 07 08
Various beads and bead-decorated clothing. 01-08 (Rangga Purbaya)
adjacent to each other are joined again through it. However, these types of beads
with the following beads, starting from the are near extinction as of today, victims of
first thread, and then on to the left and environmental abuse.
right sides. Then, the threading process is
repeated multiple times. The bead color
selection depends on the intended motif
pattern.
The beads currently used by the Dayaks

are imported products that are easily
found in Samarinda stores. In the past, the Bead handicraft has excellent durability as they are
ancestors of the Dayaks obtained various
made of hard materials, such as stones, that they
types of beads from their surroundings,
for instance a type of stone that had a hole can last for dozens of years.

162
03 04
01 02 05 06
Headwear are designed to last, thanks to their rattan nowadays. The Kenyah Dayaks in Datah
composition, allowing wear of more than Bilang Hilir must take a 2.5-hour trip by
Upon our arrival at the Dayak villages of three years. This type of headwear serves to ketinting boat, followed by scouring of 2
West Kutai, we have observed women cover the hair so as to keep it neat. hours to find sang leaves as the trees only
and men alike, donning a unique head grow in the forest. Now, they replaced the
cover, both when they are at home, on a basic material of seraung with a pandanus
plant or kajang that is easier to find.
boat as well as when they are out farming. Seraung
There are various head covers or hats
of the Dayaks that are worn on different The process of making seraung starts with
In Sendawar, we saw a different look for
occassions as elaborated below. preparing a number of main materials,
headcovers. On our arrival, the people
i.e. several dozens of sang leaves, which
were holding rowing competition on
have been dried for a week and washed
traditional boats, the infamous dragon boat
for five minutes to enable the leaves to
Tapung Puk competition. All rowers wore caping-type
open easily. The already-opened leaves are
headcovers known as seraung.
straightened by rolling them using both
At Long Anai village of Kutai Kertanegara
palms, and by placing them under a mat for
Regency that is inhabited by Kenyah Dayaks, Seraung is part of the daily accessories for
a week to straighten and flatten them. The
we saw two women in head covers called Dayak people. This head cover or caping
straightened and flat sang leaves are plaited
tapung puk. This commonly used head cover is known to be versatile as it can be worn
into seraung.
for daily usage circles the head, covering in various activities for protection against
the forehead, but has no cover on its upper the sun and the rain, especially in farming
As it is made of light leaves that can easily
part, resembling a headband. The shape of activities or fishing. Seraungs come in
tear, the seraung head cover’s prime would
the tapung puk worn by the men, although different sizes, big and small. Some are plain
only span one to two years. However, as
nearly identical, has an additional rattan but others are more elaborate. A seraung
its main materials are hard to find and its
weaving on the front and back. Tapung puks is made of sang leaves that are a rarity

163
07 08
manufacturing process is delicate, not to

Bluko Ne
mention its multi-purpose function, seraung
is priced rather expensively. During the time
Bluko ne is a plain cap made of rattan
of this research, Kenyah Dayaks in Datah
decorated with bird feathers. The Dayaks
Bilang Hilir sold large-sized (around 60
wear bluko ne with an additional hornbill
centimeters) seraungs for Rp 70,000, while
feather as an ornament specifically for use
the smaller ones (around 40 centimeters)
during a traditional ceremony, which would
were priced Rp 50,000 each.
be later removed to accommodate daily use.
The materials needed to make seraung

The process of manufacturing bluko ne
are sang leaves, rattan, a piece of cloth,
starts with preparing rattan, a rattan cutter,
threads and a needle. However, Dayak
and a small mandau knife. The rattan is
youth seem to have outgrown seraung.
plaited in a way that mirrors the makings
This phenomenon is certainly not confined
of an ingen. The size of bluko ne is adjusted
to Dayak people as it also happens in
according to the desire of the wearer. The
other parts of Indonesia. Should this
durability of bluko ne depends highly on
predicament continue, cultural heirlooms
its use. If it is worn daily and frequently
that have become an identity of an ethnic
exposed to rain, it can quickly be damaged.
group might eventually disappear, such is
In general, bluko ne’s durability reaches
the possible future fate of seraung of the
more than 10 years.
Dayaks.

164
01 02
Tattoo Enriched with a

Thousand Meanings
Tattooing or marking the skin surface uncharted territories around the home Kenyah males, on the other hand, are drawn
on different parts of the body as an art village or other Dayak villages. to animal motifs (kalung bala-ut), sun motifs
to beautify the body is common practice (kalung tab), and eggplant flowers (kalung
among Dayak women. As for Dayak men, Some Dayak Kenyah males in Long Anai piu), according to Sjahbandi et. al. (1995).
tattoos symbolize certain experiences or have taken to decorating their arms or We met a 66-year old Weq Doh Ding.
particular achievements throughout one’s shoulders with tattoos of airplanes ─ a Weq is a typical nickname for women in
lifetime. Tattoos also represent personal souvenir of previous travel to Sarawak, East Kenyah, which means “Madam”. Even at 66,
identity and to an extent, are also indicative Malaysia. For Dayak females, other than Weq Doh-Ding’s face still bears evidence
of one’s social standing. They are usually emblems of social status, tattoos are also of beauty from her youth. Her body is
attached to a particular meaning for the considered as an art form with which one decorated with tattoos, from her toes,
bearer. decorate their body to express a level of ankles, to her fingers. She has long dangling
maturity. This type of tattoo can be found ear lobes, weighed down by heavy silver
There are countless interpretations to inked on the entire back part of the leg, all earrings.
various tattoo designs, depending on the the way down to the calf and the outer side
motifs and respective positions on the of the palm up to the forearm. Weq Doh Ding then rummaged her
body. For example, among Dayak males, a recollection of days past when she was a
dragon tattoo inked on the entire length of Tattoo motifs are generally inspired by young woman, as her hands continued to
the neck represents nobility. It also hints of natural surroundings, incorporating designs weave rattan to make floor mats. She was
an extraordinary experience of the bearer, of plants or animals. The motifs commonly tattooed to honor local custom, she said.
who, for example, has chopped off the head used by Dayak Kenyah female are coyotes She laid on her back as the front of her body
of an enemy during warfare or a journey (kalung asuq) and animal horns (kalung was tattooed and reclined on her stomach
into some foreign land. “Foreign lands” do wanbeng), which are tattooed on their legs while her back was worked on. Tattoos are
not always constitute foreign countries, and arms, as well as circular motifs (kalung created by scarring the skin surface using
as the term could easily be translated into buleng) inking their calves and ankles. Dayak burned iron needles. The size of the needle

165
03 04 05
depends on the broadness of the motif. A infection during the process of tattoo
piece of bamboo is tied to a needle shaft to application. First, the person who will
control the depth of the tattoo. be tattooed must be healthy and the
equipment must be put into boiling water
The scarification process is accomplished for sterilization. In addition, the body part
by tapping the needle slowly and repeatedly which will be tattooed must be covered
into the body area that will be tattooed. with leaves that serve as a dye and as an
That part is then smeared with dye made infection prevention.
from leaves compound.
In Mahakam inland, we only recovered
Tattoos in Weq Doh Ding’s body are colored fading traces of the tattooing legacy among
black, a color obtained from lampblack Dayak people we encountered. Some of the
residue from an oil lamp or burnt pan. And adults bore tattoos on their bodies simply
then the lampblack is mixed with cane to honor a cultural inheritance from their
sugar and oil. The process is painful and ancestors. As for the young people, if any
sometimes the scar might be exposed to were tattooed, it is almost certain that
infection. However, Dayak women interpret they used modern tattooing techniques,
the scarification and the pain inflicted by apparent from the telltale contemporary
it as a sign of readiness to embrace both motifs or sometimes, a combination of
physical and mental ordeal while sailing Dayak traditional motifs and contemporary
through life. motifs.
Dayak people take pride in their customized

technique to reduce pain and prevent

Kenyah children playing at lamin Pampang.
(Rangga Purbaya)
The Backpack Basket Typically, ingen kalong is decorated with

embroidery patterns and fitted with a sling
Dayak people rely on a technique to carry strap, legitimizing its use as a backpack.
load on their back using a backpack basket Ingen kalong is used as a container to carry
01
called ingen, lanjung, anjat or gawakng crops to the house.
while they are farming or out running
errands. The basic material used to make Ingen anjau is also a basket made from
this backpack is rattan, which is grown in finely woven rattan and the shape is similar
their plantations (lembo/Dayak Tunjung; to that of ingen kalong. But the difference is
simpukng/Dayak Benuaq). Nikolaus, that ingen kalong has a longer footing than
et. al (2007) named the types of rattan ingen anjau. Also, ingen anjau eliminates
incorporated in the weaving process as the use of a sling strap, dedicating its use to
rattan sega, kotok, and seltup. The men are newly harvested rice.
in charge of collecting rattan in the forest
and bringing bulks of it back to their homes. Ingen ateg is also a woven rattan basket,
offering more holding capacity than ingen
kalong and ingen anjau. Ingen ateg is used
to hold rice which will be carried to a
Types of Basket
rice thresher site at the field. For Dayak
02 people, ingen is one of the primary tools in
Ingen is the term assigned by Dayak Kenyah
everyday life.
people to several types of backpack basket,
according to its size and usage. Some of the
The first step of making
native references used to describe these
ingen is by thinly
baskets are ingen kalong, ingen anjau and
whittling the
ingen ateg. Dayak Bahau people refer to the
rattan, then
basket as ingan.
weaving it
carefully. A
Ingen kalong is a type of basket made from
tightly knit
finely woven rattan which is 45 centimeters
ingen
long and has an opening with a diameter of
will
25 centimeters. In every corner there are
03
four sticks of rattan that serve as footing.

make a stronger basket. Kenyah people rattan products, both anjat and ingen pole. Merunti is meant to make rattan vines
add decorative ornaments to their ingens see encouraging weekly sales. Therefore, flexible, allowing them to be shaped easily
to distinguish themselves from others the locals have aptly earned themselves when woven. After the merunti is done, the
of different social status. A motif in the recogntion as skilled rattan craftsmen as different rattan sections are cleaned and
likeness of a complete human figure well as seasoned farmers. trimmed by knife.
signifies that the owner is a highborn
(paren). The pulsating sales activities of woven The next stage is dividing the rattan vines,
rattan products are supported by the usually into 10 parts (poka). First, a rattan is
Dayak people are familiar with a backpack convenience of river transport from Datah divided into 2 parts and each individual part
basket which is often called anjat. The Bilang to Tering which only takes three is then divided into another 5 parts (poka),
shape resembles a tube which is 50 hours on ketinting. From that point on, the making 10 pokas in total. In order to refine
centimeters long; the top and the bottom trip from Tering to Barong Tangkok and those parts, a sharpener called “sangat” is
both have a diameter of 30 centimeters. Melak will take two hours on a motorcycle. used. This L shaped tool has two blades
The size of anjat may vary depending on the But unfortunately, the situation is different on the edge of its vertical section. The
need. Anjat does not come with a lid, but for the Dayak community inhabiting horizontal section serves as the craftsman’s
there are small wooden rattan rings on top, Long Apari and Long Pahangai districts. seat or footing to give the sangat stability
with a rope circled around them. If the rope They have to go downstream by boat and during use.
is pulled, the anjat will turn into the shape penetrate the vicious cascade, making
of a cone as the top part collapses, sealing marketing of their woven rattan products a The blades’ position will determine the
it shut. daunting challenge. shape of the rattan parts. To make thin
parts, a craftsman uses two sangats, one
All of Dayak people master the skills of There are several stages in woven rattan sangat is laid down and the other one is
rattan weaving, producing a variety of production. The earliest stage is cutting placed in a standing position. This means
products, ornaments, motifs and catering rattan vines planted in gardens (simpukng), only one sangat, the one positioned
to different needs. In the villages of Dayak and then cleaning the spikes surrounding vertically, that will cut down the rattan. And
Aoheng, Bahau, Kenyah, Tanjung and the stems. The next step is rubbing the the one that is laid down, will determine the
Benuaq, there can be found many rattan rattan (merunti) by holding the vines using thickness of the rattan parts. To produce
craft items such as floor mats and backpack left and right hands to form a circular larger parts of rattan, both sangats will be
baskets. Aside from personal use, these shape, then attaching it to a pole or a tree placed in a standing position.
products also make excellent commodities. trunk located inside the circle. When moved
For example, in Datah Bilang Hilir village back and forth with both hands, the rattan
and Datah Bilang Hulu village, woven stems will rub against the tree trunk or

Child Carrier
Besides anjat, there is a different genre

in the backpack basket faimliy that is
called bening aban by the Dayak Kenyah
community. It is used to carry a child
younger than three years of age. For
mothers, bening aban allows them
practicality as they are able to keep their
children close while they go about their day.
Bening aban uses a 38- to 40-centimeter
snakewood timber, with a minimum
The next phase will take us through (dengur). This stage is called nonjak. The diameter of 60 centimeters. The timber is
coloring. Coloring material for rattan uses weaving process is done from the left to used as a frame and the woven rattan is
kesempang piak leaves, which are boiled the right side. In order to make anjat, there used as a strap for bening aban.
in a pot, along with rattan parts that have are two weaving patterns, which is lifting
been cut down. During the boiling process, and closing two strips of rattan. Upon The process of making bening aban begins
the mixture needs to be stirred well so completion of the upper part, the next step with cutting and splitting snakewood
the color will seep evenly into the rattan. involves drawing up a motif called ngerara. timber into a semicircular shape. The top
Although this is a simple boiling process, The last step is weaving the bottom side or and bottom are both sized 4 kilan. These
Dayak people apply some restrictions. making klikar which serves as the base of parts are then sun-dried for two to three
They are not allowed to boil rattan in the anjat and has a round shape. Klikar is also months. Following exposure to the sun,
case of death among them or if a woman is made from woven rattan. each of those parts are then fitted with
experiencing her monthly menstrual cycle a piece of board on the bottom to seat
or giving birth. The process of boiling rattan Anjat has various kinds of ornament motifs. the carried child. Typically, bening aban
with coloring leaves takes three to four Generally, anjat made by Dayak Benuaq is embellished with distinctive motifs of
hours. The rattan sections are then lifted craftsmen in Pepas Eheng use leave motifs Dayak painting, and then furnished with
and immersed in mud overnight. They are such as dawatn danan, benawa bingkas, or tiger or bear fang ornaments, coins, and
cleansed with water and sun-dried until animal motives including kelelemakng baraq, beads. Bening aban is sold at various price
they are ready to be woven. mataq punei, jatuk mantuku, tempilih, circular tags. While this research was conducted,
or square patterns such as lurang lomo, the price of bening aban in Datah Bilang
Rattan weaving to make anjat starts from tumpakng dara, selengkau gelangkng, kelolokng, ranged from Rp 350,000 to Rp 1 million,
the top, to form string holes of anjat and floral motifs such as bungan naga. depending on the size and ornate details.

The tradition of carrying a child with bening that beg for protection from The Creator
aban is common practice among mothers of and hope for her child a prosperous future.
Dayak Kenyah and Dayak Bahau. The child
carried in the back is facing forward. We The durability of all types of bags made of
tried to use bening aban to carry a child and woven rattan (anjat, ingen, bening aban)
we ended up with the sensation that the is very relative, depending on individual
child was glued to our backs. So the child is treatment of the user. However, Sicilia, a
indeed secure and the mother can do her villager of Long Hubung, described her
activities freely. In its development bening experience passing on bening aban to her
aban use is not restricted to mothers, as great-grandchildren, meaning the aban
fathers have taken to using this contraption had 80 to 100 years under its belt. Whilst
themselves. this might sound far-fetched, a bening aban
which is made from high quality rattan and
All the ornaments in bening aban bear was woven properly is able to withstand
particular meanings. For example, the years of use and can be handed down
ornament of tree of life means signifies a through generations.
future of long and healthy life for the child.
Coins and tigers or bear fangs symbolize the The durability of ingen and
hope that one day the child will be a person anjat are different because
on whom wisdom has been bestowed upon. of the intensive use in daily
Leaf patterns, on the other hand, represent activities. Often times, injen
an expectation for the child to grow into a and anjat cannot avoid
person of humility. constant exposure to sun and
rain, therefore they can only
Apart from carrying a child, bening aban has last for a few decades.
another function. It can be used to cradle
a child and put them to sleep. A mother The interesting thing about
assuming the task of putting her offspring this back-load carrying
to slumber would put one leg over the technique is the ability of
other, then rocks her body back and forth, Dayak people in designing
willing sleep to come quickly. While doing many kinds of baskets that are
so, the mother will sing traditional songs pretty simple but proven to be

effective. They can carry crops, everyday natural resources and forest destruction
tools such as knives and cleavers, and also are not only a hazard that compromises
safely carry a child on their back. Once environmental harmony and lives that owe
again, this ability confirms the value of their sustainability to that harmony, but also
local intelligence that they have inherited to the preservation of sources of knowledge
for generations, a treasure yet to earn and valuable technologies. Preservation
proper recogition. It is unfortunate that efforts are faced with increasingly complex
the preservation of this technology is challenges threatening the longevity of
impeded by the depletion of raw rattan. As rattan plantations due to the inclusion of
we have previously mentioned several times monoculture plantations in Dayak villages. 01
throughout this book, the exploitation of
02
Various kinds of bening, a child-

carrier made from woven rattan
and beads.
01-10
03
(Rangga Purbaya)

04
05
06 10
07 08 09

01
Instruments for Belian Those mediators need particular • Sue Balai Tautn, a temporary hut which
instruments to perform belian ceremony, is generally build in a yard or around a
Ceremony
a traditional ritual aimed to treat diseases. field and used for buffalo slaughtering
There are several categories of belian. ceremony. Sue balai is a place to
Information about traditional ceremony
Among the instruments used are: welcome and entertain marriage officials
instruments as described below was
• Lawukng, a headband made from cloth. and weather charmers.
retrieved from Benuaq and Tunjung/
Tonyooi tribes. However, Dayak Kenyah
• Ketakung, a pair of bronze bracelets
people in Long Anai of today seldom hold In belian ceremony, Dayak people also know
worn by pemeliatn both on the left and
traditional rituals; they also provided us how to recover a stiff and weary body. The
right arms.
with information about instruments used in charmer will dip kalase wood into water,
local religious ceremonies. • Samakng Sawit, a strand of necklace then tapping it over the tension of the body.
adorned with animal fangs and The kalase will cool off the afflicted parts
The cosmological beliefs of Dayak people medication timber, which is slung from of the body and speed up the recovery
believe in the existence of supernatural the left to right shoulder. process.
forces that maintain the harmony between • Ulap Bawo, a skirt used by pemeliatn
universe and human life. If the humankind during belian bawo ritual, while his chest Dayak Benuaq people distinguish traditional
cannot maintain this harmony, then nature is left bare and only wrapped by samakng rituals for life from those dedicated to
shall reward them with punishment. Among sawit. death. The term belian is only used for
Dayak people, a chosen few are believed traditional rituals related to life. As for
• Nujaakng, a swing made from canoe-
to be blessed with the ability to mediate traditional death rituals, they use the term
shaped wood, has a rattan string, and
communication with “The Lord of The wara or sentangih (Dayak Tonyooi) and the
equipped with numerous human and
Universe”. People with this special ability are charmer is called pengewara (Dayak Benuaq)
bird likenesses. This instrument is used
called dayung (Dayak Bahau) or pemeliatn or penyentangih (Dayak Tonyooi).
as a boat that can be launched into water
(Dayak Benuaq).
and to the air.

02 03
In Dayak Benuaq community, there are • Garey, a small house built from wood
three categories of death rituals, namely and uses ironwood shingles as its roof.
param fire, kenyau and kwangkai. Some The size corresponds to the length and
of the equipment used in this traditional width of lungun which will be place
ceremony are: inside it. Traditionally, after kwangkai
• Lungun, a coffin made from logs of ceremony (the second burial ceremony),
durian tree, ironwood, benggeris, or the family of the deceased will move the
other fruit trees. Lungun made from bones inside lungun which is placed in a
ironwood or benggeris is only used garey to be placed inside a tempelaq or
by noblemen (mantiq), while common kerekng.
people use durian logs or other types of • Tempelaq/Kererekng, a place to store a
wood. The coffin is made by hollowing corpse’s bones which are dug out from
rounded woods and putting a cap on the grave and have undergone kwangkai
them. Then both woods are glued ceremony. Tempeleq/Kererekng is a crate
together using gum resin. It is imperative or a box made from ironwood. If the
that the lungun be made from logs, crate is supported with two rounded
because the instrument has to be sturdy pillars, then it is called tempelaq; but if it
and dense enough to store a corpse is only supported by one pillar, then it is
for several days inside a house. Lungun called kererekng.
can be round or square in shape, and
Tempelaq is a canoe-shaped tomb, but
is decorated with sculptures. Typically
others may be shaped like a crate with
it is 136.6 centimeters in length, 39.5
a lid placed over it. Tempelaq/kererekng
centimeters in height, 28 centimeters in
can be considered as a tomb above
width, and 3.4 centimeters in thickness. 04
ground. The log pillar which supports it
02, 04. (Steve Pillar)
01, 03. (Rangga Purbaya)

01
has a diameter of some 25 centimeters come across an insignia in the form of a • Ngelangkakng, a woven bamboo to place
and stands firmly 2 meters above ground. hombill bird’s head on the rim of the lid. offerings for the spirits.
It is also planted under ground with a
• Selimat, a cube with pyramid-shaped • Siliu, an instrument shaped like a canoe
depth of around 1 meter.
lid. It is used as a container used to and made from wood. Siliu is equipped
keep bones in and also serves as an with rattan strings which are hung like a
The upper end of the ironwood logs,
instrument for ngerangkau (a dance in swing. Siliu can be launched into a river
which serve as the left and right pillar,
kwangkai ceremony). The outer wall of or used on dry land.
are carved out with a pickaxe to create
selimat is carved out with floral motifs
grooves on both the left and the right • Longan Jejer Tako takes the form of a
as a symbol of grief.
side. The shape resembles a bolt at buffalo statue with four holes through
the same height of the tempelaq crate • Putang Temiang, a holder on which which four bamboo tubes penetrate. The
and is used to support the front and strings and decorative fabrics used in bamboo tubes are tied (suey) and secured
the back of tempelaq.The width of ngerangkau dance are strewn. Putang with rectangular bamboo strips.
tempelaq’s outer wall may vary and is Temiang is a wooden pillar built from
• Belontakng, a monument built from
sculptured beautifully, depicting human large tree branches. The strings and
ironwood logs, with a human statue
and animals. Some of tempelaq’s lids are fabrics would be draped over the
perched on top. Belontakng is also used
made from ironwood logs the same size branches. The edge of Putang Temiang is
to tie a buffalo with in a kwangkai
as the crate. Occassionaly, we would engraved with a bird statue.

02
ceremony. The buffalo strap is made

from rounded rattan vines (selampit)
which are sturdily tied together.
Following a kwangkai ceremony,
belontakng is planted in front of the
lamin or in front of the house.
03 04 05

Witchcraft
For the Dayak Tonyooi Rentenukng water, and then tapping it to the patient’s
community in Linggang Melapeh village fontanelles (soft spots on the head).
and Dayak Benuaq community in Eheng
• Benuang Rangka is a witchcraft to guard
village, West Kutai District, the efficacy
rice or to wedge a gap between spouses.
of plants and trees is believed to have
The trick is by using the stems, the
magical powers widely known as pemeliatn,
young leaves and old leaves of benuang
penyentangih and pengewara. Pemeliatn,
rangka. The stem is planted in the
penyengtangih and pengewara are sacred
middle of a field and the wooden statue
professions whose tasks are closely related
is placed in a house and in other places
to traditional healing and death ceremonies
passed by the object of their spell.
among the Dayak Tonyooi, Rentenukng
and Benuaq communities. Lahajir (2005) • Topus Tongau is used as a witchcraft
described the said plants and trees as the prevention. The red flowers of this plant
following: are picked and placed inside an oil-filled
bottle (ancatn). Later on, the potion is to
• Wakai Mintu. It is often used as a
be slathered deliberately over the body 01
witchcraft (ancatn) to eliminate the lives
and the bottle must be carried on the
of others. This plant can also be a charm
subject’s person at all times.
that would bind the wife’s fidelity to her
husband and vice versa. The wood or • Nunuk Pangalah. This plant serves as a
root of this plant can be used to cast an brain stimulant to improve intelligence
evil spell on other people’s rice harvest; (penyelengat). It also used as a drug
an ability referred to in Rentenukng that would help users identify enemies
language as empau. The trick is by (penyirapm). This plant can also cure
tucking the roots between teeth and scabies and is one of the essential items
then placing it in a granary or planting it during a belian ceremony (ruyaq beliatn).
in the middle of a field (kukatn oai). Nunuk Pangalah’s roots, leaves, and
wood are usually deposited at a hostile
• Engkudu Biakng is utilized to as
territory and at the entrance.
protection from rice witchcraft (awai
parai). The way to do so is by planting • Oole can erase traces of a certain
the stem in the middle of a field (kukatn memory (penyirapm) and it also comes
oai). in handy in restoring a magical spell
which can be achieved by processing
• Pangir. Pangir is also used as a shield
wooden logs of this tree to resemble a
against witchcraft aside from its ability 02
statue which would later be placed in
to reduce fever by simply dipping the
the proximity of the door jamb of the Above: Totem of Dayak Benuaq represents the number of
pangir flower into a container filled with
intended target. dead family members.
Below: Hasan, belian from Tunjung Benuaq.

Handling Persons With Mental

Disorders
Dayak people are also dealt the same card The wooden shackle is known as pangaaq. It Besides wood shackles for the mentally ill,
when it comes to social complexity, as they is made from ironwood and consists of two Dayak people also have a vehicle reserved
also have their fair share of cases of mental boards. One of the boards has two holes for the purpose of transporting the sick
illness in their midst, that they attend to in it to lock the ankles. The contraption is among them, called waruq. An officer in
according to their customary values. If the equipped with four shackles - one pair is West Kutai Museum explained that waruq is
person is regarded to be a threat to his or to secure the ankles and the other is use used to carry those who are severly afflicted
her own safety and the safety of others, to restrain the person from the waist area. by illness that it prevents them from making
he/she will be confined with wooden Based on an interview with Dalmasius the trip to a medical clinic on foot. Its shape
shackles. This type of isolation is considered Madrah in Barong Tongkok and also in is similar to kiang (a wood carrier) although
necessary, because life in the lamin entails reference to the Culture and Tourism Board its function is exclusively dedicated to
exposure to different characters, the fact (2010), we were informed that the board is human-use.
that they are related to each other by blood 100 centimeters long, 18 centimeters wide,
notwithstanding. and 51 centimeters tall.
03 04

(Rangga Purbaya)
03. Potential Findings
for Further Development
(Rangga Purbaya)
Potential Findings for Further Development 183
The Dayaks view the forest as a

source of life and the life itself. The
forest provides land for farming,
animals for hunting, and raw
materials for cloth and housing.
The forest also serves as a source
of various herbal concoctions for
curing a variety of diseases.
This section elaborates the

potentials, knowledge systems
and technology of the Dayaks
and studies them for a further
development as an effort to
systemize abundant local wisdoms
in Indonesia. The potentials vary
from medicines, food seasonings,
weavings, and eco-friendly water
containers up to rice grinding tools.

184 Potential Findings for Further Development
Eye Medicine
01 02 03
01. Tips of udu tae’pute

02. The leaf tip of selasih
03. The leaf tip of sata
(Rangga Purbaya)
There are three kinds of leaf tips that can is good for non-severe eye problems, such
be used as eye medicine, i.e. the leaf tips as eye irritation due to dust exposure. We
of udu tae’pute, basil and sata. The leaf are not supposed to scratch an itchy eye. If
tip of udu tae’pute can be easily found, as our eye is swollen, we can change the leaf
the plant grows in most yards. After being tips with basil or sata leaf tips. Those leaf
picked, each of the udu tae’pute leaf tips is tips are also good for a rather severe eye
cleaned and then inserted into a banana problem. We can adopt the same method
leaf wrapping, which has been given salt. to use these two kinds of leaf tips as eye
The leaf tips wrapped in banana leaves are medicine.
grilled for 10-15 minutes. After the grilling
process, the liquid from the leaf tips can be In addition to leaf-based eye medicine, the
immediately dropped into afflicted eyes. Bahau people are also familiar with eye
We can drop the liquid by taking one to two medicine made of the fruit of lemlai tree.
leaves, which have been rolled, and then The shape of lemlai tree fruit is similar
drop the liquid into eyes. This type of leaf to that of mango. After being peeled, we

01
05
02
03 04 06
01-06. (Rangga Purbaya)
take out the kernel, in which there is a The lemlai fruit kernel is very good for Aside from lemlai, wakai fruit can also be
strong shell. We must break the shell and cleansing eyes off dirt and does not cause used to remedy conjunctivitis. To utilize it,
take out the part inside the kernel and any pain. This tree bears fruits only in a we can just cut the lower and upper parts
slash it into multiple pieces, and then lay certain season and, therefore, when the of the fruit and then rub those parts on the
them on a piece of cloth as a wrapper and time comes for the tree to bear fruit, the afflicted eyes.
squeezer. Drop a dab of clean water on the Dayaks will take the opportunity to collect
pieces in the inner part of the kernel prior lemlai fruits and have sufficient amount of
to squeezing them. The liquid produced the fruits for reserves. Revius, a member
from the squeezing process is put into the of Kenyah Dayak tribe residing in Datah
afflicted eyes. Bilang Hulu, explained that lemlai fruit will
not decompose even after years of storage.

186
01
02
Eye Medicine
In Tanjung Isuy, the Benuaq Dayaks know

eye-drop medicine made of selkop leaves.
They pick fresh and young pink-colored
selkop leaves and clean them, and then
squash the leaves repeatedly in their hands
until they break into pieces until they
produce a foamy liquid, then put the pieces
in a piece of cloth that serves as a filter to
separate dirt and as a squeezer to produce 03
a concentrate. This concentrate is dropped
01. Young selkop leaves (KPA)
into eyes as relief medication.

187
Stomach Ache
Medicine
The Benuaq Dayaks use pepagan or bark

of forest lansium tree trunk as stomach
ache medicine. The bark is grey in color
with dark and orange spots and has a milk-
colored and sticky thick sap. To acquire it,
they peel the trunk of a lansium tree sized
around 5 centimeters x 10 centimeters, and
take out the inner part by way of scratching
it. The scratched inner parts are squeezed
until they produce sap, which is mixed in
water for drinking by an afflicted person.
The Bahau Dayaks residing in Long Tuyoq

use root vegetables of pakoq atei (in Bahau
language) or pokeu ate (in Kayan language),
which is a kind of bracken tree, as medicine
for stomach afflictions. They take sufficient
amounts of pakoq atei root vegetables,
clean them, and soak them in warm water.
They drink the water for soaking the root
vegetables to remedy stomach afflictions.
01
02 03
01. Bark of forest lansium tree trunk

02. Pakoq atei root vegetables
(Rangga Purbaya)
03. pakeu ate (KPA)

Fever Medicine
01
02
03
01. Tulang pitam leaves (KPA)

02. Uroq kubu’ leaves
03. (Rangga Purbaya)
The Dayaks uses kutubatu, uroq sina, sina leaves is not too different. After being When suffering from fever due to measles,
tombong and tulang pitam leaves to treat cleaned, the leaves are soaked with hot the Dayaks use uroq kubu leaves. The uroq
fever. The kutubatu grows along roadsides water or boiled, and then the water is given kubu leaves are cleaned and then boiled or
or in yards. After being cleaned, kutubatu to a sick person to drink. To use tombong soaked in hot water, the water of which is
leaves are boiled in 2 liters of water. The leaves as medicine, we must clean them, given to a sick person to drink. If they suffer
boiled water should be left out to cool immerse them in hot water and drink the from dengue, the Kenyah Dayaks will drink
overnight, and then poured into a glass until water. In addition to the leaves, tombong a concoction of guava (simo bala), which is
half full, and then given to a person with stems can be used as medicine using the crushed and mixed with a little water for
fever to drink. The way to make use of uroq same process. drinking.

Malaria and
Typhus Medicine
01-03. (KPA)
The Dayaks use various concoctions of daun kembung and candlenut shells for
plants for curing malaria, among which are treating typhus. They also cure typhus
water of boiled young papaya leaves, langsat with calabash (Latin: Lagenaria siceraria)
(lessat) leaves, candlenut shells, pasak bumi and honey. To use calabash and honey as
(Latin: Eurycoma longifolia) leaves, gmelina medicine, the calabash is scratched and
leaves and daun kembung (bung). squeezed and then mixed with water and
honey for drinking.
In addition to treating malaria, the
Dayaks also use the boiled water of 01
02 03
Tuberculosis and
Asthma Medicine
01
The Bahau Busang Dayaks use the wood 02

of eaglewood to cure tuberculosis. To
process it as medicine, they slash the trunk
of eaglewood to siphon off its sap. The
sap is cooled to make it solid, and then
sliced into sufficient amount of pieces, boil
them or put them in hot water. The boiled
water of the sap is given to a person with
tuberculosis to drink.
They use the bile of jumpun snake and rat

snake to cure asthma. To use it, they cut
the snake’s belly open and take out the bile,
which is immediately swallowed. They also
use the bile of jumpun snake as medicine
for heatiness. The bile is processed in the
same method.

Cough Medicine
Kalimantan forests have many leaves that

are similar in shape to peppermint leaves.
The leaves grow in forest areas adjacent
to a spring. The local names of the plant
producing such leaves are unknown
but the Bahau Busang Dayaks of Long
Pahangai call them as the ‘horse’s hoof’
plant. In other places, the plant is known
as the menyak leaf.
They turn the leaves into medicine by

cleaning them, squeezing them repeatedly,
and putting them in a glass poured with
hot water before finally drinking the water.
Another way is to boil the leaves, although
but this method is rarely used as it needs 5
glasses of water, all boiled but one glass.
In addition to the peppermint leaf-liked

leaves, the Dayaks also know leaf tips of udu
bala as cough medicine. Such medicine is
produced by boiling the leaf tips, giving the
water to the sick person to drink.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Medicine for High Blood

Pressure and Cholesterol
A noni tree, both its fruits and roots, can Bay plants also can be used as a cure to The people of Dayak Kenyah also use
be used to lower high blood pressure. One lower high blood pressure and cholesterol. sop leaves (tung sop) to lower high blood
should squeeze a mature noni fruits until To do so, several strands must be brought pressure. After boiling the leaves, leave the
it produces liquid and drink the liquid 3-4 to boil and left until cool prior to drinking. water until it reaches room temperature
times a day until his condition improves. The anthill plant is also used to cure high and drink the water three times a day for a
Meanwhile, to use the roots, one should blood pressure. After picking its leaves, week. The Sop plant could easily be found in
rinse them thoroughly, and immerse them discard the thrones and leave them to dry. people’s front- and backyards.
with hot water until the water turns yellow, Afterwards, bring it to boil and drink the
and for a week drink a half-cup of the water water stew several times.
2-3 times.
Noni tree roots

(Rangga Purbaya)
Medicine for Burns

and Bee Sting
To cure swollen body parts due to a wound as protection. They wash the galangal clean,
or infection, Dayak people use kayu batu. cut it up in thin slices, and rub it onto the
They pick a young kayu batu, wrap it in skin affected by fungal infection (panu).
leaves and cover it with hot ash. After the
leaf wilts, paste them to the inflamed body The people of Dayak in Long Hubung use
parts. To cure wound, people can also use kap leaves (gelinggang) as a cure for skin
mekkai leaf. To do so, a fresh mekkai leaf fungal infection. The Gelinggang plant,
must be crushed to smooth particles then which some call ketepeng, is an oversized
smeared onto the wounded skin. As a curing shrub with heights reaching up to 5 meters.
method, bed bugs are also used to prevent As a cure, the leaves are picked and crushed
infection on wounds and tetanus. To do so, with bare hands until they produce liquid.
take the bed bugs and rub them against the The liquid can be applied onto the skin
wounded body parts. surface affected by fungal infection.
For burns, the people of Dayak Kenyah

use white turmeric (liamit) by rubbing
washed and grated turmeric on the burns.
Meanwhile, jasmine flower is used to cure a
bee sting. Simply rub the jasmine petals to
the stung parts. Water containing residues
of tung leaves and rods is effective to cure
small carbuncles or spots on the skin.
People who live in countries with high

humidity such as Indonesia are prone to
skin diseases. Dayak people have long since
relied on the miraculous powers of galangal
01. White turmeric

02 01
02. (KPA)

Fitness and
Impotency Elixir
Tanah genting tree is believed to be able

to improve one’s physical fitness and
antibodies. Locals would take bite a piece
of the tree bark and hit its leaves repeatedly
against their legs during competition (for
instance: a race). The wood piece can also
be immersed in water, where the water can
later be drunk. The wood of tanah genting
tree shall not be boiled because boiling
is believed can eliminate the necessary
substances needed for the cure. This potion
can also be used to cure impotency.
To improve fitness, the people also use

balangla fruit seeds that have been removed
and dried. The seeds should be digested by
chewing - 5 seeds a day are recommended.
(Rangga Purbaya)
This type of plant still cannot be cultivated
up to this day.
Besides that, a young green areca fruit

can also be used as an ingredient to make
a potion for men suffering from poor
sexual stamina. To make the potion, burn
a young areca fruit until it is burnt and
the color turns black, and then crush it
until it becomes a fine powder. After that,
mix the young areca powder with egg
yolk and honey, stir it evenly, and drink it
immediately.

Potion for Healthier

Menstruation and
Breast Milk
(Rangga Purbaya)
Tenyo tree is also used to cure impotency. or the root of the plant, bring it to boil, and
Pick the youngest tenyo tree rod and drink the water stew.
remove its stem and roots. Wash the roots
clean and then crush it, then brew the Besides that, they also make a potion to
powder for drinking. Tenyo trees are still assist breastfeeding, from a chopped murbai
largely found in fields. leaf bud which is brought to boil then
drunk.
In Long Pakaq village, an unknown leaf is
used by Dayak Kayan’s women to smoothen
their menstruation flow. They clean the leaf

Medicine for
Uric Acid
To cure uric acid, Dayak people make

potions out of red ginger that is boiled with
white turmeric, and drinking the water. To
top it off, aung kolet leaf is also believed
to be able to relieve pain caused by uric
acid. Rinse the aung kolet leaf, then crush
it and add salt sparingly. Wrap the mashed
ingredients with banana leaves and use as
bandage over the afflicted area.
Aung kolet leaves

(Rangga Purbaya)

Medicine for Lower Back

Pain and Fractured Bones
There are several types of roots that can Uro’ uit leaf is used as a cure for lower back
be used to cure lower back pain, among and abdominal pain. To make the cure, one
others, areca roots or coconut roots should clean the leaf and brew it with hot
and hibiscus roots. The young roots are water for drinking. Meanwhile, udutebejak
cleansed and then boiled, leave the mixture leaf is used for swollen or sprained body
to cool, and drink it. parts. The leaf must be grilled until it
comes close to wilting (luto, in Kenyah
Aside from the roots, certain leaves can language), then twisted it around the
also cure lower back pain, such as the swollen or sprained body parts.
beach morning glory leaf, cat’s whiskers
leaf, kaca beling leaf, and uro kaming leaf. Furthermore, seremplukan and kemudi
The leaves must be cleaned and brewed patah wood are used to cure fractured
before being made into a drink. Specifically bones. Simply wrap seremplukan leaf with
for cat’s whiskers and kaca beling, the a banana leaf and heat it on the stove
leaves must first be squeezed prior to without turning it over. Afterwards, tie the
brewing them with hot water; they can leaf to body parts which are injured from
also be brought to boil, then wait until the the fractured bone. For binding, use the
temperature cools down and it is ready to bekukang leaf which has previously been
drink. heated over burning coals.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Medicine for
Sprains
The leaves of tulang hitam tree The leaves of tulang hitam tree
(Rangga Purbaya) (KPA)
The leaves of tulang hitam tree and ginger

are used by the people of Dayak in Long
Hubung to treat sprains. The tulang hitam
leaf is mixed with ginger and then crushed
and wrapped in banana leaves, before being
grilled over an open fire. The potion is then
rubbed onto the injured body parts.

Potion to Remove
Facial Dark Spots
The people of Dayak Benuaq in Tanjung

Isuy also use selkop leaves as an ingredient
for dark spot remover potion. To make
one, young selkop leaves (pink in color) are
picked fresh and cleaned. The leaves are
then squeezed by hand until foam appears;
throw in rice that has been crushed into
a smooth mixture, using a 2:1 ratio. This 01
potion can be applied directly to the dark
spots on the facial skin.
02 03 04
01. Young selkop leaves (KPA)

02-06. (Rangga Purbaya) 05 06

Medicine to Relieve Pain, Burning

Sensation and External Wounds
Sengkulai leaves are used by the people 01

of Dayak Benuaq in Benung Village as
pain reliever and to alleviate the burning
sensation of an open wound, as well as
remedy to external wounds. Sengkulai trees
grow wild.
For medicinal use, the leaves are picked

and cleaned, then squeezed by hand until it
produces liquid or juice. The liquid is then
applied to the wounds or directly to the
source of pain. 02
03
01-03. Sengkulai leaves

(KPA)

Medicine for
Internal Abdominal
Wounds
01 02
01, 02. Tablak jali alam loung leaves (KPA)
The leaves of tablak jali alam loung are used and squeezed by hands. The squeezed
by the people of Dayak in Long Hubung leaves are then boiled with 2 liters of water
as a potion to cure a wound inside one’s until the water is reduced to 1.5 liters. The
abdomen. Some 14 picked leaves are washed water should then be drunk within one day.

Medicine for
Gastric Ulcer
Tawas mag leaves

(KPA)
The leaves of tawas mag are used by the This plant can readily be cultivated in your
people of Dayak Bahau in Long Hubung to garden.
cure gastric ulcer. To do so, pick around 14
tawas mag leaves, wash and squeeze them,
then bring them to boil. Drink the water
stew to relieve gastric ulcer pain.

Medicine for
Uterine Hemorrhage
Urip leaves (kalanchoe pinnata) are used

by the people of Dayak Bahau in Long
Hubung as a relief to uterine hemorrhage
when giving birth. To make the potion,
squeeze 3 to 5 urip leaves with your hands
and mix it with water. Filter the water
mixture and drink it.
01
02
01,02. Urip leaves (KPA)

Post-Natal
Cleanser
Udo taek puteq leaves are used by the people

of Dayak in Long Hubung as a cleanser for
women after giving birth. They mix udo taek
puteq leaves with turmeric, onion, galangal,
lemongrass, and black cumin. This mixture
is then crushed into crumbs, continued by
squeezing and adding some tamarind and
salt. The concentrate is ready to drink.
Udo taek puteq Leaves

(Rangga Purbaya)

Potion to
Strengthen
Pregnancy
Pea shoots leaves and turmeric are used by

the people of Dayak in Long Hubung as a
potion to strengthen one’s pregnancy. To
make one, the pea shoot leaves are crushed
with turmeric and garlic, then mixed with
water and filtered. The filtered water is a
ready-to-drink potion.

Natural
Contraception
Lugang leaves
(KPA)
The people of Dayak Bahau in Long Hubung

village use lugang leaves as a natural
contraception. Seven lugang leaves and
seven rice grains are squeezed together by
hand and then immersed in 2 liters of water.
The water stew is ready to drink.

Medicine for
Vaginal Discharge 01 03
02
01. Betel leaf

02. Young areca
03. Noni tree roots (Rangga Purbaya)
Betel leaf and areca are used by the discharge can also be cured with
people of Dayak in Long Hubung to potion made from noni tree roots.
prevent and cure whitish vaginal They boil the tree roots and drink
discharge. To do so, a young areca the water stew once a week.
was peeled and taken its flesh.
Young betal leaf and areca flesh are

brought to boil – the water stew
is ready to drink. Whitish vaginal

Food Seasonings
The people of Dayak in West Kutai use

mekkai leaf as food seasoning. To do so,
they pick mekkai leaves, crush them,
and then mix them in directly with food.
Another way to do it is by drying the mekkai
leaves until they turn black before mixing
them with food.
Mekkai leaves
(KPA)

Meat Preservative
Ketukungbo leaves are used by the

people of Dayak Long Tuyoq as meat
preservatives and to keep away flies.
They often use ketukungbo leaves in
their hunting activity.
Ketukungbo leaves
(KPA)

Fish Poison
The roots of tuba plant are used by

the people of Dayak Benuaq in Benung
Village as fish poison. Tuba is an ivy
plant that could be cultivated.
To make poison, the roots of tuba’s

tree are crushed until they produce a
poisonous white liquid which will then
be mixed with water. This mixture
can be directly consumed. A tuba tree
which has been taken out by its roots
could still grow as long as the roots are
not entirely removed.
Tuba’s roots are highly dangerous, to an

extent where it can cause death when a
person consumes its liquid in a certain
amount.
Tuba plant (KPA)

Blowgun Poison
The Benuaq Dayaks residing in Benung

village use the sirat tree sap as poison
for their blowgun’s darts. The sirat
tree is a large tree that can be found
growing in the forest.
They slice the tree trunk to get its

white sap in a way similar to tapping
rubber tree sap. The sap is placed
inside a 10- to 15-centimeter long
bamboo container before in another
container to be stirred, into which a
little water is poured, until the sap
becomes thick. The tips of darts are
then dipped into the thick sap, and the
darts are ready for use.
01 02
01. Tapping sirat tree sap, 02. Sirat tree (Rangga Purbaya)

Light Poison
Tuk tree (KPA)
The sap of the tuk tree is used by the people To produce poison, a tuk tree branch is one usually mixes the concoction into
of Dayak in Benung Village as light poison. cut open and left more or less overnight an animal’s drink or use it together with
Tuk is a wild tree that could be found in the until the sap oozes out. The juice is then hunting equipment such as blowgun, spears,
forest the shape of which is reminder of a extricated and used as a light poison to etc.
bark (salak) tree. kill animals such as chickens. To do it,

Anti-Dandruff
Shampoo 01
Langir’s tree roots are used by the

people of Dayak Benuaq in Tanjung
Isuy as anti-dandruff shampoo. The
langir’s tree branch is cut open more
or less 15 centimeters long. The bark
is then removed from the branches 02 03
by beating them repeatedly with a
wooden stick prior to the removal of 04 05
the inside part – then the bark is to
be beaten again until almost crushed
– add some water, then squeeze until
a foamy substance appears. The foam
is used to wash the hair.
A long time ago, Dayak Bahau Busang

people used jeluran leaves to wash
their hair.
06
01. Langir’s tree branch

02-05. How to make anti-dandruff shampoo
06. A natural anti-dandruff shampoo
(Rangga Purbaya)
Hair Oil
Bowoi’s roots are used by the people of

Dayak Benuaq in Tanjung Isuy as hair oil.
This plant grows wild. To use it as hair oil,
bowoi’s roots are beaten repeatedly until
they are crushed and produce oil, which
can be applied directly to one’s hair as
hair fragrances.
(KPA)

Dead Body Odor

Removal
The Dayaks are not accustomed to Jujung, our source in Pepas Eheng,
embalming their deceased and the mentioned three natural materials for
technology to preserve dead bodies such as removing dead body odor used by the
what one would sure to encounter in South Benuaq Dayaks, i.e. the sap of lamu, paku
Sulawesi’s Tanah Toraja. However, they have parang wood, and banana tree leaves. The
the technology to remove the odor from a wood and sap of lamu can both be used as
dead body. When we visited Pepas Eheng a medium on which to the dead body could
lamin, we found a dead body that had been be laid to rest.
kept for 60 days minus the fetid smell.
To ensure that the dead body was indeed After being placed for a certain period of
odor-free, we decided to approach it but time, the dead body is buried. After the
we failed to detect any unpleasant smell burial, i.e. in two to three years, following
commonly associated with decomposing the kwangkai ceremony, the skeleton and
corpses. bones are placed in a container called
kererekng or tempelaq. At the villages of
There are different opinions as to how Pepas Eheng, Benung, Pintuq and Tolan in
long a dead body can be put in a lamin. A West Kutai Regency that are inhabited by
member of Dayak Benuaq tribe at Damai Benuaq Dayaks, we still can find tempelaq.
village of West Kutai Regency explained
that a corpse can be placed in a lamin for a
maximum of 21 days or a period calculated
by multiples of seven, i.e. 1 x 7, 2 x 7 or
3 x7. However, he added that currently,
some people in Pepas Eheng lamin took
advantage of this tradition of keeping dead
bodies in lamins to attract tourists. The
longer they keep a dead body in a lamin, the
more it would appeal to tourists who flock
the area for a visit.
(Rangga Purbaya)
Colorings
Every color has its meaning. The colors Pujaaq is a plant whose stem and
preferred by the Dayaks are black, white leaves can be used to produce red
and red. In the past, the Dayaks owed their color, which is typically used in
color palette to plants around them. To rituals. To obtain this color, the
get the black color, the Aoheng/Penihing Dayaks pound the stem and leaf of
Dayaks of Naha Buan in Long Apari Sub- pujaaq into powder and boil it. Ritual
district use tahum leaves, rupe wood and equipment that needs coloring is
panhit leaves. Those leaves can still be soaked into the boiled water until
found in forest areas surrounding their its color changes to red, and then
village. lifted and drained. In addition to
pujaaq, red color can be produced
To get the desired color, the panhit leaves from gelinggem fruit. The fruit
are slashed in pieces and then mixed with shape is similar to red rambutan
grindstone or jala stone. The mixture is (Latin: Nephelium lappaceum) . The
boiled with the material that needs to be gelinggem fruits are boiled until the
dyed. The dyed material is soaked in mud water changes its color to red.
for a week and then cleaned and dried.
Cahaai Lepooq is a plant species
The white color is obtained from snails similar to turmeric that is specifically
or shells that live among stones in river planted to produce yellow color. To
beds. To get the white color, the snail shell obtain the yellow color, they pound
is pounded into powder and then mixed cahaai lepooq into powder and boil it.
with a sufficient volume of warm water. To make all of the colors last longer,
The mixture is ready for use. The river these natural coloring materials are
snails also function as material for whiting, mixed with kita tree sap.
cleaner of deer’s abdominal organs, and
rubbing oil for treating insect bites. The
snail/shell is pounded into powder and
smeared on the body as needed.

(Rangga Purbaya)
Ulap Doyo
The materials for ulap doyo

come from doyo leaves. Doyo
plant belongs to the shrub family
and grows in the ground floor
of a forest. The Benuaq Dayaks
produce weaving threads from
doyo fiber.
(Rangga Purbaya)
How to select doyo leaf:
The selected leaf is one that has produced fiber

as shown in the curved shape or yellowish color
of its leaf tip and in the broken leaf tip. The leaf
base is cut in 1-1.5 meter-length with a knife. A
total of 20 doyo leaves are tied in one bundle to
produce one senik of fiber. Out of 10 senik, we
can get one bundle of thread (shaped like a ball).
To produce a cloth for making an adult man’s
shirt, we need between 3 to 4 bundles of thread.

Ulap Doyo
How to obtain fiber from

doyo leaf:
Doyo leaf fiber is separated from the

leaves in water by using lading. The
separation process is called nglorot.
Lading is a tool made of kuayat

bamboo that possesses short and
thick internodes. The shape of lading
is similar to a knife. The fiber is
washed until it becomes white. The
fiber collected from 20 leaves is tied
into one senik and dried in the sun.
The drying process needs two days
under scorching sunlight.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Ulap Doyo
How to produce thread from

doyo fiber:
The dried doyo fiber is manually twisted

to produce smooth thread. The short
thread is tied with another thread to
make it longer and then rolled to form a
ball-shape coil.
The traditional process to produce doyo

thread still has some weaknesses. The tread
can easily be ruptured, becomes rough and
dull if it is exposed to water. The Dayaks have
not been able to cultivate doyo plant that they
have to rely on wild doyo. Doyo fiber has the
potential to be developed as an alternative to
synthetic fiber.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Sung Baloq
(Steve Pillar)
(KPA)
(KPA)
Sung Baloq is a water container made from The mixture is then removed by filling
white pumpkin (inum pumpkin). The water the pumpkin with water and shaking it.
kept inside Sung Baloq will stay cool and Afterwards, the pumpkin will be left in the
fresh. sun to dry. To get rid of the unpleasant
smell, the pumpkin is heated over a furnace
Sung Baloq is made by creating a hole on the until its color turns to a darker shade.
upper side of the old inum pumpkin, with
a diameter of approximately 2 centimeters.
The holed pumpkin is then immersed in
water until the insides turn into a pulp,
usually over a period of two months.

Kisar as Rice
Grinding Tool
The people of West Kutai and its

surroundings have a traditional
tool for grinding rice, i.e. kisar. It
is made of kahoi log or lengkeng
stone that is not as hard as ulin
wood.
(KPA)

(KPA)
The equipment needed for producing kisar • The sizes of diameter and height of the How to use a kisar:
includes a saw, a chisel, a hammer, mandau cylinder are not standardized either
long knife, and a long chopping knife (parang). and can be adjusted in accordance with • Paddy grains are poured gradually in
specific needs. A hole is also made at small amounts through the funnel,
the center and serves as a place for a while the handles are simultaneously
Kisar Manufacturing Process: rotated slowly.
shaft with approximately 5 centimeters
in diameter and 60 centimeters in
A log with a diameter of approximately 50 • The paddy grains will flow into the part
height that functions to support the
centimeters is cut into the following two with the serration and are scrapped to
upper part.
parts: shed their skin.
• Around the surface that serves a
• Upper cylinder of 50 centimeters in
meeting point between the upper • Rice and unhulled rice fall down
height.
cylinder and lower one was chiseled automatically.
• Both the sizes of diameter and height
to form serration. The serration serves
of the log are not subject to certain • Depending on the frequency of use,
to make the skin of rice fall off. The
standards and, therefore, can be the kisar’s serration can become dull
surface has angular shape to allow
adjusted in accordance with specific due to being eroded as it scraps paddy
the rice and unhulled rice to fall off
needs. At the center, a hole with the grains. After certain period of time,
automatically.
length of 7 centimeters that pierced the surface that forms the serration
• A bark or can is placed in the hole on
through the log is created. The hole has to be chiseled again to create new
the surface of the cylinder to serve as a
serves as a tunnel through which rice serrations.
funnel for the rice to flow.
is poured and also serves as extra
• Sticks are attached on the two sides of
support for lower cylinder shaft.
kisar to serve as handles to maneuver
• Lower cylinder of 50 centimeters in
the kisar.
height.

A plain Hudoq Mask

(Rangga Purbaya)
Parts of Hudoq
that are yet to be
arranged.
(Rangga Purbaya)
A finished Hudoq Mask Hang Beq, Hudoq and mandau

maker, Long Pahangai.
(Rangga Purbaya)

Jatun Utang /
Kenyah
Gambus

(Steve Pillar)
Gambus Manufacturing a
Gambus

Sampek

(Steve Pillar)
Ketookng/ Benuaq

Playing a Serupai/
Benuaq
(Rangga Purbaya)

(Rangga Purbaya)
04. Screams Throughout Mahakam
Other Stories behind

the Research
240 Screams Throughout Mahakam Other Stories behind the Research
In Lung Anai
The Dayaks purchase new land to expand their village territory

from the previous owners, which are migrant residents from
outside Borneo. The Dayaks’ fields, especially those near villages,
are also obtained through purchase. Other than that, they can
only secure a new field by opening up a new area in the forest,
normally located one to two hours away - a condition that
does not sit well with the Dayaks. They are hounded with one
bothersome question: Why would they have to buy their very
own ancestors’ land?
They are also questioning the odd behavior of many researches

that came to them to retrieve information and then left without
a trace after promising to send the results of their research,
which used the Dayaks as sources of reference.
For example, there were some 30 researchers that came

through in the 2000s. The same researchers asked the Dayaks
to take them around the forest. The exertion needs two to
three days of travel during which they collected various types of
plants, examined roots, fruits, woods, wood skins, leaves, as well
as different types of flowers.
The group stayed on for three months, gathering and recording

copious information from the people of Dayak Kenyah on
traditional medicine and various potions made from plants in
Lung Anai. One of the researchers was said to obtain a doctoral
degree from the research; having married a Lung Anai native
who also gave him an offspring.
Until today, the Dayaks of Lung Anai continue to keep their eyes
on the horizon for the publication of a book chronicling the
researchers’ three-month jaunt into their home - longing for a
promise yet to be fulfilled.
01
Mak Pirin demonstrates herbal concoction-making for treating wounds, Lung Anai.

Screams Throughout Mahakam Other Stories behind the Research 241
02
Destruction of nature due to mining, Sendawar, West Kutai.
Bound for Sendawar Throughout our trip, we did not see or pass
by any primary forest. We could not see
After travelling for seven hours by car from any forest, either along the roadsides or in
Tenggarong to Sendawar, we passed by an a distance. Considering the condition of
asphalt road, which was mostly damaged the area, we believed that the regulation
and likely to endanger motorists. As on post-mining land reclamation had not
expected, the wear and tear of the road was been carried out. The regulation on forest
mainly caused by high-intensity traffic of rehabilitation and forest replantation was
fully loaded large-sized trucks transporting seemingly ignored.
mining products and logs.
What we saw at Sendawar Market, Melak,
Some areas have holes in extremely large Tering and at grocery shops around those
sizes, each of which is even bigger than the places further illustrated the effects of the
size of 10 soccer fields. Some giant holes are above situation. The shops sold baskets
filled with water that they look like colorful (anjat/ingen), winnowing baskets, and
lakes. Certainly, those holes are former baskets to place seeds, which were all made
mine pits. Some coal mining sites are still of colorful plastic replacing rattan. The
functioning as evidenced by the activities plastic baskets stood as silent witnesses to
of excavators and trucks carrying mining the disappearing rattan.
products. 03

242
In Tanjung Isuy The growing number of monoculture

plantations has also jeopardized the field
Ulap doyo weavers are anguished over the migration system, which has been part of
imminent disappearance of the doyo tree, the Dayak’s tradition in centuries, as space
which is the main material for weaving, that continues to be decimated at a rapid pace.
looks to be doomed to suffer from the same
fate that the has befallen rods. More and Meanwhile, the remaining lamin houses,
more of the areas where the plant grows emblems of the Dayak identity that enshrine
have apparently been converted into large- the people’s values, have also receded
scale monoculture plantation areas. into the background. Two lamins which
are located in two villages surrounding
As a result, many of the women - formerly the Jempang Lake, for example, are likely
dedicated ulap doyo weavers or yarn to be subject to inevitable dilapidation
spinners - have been forced to abandon and damage in the absence of immediate
their lifelong profession to become restoration and maintenance.
plantation workers.
Above all, the Dayaks are still faced with
This condition paints a contradictive reality, yet another obstacle. The road access to
as ulap doyo is a fixture in Tenggarong Tanjung Isuy is still unpaved, unmaintained,
Museum or books showcasing Dayak and in a poor condition. There are many
handicrafts and culture, even highlighted visible long holes - where the water streams
as the ultimate creation that embodies the used to be. One is left to imagine how bad
pride of the Dayaks in Borneo. the condition would be when it rains.
The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks 01-04 (Rangga Purbaya)
243
01
02 03 04

244
Bound for Benung
In Mencimai village, there is an efficiently-

run technology museum called the
01
Mencimai Museum, which was built by a
Japanese researcher in 1983. Unfortunately,
02 03 04 it is evident that this museum has lost most
of its prime-time glory by a long way. The
collections are mostly rotten, dusty, broken
or even stolen. And yet, compared to a
handicraft museum of the Dayaks in West
Kutai Regency in the Tourism Authorities
complex that showcases almost identical
collections, the Mencimai Museum has
a more comprehensive and informative
catalogue.
05 06
01-05, 07, 08
(Rangga Purbaya)
06
(Steve Pillar)

245
07
From Tering to Tiong Ohang Meanwhile, during a half day trip on particularly ulin logs. We will still do
speedboat, we saw many wooden houses logging for one or two years more in our
Hunting for gold, logs and swallow with diesel-powered engines and absorbing company’s Forest Concession area,” she
nests tool and pillars for flushing, both in river explained.
bank and in the middle of Mahakam River.
Journeying by a speedboat from Datah Blang The inhabitants were taking out sand and Once we arrived at Muarakayan, the young
towards Long Bagun, we boarded the same filtering it for gold. woman alighted at a dock owned by the
boat with five young men aged between company she worked for. We saw big trucks
25 and 30 years, and a young woman. The The young woman who turned out passing by and loaded with logs on a large
young men looked muscular and their faces to come from Muara Teweh, Central area of open land that had piles of big-sized
seemed joyful. They came from Central Kalimantan, was an administration staff logs.
Kalimantan, which is a day journey by land at a logging company. She was on her way
to Tering. to Muarakayan. “I have just visited this
place twice following my older brother
We asked them about their destination. who is a director of a logging company
“We are visiting B just for roaming around,” based in Jakarta. We take all kinds of logs,
they answered. We had previously received
information that B has a gold mine and that
gold hunters flock to the area from all over.
The fact is that the price of gasoline in that
place is five times higher than that in Long
Bangun, while the price of a package of
instant noodle is 10 times higher. “We will
stay there for 3 months,” they added. “It’s
good enough. If we are lucky, each of us can
get 1 ounce of gold or even more. This is our
fifth trip.” They did not explain whether they
worked for a certain company or did the
mining by themselves.
08

01
Other passengers of the boat were residents in the city. Along the journey, we were Throughout the journey along Mahakam
of Long Apari and some swallow hunters. entertained by the crows of his rooster that River, we passed by some docks with
One of them was a trader of swallow nest uttered a laughter-like sound. He bought flushing towers and high piles of coal, a
from Pontianak who keeps an office in the rooster for several hundred rupiah from telltale sign that the docks were frequently
Samarinda, and he manages the swallow a Bugis trader who had brought the rooster visited by large coal barges - likely to be of
nest export to Hong Kong. The price of a directly from South Sulawesi. the same type as the ones that we had just
kilogram of nest was between six and eight encountered.
million rupiah. No wonder that swallow nest
traders often rob each other while they are Like in the trip to Sendawar, we had not
Coal Barge
on the way from caves in the middle of the passed by any primary forest. The sky looked
forest to Tiong Ohang. Oftentimes, swallow extremely bright and stretching as far as the
At one time, we were surprised to see that
nest hunters, who are mostly new comers, horizon. As if the forests have disappeared
three large ships in front of our speedboat
went missing or found dead in the forest. and the earth have been pocked with holes
lied at anchors in the middle of Mahakam
due to cruel logging and mining.
River. When we approached them, there
Residents of some villages around Tiong
were three other ships lining in that
Ohang mostly looked wealthy due to the
place. Those ships were coal barges. We
swallow nest hunting as they rented caves
immediately remembered the huge holes
in their farms. One of them was a passenger
somewhere in the interior that we had seen
of the same speedboat. He owned a house
along the way to Sendawar.
in Samarinda and sent his children to study

In Long Pahangai and Long Apari
“Losing the forest means losing everything for us,” 02
Having traversed through two dangerous Aside from taking us around the big
rapids, which are Shrimp Rapid and Long plantation, we were also introduced to many
Rapid, we finally saw a primary forest on from the surrounding areas; we were taken
the left and right banks of the Mahakam around the village of the plantation workers,
River. Various big trees that we suspected to and shown how to harvest, load, and unload
be a hundred years old were standing tall, the plants to the storage. We also visited the
yet we did not see any wild animals. Even production facility where they processed
so, in some places we spotted several log their harvests, and the city center of the
container trucks – a sign indicating that a island.
wood company was operating somewhere 03
in the vicinity. During the visit, our group was involved in a

continuous discussion and negotiations, to
As we reached Long Pahangai with Adrianus salvage the future of our village. Even if we
Liah, the son of Mr. Belawing, the chief of were given attractive offers such as housings
the Bahau tribe, we were introduced to and other facilities in return for our village to
the head of Long Pahangai sub-district. be developed as a plantation area, we agreed
Among the many other stories accumulated and chose to keep our village and forest as
during our research, he had his share of they were.
unforgettable experience to impart to the
audience. For hundreds of years we have lived off such
04
a rich forest with numerous plants and trees.
“Along with 30 tribal heads and traditional A plantation of one type of plant will only
elders from Long Pahangai and Long cost us our forest. Giving up our forest means
Apari sub-districts, not so long ago we giving up on our fields, our hunting targets,
were invited to an island to visit a large our rods, and herbs. In short, we are losing
plantation. We were under the impression everything because losing those things will
that the owner of the plantation was set mean impounding our tradition and way
on developing more plantation areas in of life, as well as the social system. And the
our sub-districts one day. To us, that plan change itself does not guarantee any of us a
means more deforestation, better living or improved welfare.”
05

In Datah Suling, a village official showed us demise of our forests, gone are the wealth to have disregard for various places in the
three thick documents of Environmental of our biodiversity and sources of valuable forest considered highly sacred by the
Impact Assessment (AMDAL) in regards with knowledge that were conceived through Dayaks. One time, a representative from a
a forestry concession (HPH) on thousands the experiences of the local communities company came complaining to him and the
of hectares of land. Included in the that have sustained the livelihood of many head of the Dayak Bahau tribe. Apparently,
concession are the locals’ fields and forestry generations from traditional use of the for three months, dozens of workers were
under customs territory. The official then forest. possessed, suffering from nightmares and
explained, the expansion of those thousands several other mystical experiences, which
of hectares was only an addition to another The documents were also equipped with interfered with their work, causing logging
hundred thousand hectares of forest areas several maps that clearly showed all areas activities to ground to a complete halt.
which have been included in the concession included in the HPH area. It can be seen that
that are currently – and will continuously be the targeted area for the next deforestation Calmly, the tribal chief asked, “In which
– chopped down. project included at least a majority of Long area exactly were the workers assigned?”
Apari and Long Pahangai sub-districts, up They pointed to one particular area inside
In other words, the opening of that new to the Indonesia-Malaysia border, without the forest to the absolute fury of the tribal
logging block, otherwise legally known as exception. It means residential areas, fields, chief. The appointed area was apparently a
HPH, is indeed a mere continuation of the and even forests under customs territory forbidden forest area as it is the location of
previous deforestation of primary forests. are included in the deforestation map. the graves of their ancestors, an area that
From the environmental justice point of they have sanctimoniously kept sacred for
view, as well as according to facts on the The local government was not merely hundreds of years.
field, the term of ‘forest opening’ - as largely standing idly by. One of the officials in
claimed by major companies using modern the Long Pahangai sub-district explained In the below passage, let us retell
equipment in many areas in Indonesia - is the local government’s attempts to limit the answer of the tribal chief to the
a masked substitute term for deforestation. deforestation in the area which grew at an company. This passage was told not as
To obtain a keener understanding on unstoppable rate. In his eyes, deforestation an exaggeration, but to provide a mere
this, take a look at the data from Forestry is not only a destruction to the whole illustration on how sometimes business
Ministry that showed that deforestation environmental structure and indigenous interests may conflict with spiritual
in Indonesia in the period of 2006-2009 forests, but also an end to the local social traditions that have been kept for centuries
affected up to 1.17 hectares annually - structure and culture. The efforts of the by a community. This tradition has taught
roughly the size of three soccer fields - per local government have somehow put a them not only to respect the forest as a
minute. brake on deforestation in the area. However, source of life, medicine, and economy, but
he added, primary forests in the area are mainly because the forest is also a crucial
Whether deforestation is done for the reduced by half. existence in the cosmological harmony that
interest of trade, or for monoculture they hold dear to their hearts.
plantations, the price to be paid is not much An official from Long Pahangai sub-district
different, which is the collapse of primary also gave an illustration how managers “In our customs,” the tribal chief went on
forests in the tropical area. Along with the representing the mining companies seemed to say, “None of our tribe’s members would
RP
02
even have the audacity to touch a tip of a of hat) in a designated amount. It was by
leaf or cut a branch within the forbidden a lovely stroke of luck that we were there
forest, let alone bringing it home, unless to witness the agreement signing and fine
it is for ceremonial purposes. Even then, settlement held at a Long Tuyoq lamin.
it should be done directly in the area. You
were not only picking a leaf or cutting a Even though the two parties had arrived
branch; you were cutting down all the trees at an agreement and fine settlement, the
and carrying them out of the territory. company declined to fulfill the other two
tradition’s charges. The first charge was a
To us, this is a sacrilegious act of defiance. prohibition that would keep offenders from
The strange occurrences befalling the cutting down trees inside the 7,000-hectare
workers are of your own consequences. custom forest. The second charge was a
restriction that prohibited logging activities
In our beliefs, what the workers experienced from being carried out throughout Long
was actually a form of retribution that will Pahangai sub-district, considering that the
occur from time to time, that will span company has gained massive profits from
as long as the ages of the fallen trees. We the 25 years of deforestation in the area.
do not have the powers needed to free Even more, the stems of all the trees within
the workers from this punishment, unless the forbidden forest have been removed.
03
the rules are adhered to, by paying a fine
for ceremonial purposes – held to ask for
forgiveness for what you have committed.” Firmly, the tribal chief declared his stance:
Writers’ note: Later in the process. the writers were
given an opportunity to raise this matter before an
The said customary fine is not to be paid “The Great Forest is our life. We will defend audience of one of the special assistants of Climate
Change and Environmental Affairs of the President of
in the form of money, but instead in a form it with our lives.”
the Republic of Indonesia, in the hope that the issue
of sabres, urns, plates, and seraung (a type
would be brought to the attention of the President.
The decision behind this formal disclosure was based
on two considerations. First, we realized the high,
palpable tension affecting peace in the area, and
second, how deforestation in the remaining primary
forests in Borneo has reached a critical stage. May 2011
saw the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 10/2011
on the Suspension of New Permits in Primary Forests
and Peatlands containing presidential instructions
affecting all governors and regents/mayors
throughout Indonesia.
01

250
“The Great Forest is our life.

We will defend it with our lives.”
(Rangga Purbaya)

Foto: Rangga Purbaya
251

252
Bibliography Interview
Arman, Samsuni. 1994. ”Analisa Budaya NN. 2010. Laporan Pelaksanaan Kegiatan Interview, Mamak Pirin (63 years), Lung
Manusia Dayak” dalam Paulus Florus Identifikasi Koleksi, Penataan Tata Ruang Anai, November 27, 2010.
(Ed.), Kebudayaan Dayak Aktualisasi dan Pameran dan Legalitas Museum (Sebuah Interview, Anita (36 years), Pengrajin Manik,
Transformasi. Jakarta: Grasindo Rekomendasi). Barong Tongkok: Disbudpar December 1, 2010, Long Anai.
Belareq, B. Belawing. 2008. Upacara Adat Pemuda Olahraga dan UPTD Museum Interview, Mrs. Yacob (67 year), Traditional
Kayo Bahau. Samarinda: Disbidpar. Negeri Provinsi Kalimantan Timur Elder in Desa Damai, November 1, 2010.
Chaniago, Darlis. t.t. Pesona Mahakam. “Mulawarman”. Interview, boat maker wife (50 years), Pepas
Samarinda. NN. Adat Istiadat Daerah Kalimantan Eheng, December 1, 2010.
Chaniago, Darlis. 1983. “Ulap Doyo, Tenun Timur. Samarinda: Proyek Penelitian dan Interview, Juyung (38 years), Belian, lamin
Tradisional Dayak Benuaq”. Majalah Pencatatan Kebudayaan Daerah, 1976/1977. resident in Pepas Eheng, October 30, 2010).
Kartini, No. 224. NN. Penelitian Suku Terasing Kenyah Interview, Traditional Elder of Dayak Bahau (65
Dove, Michael R. (Ed.) 1985, Peranan Kalimantan Timur (Kelompok Suku Dayak years), Tering Seberang, November 30, 2010.
Kebudayaan Tradisional dalam Modernisasi. Kenyah di Sungai Alan Suatu Kasus Interview, Payan, (90 years), former
Jakarta: Yayasan Obor Indonesia. Perubahan Kebudayaan), Samarinda:
mandau and machete maker, Lung Anai,
Imang, Ndan. 2003. “Studi Perbandingan Depdikbud Dirjen Kebudayaan Direktorat
Teknik Perburuan Tradisional Babi Hutan Sejarah dan Nilai Tradisional, Proyek November 28, 2010.
(Sus Barbatus Muller, 1896) Antara Suku Inventarisasi dan Pembinaan Nilai-Nilai Interview, Pelujuk, (70 years), Traditional
Dayak Kenyah dan Suku Punan di Kabupaten Budaya, 1992/1993. Elder of Desa Lung Anai, November 28, 2010.
Malinau”, Thesis, Universitas Mulawarman Rindarwoko, Robertus, dkk. 2007. Sejarah
Interview, Mrs. Yuriah Radio (45 years),
Samarinda, not published yet. Perkebunan Karet (Dalam Perspektif
King, Victor T. The People of Borneo. USA Perubuhan Sosial Budaya Komunitas Petani Traditional Elder of Sembuan in Bawang
Blackwell Owford UK & Cambridge, 1993. di Kabupaten Kutai Barat), Sendawar: RIver, November 6, 2010.
Lajajir, Y. 2005. Simpukng-Munaan. Kerjasama antara BAPPEDA dan Centre for Interview, Yuvenalis Lahajir (40 years), Barong
Sendawar: CERD/LP2E-BAPEDA Kutai Ethnoecology Research and Development.
Tongkok, Researcher, November 30, 2010.
Barat. Riwut, Tjilik. 1958. Kalimantan Memanggil.
Madrah T., Dalmasius. 2001. Adat Sukat Djakarta: Endang. Interview, Petrus Lama (70 years), Traditional
Dayak Benuaq dan Tonyooi, Jakarta: Puspa Sedyawati, Edy. dkk. 1995. Konsep Tata Elder of Desa Benung, November 2, 2010.
Swara. Ruang Suku Bangsa Dayak Kenyah di Interview, Benuaq Dayak farmer (45 years),
Maulani, Z. A. 2000. “Pedalaman Kalimantan Timur, Jakarta: Departemen
West Kutai, October 29, 2010.
Kalimantan: Kearifan Budaya dan Etnik” Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik
dalam Demokrasi dan Pembangunan Daerah. Indonesia. Interview, Traditional Elder of Datah Bilang
Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar Arman, Syamsuni. 1994. ”Analisa Budaya Hulu, (48 years), Dayak Kenyah, March 6, 2011.
Maunati, Yekti. 2004, Identitas Dayak: Manusia Dayak” dalam Paulus Florus Interview, M. Jiu Luhat, (40 years), Village Chief
Komodifikasi dan Politik Kebudayaan, (Ed.), Kebudayaan Dayak Aktualisasi dan
Secretary (40), Long Hubung, March 7, 2011.
Yogyakarta: LKiS. Transformasi. Jakarta: Grasindo.
Nieuwenhuis, Anton W. 1994. Di Pedalaman Wisetyo, Toto. 2007. “Ketika Tradisi Interview, Cisilia Telan, (71 years), former
Borneo: Perjalanan dari Pontianak ke Melawan Zaman”. National Geographic midwife, Long Hubung, March 7, 2011.
Samarinda 1894, Jakarta: PT. Gramedia Indonesia, May edition. Interview, Revius Mering,(50 years), Civil
Pustaka Utama.
Servant and herbalist, Datah Bilang,
Nikolaus, et all. 2007.
March 7, 2011.

253
Photo & Illustration Index
Interview, Subdistrict Head of Long Rangga Purbaya, Pages: Yayak Yatmaka, Pages:
Pahangai, (50 years), Long Pahangai 9, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 64, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 97, 98, 99, 100,
subdistrict, March 10, 2011. 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 101, 106, 110, 119, 131, 140, 141, 143, 145, 150, 152,
Interview, Y. Ngau A, (69 years), former 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 69, 153, 165, 171, 172,
Traditional Elder of Long Pahangai and 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84,
Raiders member, March 11, 2011. 85, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 83, 94, 95, 96, 102,
Interview, mandau plater (65 years), Long 103, 105, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, KPA, Pages:
Gelat, March 12, 2011. 116, 118, 119, 120, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 138, 186, 187, 188, 193, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202,
Interview, Belawing Belareq (65 years), 128, 132, 134, 135, 136, 139, 142, 143, 144, 146, 203, 206, 208, 209, 210, 212, 214, 223, 224,
Traditional Elder of Dayak Besar Bahau 147, 149, 150, 151, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 160, 225,
Kaltim, Long Tuyoq, March 13, 2011. 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170,
Interview, Lusang Aran (60 years) 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 178, 180, 182, 183, 184, 185,
Traditional Elder of Kampung Long Isun, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, Eddie B Handono, Page: 158
March 15, 2011. 196, 197, 198, 199, 204, 207, 211, 213, 215, 217,
Interview, Kuleh (60 years) a teacher in Long 218, 220, 221, 222, 226, 227, 228, 229, 237, 238,
Isun, 15 Maret 2011. 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, Susi Abdurahman, Pages : 159, 221
Interview, Traditional Elder of Long Pakaq 251,
(70 years), March 16, 2011.
Interview, Leonardus Janun, (55 years),
hunter, Dayak Aoheng/Penihing, Tiong Buu, Steve Pillar, Pages:
March 15, 2011. 25, 52, 55, 61, 81, 102, 103, 111, 117, 121, 124, 130,
Interview, Devung Anyang (wife of the late 131, 135, 136, 137, 139, 148, 149, 155, 175, 176, 177,
Irang Napap), (50 years), Tiong Ohang, 179, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 244,
March 15, 2011.
Interview, Francisus Riu, (30 years), Civil
Servant, Tiong Ohang, March 15, 2011.
Interview, Asan, (60 years), blowgun maker,
Tiong Ohang, March 16, 2011.
Interview, A. Kaya, (67 years), Tiong Ohang,
March 16, 2011.
Interview, Pahang, (60 years), Elder in
Kampung Naha Buan, March 16, 2011.

254

255

256

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan's Dayaks PDF

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan's Dayaks PDF

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

02

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Initiator Photo Editor

English translation, editing and

Second Printing, 2013

II. Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Farming Technology 105

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Medicine for Burns and Bee Sting 193

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Pelujuk, Lung Anai’s

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Foreword from President Director

It is my great pleasure to publish this “The Heritage of Rural

Unfortunately, globalization in economics, cultures and

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Message from Vice President Manufacturing

Today, Indonesians have been independent for 67 years. Within

We can say that our time is a period embellished with numerous

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Message from Bontang Mayor

Praising God the Almighty, on behalf of the Government and

The City Administration of Bontang will continue with and expedite

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

May God’s blessings will always be with us all.

Bontang, July 2012

Ir. H. Adi Darma, M.Si

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Message from East Dayak Traditional Board Supervisor

DR. Yurnalis Ngayoh, MM

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

“Our Greatest Teachers

Tering port in West Kutai.

We know the island as Kalimantan,

We also know Kalimantan through artifacts

In the 16th century, when sultanates grew

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Grandma Oey, Ulap Doyo weaver from Tanjung Isuy,

tribes living in the Upper Mahakam, (3) Surveying Dayak Technology

How do they open new land for farming,

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

applicable to this day. Dayaks also have

Surveys on technologies owned by Dayaks

A boat pulling logs passing along

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

Lung Anai village appears very

Disclosing Dayak Technology In Tanjung Isuy, we observed the technics

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

make alutpasa, a long boat used by Kemah

In Datah Bilang, there is a gotong royong1

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks

From Long Hubung we returned to Datah

We then proceeded to Long Bagun

Our next destination was Long Pahangai.

The following day, together with Liah,

The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan’s Dayaks