The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan's Dayaks

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The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantans Dayaks


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Cover photo:

Doh Ding, weaving a mat in Long Tuyoq

village, West Kutai.

The Heritage of Rural Technology

of East Kalimantans Dayaks

PT Kaltim Pasik Amoniak

Published by:


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

Initiator

Darius Pasago Pasaribu

Supervisor

Bambang Adya Yatmaka

Darius Pasago Pasaribu

Djasli Djamarus

Zukri Saad

Writers

Zainal Arin Anis (Coordinator)

Asman Aziz

Nasrullah

Syaharuddin

Editors

Karlina Supelli (Coordinator)

Baby Ahnan

Karina Roosvita Indirasari

Roedy Haryo Widjono

Photo Editor

Rangga Purbaya

Researchers

Djasli Djamarus (Coordinator)

Arin Anis, MZ

Azman Azis

Nasrullah

Syaharudin Arafah

Photographers

Rangga Purbaya

Steve Pillar

Susi Abdurahman

Illustrators


Eddi B. Handono

Graphic Designers

Azis Karuniawan


Wiwit

The Heritage o f Rural Technologyof East Kalimantans Dayaks


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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 Peoples Residences 21

Surveying Dayak Technology 25

Disclosing Dayak Technology 29

Sequence of Report 40

II. Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Constructionto Backbone Technology

43

Housing Technology 45

Lamin or Long House 45

Amin Dadu Long Anai 58

Lamin Pepas Eheng 59

Pintuq and Benung Long Houses 61Shapes 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

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Farming Technology105

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 137Tuba 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 160Headwear 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

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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 202Medicine 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 211Light Poison 212

Anti-Dandruf 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

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Pelujuk, Lung AnaisTraditional Elder, West Kutai

(Rangga Purbaya)

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Foreword

Foreword from President Director

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

Technology of East Kalimantans Dayaks from Kaltim Pasik

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.

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Foreword

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 Pasik Amoniak

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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 fromboth 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 Pasik 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 intomono-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

Message from Vice President Manufacturing

Foreword12



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and Dayak culture in East Kalimantan that can be developed into industrial products of high

demand.

In responding to this nding, 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 Kalimantans Dayaks.

The activity has resulted in the publication of a book entitled The Heritage of Rural

Technology of East Kalimantans 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 nd basic information regarding raw materials,

traditional processes, the use of or the benet 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 ofcials 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 KPAs shareholders, i.e. MitsuiCo. 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 Kalimantans 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.

Specically for my close friend from batch 77 of ITB, Yayak (Kencrit), who has earned thetitle of Half-Divine Man during his stay in the interior of East Kalimantan; Djasli Djamarus,

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who have coordinated the surveys, research and development of this book, and Karnila

Supeli, who provided ceaseless encouragement and wider perspectives, as well as nal

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

benecial 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 benet other nations.

Darius Pasaribu

Vice President Manufacturing

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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 Kalimantans Dayaks as part of a CSR program

of PT Kaltim Pasik Amoniak (KPA). I would like to convey this

appreciation as the publication of this book has proved KPAs

concern and contribution to enhance the cultural values of people

in East Kalimantan, especially East Kalimantans 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

Gods 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.

Message from Bontang Mayor

Foreword 15



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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 Kalimantans Dayaks that introduces the

life, art and culture of East Kalimantan communities and their potential promises a great many

benets, 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. EnvironmentalPreservations.

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 Gods blessings will always be with us all.

Bontang, July 2012

Ir. H. Adi Darma, M.Si

Bontang City Mayor

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DEW

ANADATDA

YA

K

PROP

INSIKALIMANTAN

TIMUR

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 Kalimantans 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

nations 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 innite 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 nations cultural development that is faithful to its roots, yet agile

enough to weather the dynamics of todays 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

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The morning ambiance at Jembayangriverside, Lung Anai, West Kutai(Rangga Purbaya)


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Panyan, pembuat mandau dan alatpertanian dari Long Anai.

(Rangga Purbaya)


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01. Tracking Dayak Peoples Residences

Our Greatest Teachersare Our Ancestors

(Revius Mering, Kenyah Dayak)


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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.

We know the island as Kalimantan,

Indonesias largest island and the worlds

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 rst introduced the idea

of a nation-state in the archipelago. In the

oldest Hindu tradition in Kalimantan, the

island is called Tanjung Negara. Powerful

kingdoms in the archipelago such as

Majapahit and Sriwijaya extended their

inuences 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 rst Europeanto visit Kalimantan was Italian Ludovico

Kalimantan islandillustration

Tering port in West Kutai.(Rangga Purbaya)

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(1507), followed by Portuguese Laurenco

de Gomes (1518). There are suggestions

that the two coined the name Borneo, a

word that nds its root in Brune, Berunai,

Brunei, which in the beginning referred

to a village in Northern Kalimantan.

Kalimantans historical dynamics were

developed through interactions of itspeople with Chinese and Malays, and of

course with Europeans.

During the Dutch colonization, Kalimantan

was administratively divided into

WesterafdelingBorneo (West Borneo) and

Zuider- en OosterafdelingBorneo (South

and East Kalimantan). In Jan B. Aves record,

as quoted by Arman (1984), Dayak referredto Kalimantans indigenous people. They are

This stone is called Batoq Tepakit Lejo (LionsStone Jump). According to the legend of

Gunung Batoq Ayo, the stone was allegedlyused by Batoq Ayos lion pet to jump and cross

the Mahakam River.(Rangga Purbaya)

descendants of Yunnan immigrants from

South China.

In the beginning, European researchers

used the word Dayak with pejorative

meanings to refer to Borneos indigenous

people who at that time were considered

uncivilized yet. Such opinion stemmed fromtheir interpretation of civilization, which

referred to the European civilization only.

As a result, they named uncivilized those

whose cultures were different from theirs.

August Harderland (1859) offered different

understanding of the word Dayak.

Harderland, as quoted by Ukur (1971),

showed that indigenous people initiallynamed their tribes based on the location



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of their residential areas, which were

mostly along riverbanks. For example, Oloh(people) Kahayan and Oloh Barito referred

to communities dwelling around Kahayan

and Barito Rivers, while Tering people

referred to communities living around

Tering River.

Mikhail Coomans (1987) used the word Daya,

meaning hinterland or up-stream, to refer

to the indigenous people of Kalimantan.

Daya is the name of people living in the

upper stream. Coomans also suggested that

Daya was the name for all non-Muslims

living in the hinterland of Kalimantan, while

Haloqadalah for Muslims.

H.J. Mallinckrodt (1928) divided Dayaks

into six groups based on their similarities

and dissimilarities in their customary laws:

(1) Kenyah-Kayan-Bahau/Wahau, (2), Ot

Danum, (3), Iban, (4) Murut, (5) Klementan,

and (6) Punan.

After studying and quoting writings of

earlier experts, and pointing at their

differences in cultures, languages, and

geography, Michael Dove (1985) concluded

that there were three big groups of Dayak

communities: (1) the Northern Group

including Dusun and Murut, (2), Southern

Group including Ngaju, and the Central

Group, including Kenyak, Kayan, Kayang,

and Iban.

Djuweng, dkk. (1994) referred to Tjilik

Riwut who devided Dayak communities

in East Kalimantan into four big groups:

(1) Kenyah Bahai Dayak, which consists of

26 small tribal groups living in areas along

the around Mahakam river, (2) Benuaq

Dayak, Apu Kayan comprising 38 small

Left: Research team members interviewing Lama, traditionalelder of Benung village, West Kutai (Rangga Purbaya)

Right: Banyak demonstrating how to make animal traps(Rangga Purbaya)


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Research team members together with the traditional elder ofDamai village (Rangga Purbaya)

Team members on the way to Hulu Mahakam(Steve Pillar).

tribes living in the Upper Mahakam, (3)

Tonyooy/Tunjung Murut Dayak, includingIdaan Dayak in the Sandakan area and

Tidung Lenden Dayak in Tarakan area, and

(4) Bentian Dayak, Tidung Dayak living in

Malinau and Tidung Pale.

Surveying Dayak Technology

Dayaks are known to have rich tradition

and culture. They practice shifting farming

system, have one communal long house

called lamin (Kutai), lou (Benuaq), betang

(Ngaju, Manyaan), and umaq dadoq (Kenyah).

They also have various herbal medicines

believed to have the efcacy 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, Dayaks traditional technologies

are replaced by modern technologies,

despite the fact that many of them remain

Grandma Oey, Ulap Doyo weaver from Tanjung Isuy,West Kutai (Rangga Purbaya)

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RP

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A boat pulling logs passing along

the bank of Mahakam river.(Rangga Purbaya)

applicable to this day. Dayaks also have

various local wisdoms that have proven tobe 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 variouspotentials in Dayak traditions that could be

developed for the greater benets of larger

communities.

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Rice granary belonging to LungAnai village, West Kutai

(Rangga Purbaya)



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Disclosing Dayak Technology

Surveys and documentation of Dayak

Technologies were done in two stages. The

rst phase was conducted from October

27 to November 8, 2010. At this stage, we

visited Long Anai Cultural village in Kutai

Kartanegara Regency, Kutai Museum in

Tenggarong, Kutai Regency, and Tunjung

as well as Benuaq tribes in Barong Tongkok

district, West Kutai Regency. We also

observed ulap doyo (weaving) in Tanjung

Isuy District, West Kutai Regency and visited

Sungai Bawang cultural village in Pampang,

Samarinda City, to collect information about

the technologies of Kenyah Dayaks living

there. We visited those areas using rented

cars, ridingces (a motorized boat known as

ketinting), and a ship.

In Long Anai, we collected information

from Kenyah Dayaks on their traditionalhandicraft technology, farming tools,

accessories, and sword-making (mandau-

making).

We also learned sword-making

technologies from Tunjung and Benuaq

Dayak communities in Barong Tongkok,

together with information on construction

of the long house or lamin, herbal mixtures,

and religious system.

Lung Anai village appears veryquite as majority of its residentsgo to work in the farm.(Rangga Purbaya)

In Tanjung Isuy, we observed the technics

of makingulap doyo, which is at the brink

of extinction due to raw material shortages.

The thread used for weavingulap doyo is

made ofdoyo plant (curculigo latifolia),

a small plant that grows in shady forests

and riverbanks. The conversion of forests

into productive areas and monoculture

plantations has destroyed the plants

habitats, causing the number ofdoyo plants

growing near residential areas to drop

sharply. To make things worse, doyo plants

growing in farmlands are considered asweeds that have to be removed.

The second survey took place from March 5

to March 23, 2011. At this stage, we started

surveying from villages in Long Hubung

subdistrict such as Datah Bilang Hulu, Datah

Bilang Hilir, and Long Hubung, followed

by Long Bagun subdistrict in Ujoh Bilang

and Long Bagun villages; Long Pahangai

subdistrict: Lirung Asa village, Long Tuyog,

Long Isun, Long Pahangai, and Long Pakaq,

and villages in Long Apari subdistrict such

as Tiong Buu, Tiong Ohang, and Naha Buan.

We also visited Tering Seberang in Tering

subdistrict, and Lambing in Muara Lawa

subdistrict. The two villages are located

in the Mahakam hinterland in Kutai Barat

Regency. Our survey ended in Samarinda.

Data collection was done through direct


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observations, interviews, and library

research.

Datah Bilang Hulu and Datah Bilang Hilir

villages are residential areas of Kenyah

Umaq Bakung Dayaks that were inaugurated

in 1975 by Soeharto, then president of the

Republic of Indonesia. In the two villages,

we observed residential and housing

patterns and daily activities of local people,

both in the village and in farmland. We

interviewed Pigen (a blacksmith in Datah

Bilang Hilir), Palamu Alung (traditional

elder of Datah Bilang Hilir), Kulle (an ofcer

of Datah Bilang Hulu), Revius Mering (a

prominent local leader in Datah Bilang Hulu)

as well as Charles, a public Senior High

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.

The interviewees narrated their story of

migration from Apo Kayan down to Datah

Bilang, describing techniques on how to

make alutpasa, a long boat used by Kemah

Umaq Bakung Dayak tribe for racing. Theyalso 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 wevisited the place, Pekua was still xing the

destroyed roof of a local lamin so we were

able to document how they made shingles,

food and water containers,seraung (caping

Dayak), and cooking activities.

We continued our journey to Long Hubung,

the residential area of Dayak Bahau Saq,

to meet Ding Hat, a well-respected former

traditional elder, and M. Jiu, an ofcer of

Long Hubung village, and Cisilia, a senior

village midwife. We obtained information

on how to concoct herbal mixtures and

techniques on how to make cane sugar

using a traditional miller called kerabatang.

We also observed long posts to be used for

making the long house, and various shapes

ofmandau typical of Bahau Saq Dayak.

1 Gotong royong is an Indonesian term referring toworking together to achieve desired results. A gotongroyong activity is done on voluntary base and thoseinvolved in such activity do not receive any fnancialcompensation.

A speedboat carrying research team members took a shortstop before entering Riam Panjang, Mahakam Hulu.

(Rangga Purbaya)



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Lung Anai village appears very quite asmajority of its residents go to work in the

farm. (Rangga Purbaya)

Kenheq waterfall at the brink of Riam Panjang,Upper Mahakam. (Rangga Purbaya)


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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 lookingfor 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 Aparfrom 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



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commander, as well as Adrianus Liah

Belawing, a son of Bahau Busang Mahakam

traditional elder who we encountered in

Samarinda.

Before we began the survey, we visited the

Subdistrict Ofce to meet Tigang Himang,

the head of Long Pahangai Subdistrict.

Tigang gave us names of people we could

interview. He also allowed us a closer lookat herbal medicines, sword-making, lamin

construction, religious belief system of

Bahau Busang Dayak as well as the history

of Long Gelat community in Hulu Mahakam.

The following day, together with Liah,

Tigangs in-law, we interviewed Lawing,

former principal of Long Pahangai

Elementary School, Y. Ngau Ajaat, former

raider during the era ofDwikora2and

is a former traditional leader of Long

Pahangai Village. From them, we retrieved

more details about the long house, anjat

handicraft, which is made of rattan, sword,

traditional medication using herbs, sape

(traditional guitar of Dayak people), and

dangai (literally: life recycle ceremony)

tradition. We also documented two lamin

(long houses) belonging to Bahau BusangDayak communities, including the activities

of those living there.

2 Dwikora refers to a command issued by formerIndonesian president, Soekarno, to stop theestablishment of Malaysia. The Dwikora period was

marked with a confrontation against Malaysia.

Above, right: A oating inn at Datah Bilang.(Rangga Purbaya)

34 Tracking Dayak Peoples Residences


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we amassed massive helpings of information

on lamin-construction technology,

Kayo traditional rite, tattoo, Long Gelat

traditional attire, coloring substances, and

techniques in making rattan weavings.

From Long Tuyoq, we returned to Lirung

Asa to document how to turn iron into the

Dayak sword or mandau, winnow rice andvarious information on daily activities of

local people and tools they use everyday.

We then found our way into Long Isun

village and interviewed Lusang Aran,

traditional elder of Bahau Busang Long

Isun village, and Kuleh Liah, an elementary

school teacher. It was there that we became

more nely attuned to the intricate yet

Armed with the information from Y. Ngau

Ajaat, we left for Lirung Asa, a farmland area

belonging to Bahau Busang Dayak, usingces.

We met with Hang Beq in his hut. Hang Beq

is maker ofmandau sword and hudoq mask.

Our interview covered mandau-making

techniques, hudoq mask, rattan handicraft,

herbal medicines, and hunting techniques.

Meanwhile, our photographer capturedpictures of Hang Beqs kitchen.

On the following day, we proceeded to Long

Tuyoq residential areas of Dayak Bahau

Long Gelat community. In the Long Tuyoq

lamin (long house), we met with Blawing

Belareq, the traditional elder of Bahau

Busang Mahakam, and Doh Ding, a rattan-

weaving craftsman. Through an interview,

Above, left: M. Jiu, a leader of Long Hubung village

Second photo from the left: Kulle, a leader of Datah

Bilang Bawah village

Third photo from the left: Datah Bilang people

working together (gotong royong), while the elders

prepare lunch

(Rangga Purbaya)




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captivating processes of rattan weaving,

traditional medicines, lamin, sh-catching

tools, and so on.

Hiring a speedboat powered by a 400PK

engine, we went to Tiong Ohang in Long

Apari District. On the way there, we stopped

by Datah Suling and Long Lunuk while

bringing home Belawing. At Long Unuk, wemade documentation of traditional drink

made of sticky rice called Balo Tau Boraaq,

observed and took pictures of an old lamin

that still used rattan, instead of nails, to

hold the joints and statues of Bahau Busang

Dayak.

Our next stop was Long Pakaq, the village

of Kayan Dayak community. We interviewed

the Kayan traditional elder who had an old

mandau, which was often used as a war

weapon (headhunting). There were 90

visible marks ingrained on the mandaus

blade near its handle, signifying that it had

killed 90 people. We also interviewed an

elementary school teacher named Yakobus

and made documents of various plants

used as medicines by Kayan Dayaks in LongPakaq.

From Long Pakaq, our next leg of the

journey took us to Tiong Buu and Tiong

Ohang in Long Apari subdistrict, which

were inhabited by Aoheng/Penihing Dayaks.

Long Apari District is East Kalimantans

farthest district near the Serawak border.

We conducted an extensive interview with

Right: Lamin Pintuq, Sendawar, Kutai Barat

Second photo from the right: The inner condition of Pepas Eheng

lamin, Sendawar, West Kutai

(Rangga Purbaya)

Leonardus Janun (hunter), Devung Anyang

(wife of the late Irang Napap, a respected

traditional elder of Penihing), A. Kaya (a

trader) and Fransiscus Jiu, a teacher of Long

Apari Public Senior High School, to collect

information on mandau-making techniques,

telavang (shield), traditional medicines,

and Aohen Dayak shirt, including coloring

substances and their preservatives.




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RP

Bottom: A woman of Kenyah Dayak tribe weaving anjat, Lung Anai, West Kutai

(Rangga Purbaya)




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Left: Belawing Belareq, Bahau traditional elderMiddle: 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 processof 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 Tongkoksubdistrict 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 lamins wall is made of

tree bark, its oor 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.




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From Lambing village, we went overland

back to Samarinda. We interviewed Lukas

Kupang, commander of Kalimantan Dayak

Culture Defense (KPAD) and Roedy Haryo

Widjono, Dayak culture observer who

married a Benuaq Dayak girl from Benung

village, Damai subdistrict in West Kutai

Regency. Based on the interview, we learnedabout 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.

As additional information, almost in all the

villages we visited, we saw many Dayak

women and men with long ears. For Dayak

women, the long-ear tradition is part

of local wisdom related to make-up and

beauty.

For Dayak women, the long-ear

tradition is part of local wisdom related

to make-up and beauty




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Dayak Kenyah children playing in

the afternoon, Lung Anai(Rangga Purbaya)




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Sequence of Report

In part four, which is the closing, we offersome overview that may serve as a small

mirror for various problems confronting

the Dayaks, especially in the areas we

visited. This lamentation is not meant

for nding or even creating a scapegoat

in the problems but for seeking agreeable

solutions.

To facilitate readers looking for furtherinformation, we equip this book with

sources of information supporting our

research and writing, both in the list of

bibliography and detailed information about

the interviewees.

The main ndings of our surveys areclassied into four parts based on

categorical proximity. Part one, Tracking

Dayak Peoples Residences, offers overviews

of locations we visited in East Kalimantan

and our research method.

Part two, Culture and Local Wisdom,

explains technologies Dayak communities

use daily, particularly in house construction,farming, transportation, and various tools

they use for different activities. Part two

also talks about food processing techniques

they use, as well as their famous technology

called teknologi punggung, aside from attire

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


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Children in PepasEheng lamin,Sendawar,West Kutai(Rangga Purbaya)


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from Long House Construction

to Backbone Technology

02. Culture s And Local Wisdom

44 Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction to Backbone Technology


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Umaq dadu, Long Anai.(Rangga Purbaya)

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 itsviews 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 reect

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.

Each technology offers dreams and

hopes, as well as human efforts tomaterialize them.


45Cultures And Local Wisdom from Long House Construction to Backbone Technology


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Housing Technology

The typical material culture of Dayak tribes

is manifested in their lamin or betang,or long house. Lamin is found almost

throughout Kalimantan. The Dayaks consist

of hundreds of sub-tribes. According to

Charles Hoses analyses as referred to

by Maulani (2000), lamin was a cultural

heritage of Kahayan Dayaks who migrated

less than 1,000 years ago from Irawadi

highland in Burma. Evidences of Kahayan

Dayaks existence could be found at least

in four big rivers in Kalimantan two in

Central Kalimantan, one in East Kalimantan,

and another one in North Kalimantan,

Serawak that are named Kahayan.

Lamin or Long House

Just like other cultural heritages, the

number of long houses (lamin or betang) in

Kalimantan continues to decrease and is

now near extinction. One of the few betang

houses still standing is the Sungolo Betang

House of the Tamambaloh Apalin Dayak

community in West Kalimantan. Inhabited

by 500 people (around 130 families),

Betang Sungolo, which is 268 meters long

and has 53 rooms (from previously 63),

Datah Bilang Dayaks working to-gether to renovate a lamin.(Rangga Purbaya)

is the longest long house still standing

in Kalimantan (Wisetyo, 2007). In East

Kalimantan, there are several long houses

called lamin. Several of those long houses,

especially those in West Kutai, are still

very strong and still have occupants,

although they have undergone several

renovation works. Meanwhile, in Central

Kalimantan, long houses are rarely found

as they have split into individual houses

that accommodate nuclear family members

(Maulani, 200).

Based on their residential types, Dayak

communities in West Kutai are divided

into two: those who live on land and those

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,

Mancong, and Tanjung Isuy. Meanwhile,

long houses built by Dayak communitiesliving along rivers are Amin Aya Uma Belua

in Long Pahangai Hulu, Amin Aya Uma

Baleh in Long Pahangai Hilir, Datah Bilang

Hilir Long House, and Datah Bilang Hulu

Long House, can be reached through river

transportation only.

Before entering the Datah Bilang area, we

observed houses on rafts called lanting in

local language in Mahakam River. Besides

serving as a dwelling place, lanting also

functions as kiosks selling a wide variety

of goods such as fuel, food, lodging, and

even as ports where Dayak people wait

for river transportation going upstream

or downstream. While in Datah Bilang, we

also spent several nights in lanting.




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In other words, houses built by the Dayaks

along Mahakam river are classied into

two: raft houses and stilt houses (rumah

panggung). The stilt house, simply referred

to as lamin or balai, and ordinary houses

are located along the riverbank, while raft

houses oat along riverbanks.

Raft or oating houses use bengkirai logs

with a diameter of 60 centimeters and four

to ve meters long. The logs are arranged

horizontally. The number of logs used

depends on the owners nancial ability.

After being arranged, the logs are tied with

rattan in such a way that the surface is at.

After arranging and tying the logs, they

then place wood panels on top neatly and

Shops on a raft found in a great number along Mahakan river.(Rangga Purbaya)

rm them up by nailing them to the logs.

The wood panels serve as the raft oor.

They then erect posts on the panels to

build a house. The houses walls are madeof 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 rmly 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

length mentioned above are now difcult

to nd.

The construction of stilt houses uses

several long columns to support the house

as we witnessed in the research area.

In Datah Bilang Hilir and Datah Bilang

Hulu, there are two long houses owned by

Kenyah Dayak Community. Named Amin

Biu Lepoq, the long house in Datah Bilang

Hulu was built in 1976. It is 20-meter in

length and 60-meter in width. Lamins

roof is made of ulin wood (Eusideroxylon

zwageri) shingles, while wall from wood

panels and oor from ulin wood panels.

The long house in Datah Bilang Hilir, on




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Left: The view inside a Long Anai lamin.Right: Datah Bilang residents piling up roong shingles..

(Rangga Purbaya)

the other hand, is called Amin Data Bilang

Hilir and was built in 1975. It is 16 meters

long and 50 meters wide, with roong

made of ulin wood shingles, walls from

wood panels, and oor ulin wood panels.

The lamin stands rm on mid-height ulin

wood columns not far from the Mahakam

riverbank.

Lamin, amin, or long house is part of the

Dayak identity. Lamin may be considered

as a symbol that consistenty promotes

values of togetherness and brotherhood

based on conviction of solidarity, mutual

help, and harmony (Sedyawati dkk., 1995).

Philosophical values on life priorities are

lived out in the lamin everyday.

Manifestations of those values were clearly

recorded in the working together, which

is locally known as gotong-royong, in

xing the roof of Datah Bilang Hilir long

house. All male residents of Datah Bilang

Hilir, regardless of their ages and faith or

religion, and ethnic groups Buginese,

Banjarnese, Javanese, and Dayaknese allparticipated in the activity. That activity

also demonstrated fair distribution of job:

young people were involved in tough jobs

such as making shingles from very hard

ulin logs under the scorching sun in the

yard just outside the long house. Elderly

people, on the other hand, worked inside

the long house, in fact in the long houses

kitchen. Some of them weaved banana




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as well as its values still use lamin as

reference. So, just like lamin, function

rooms or balai, also now serve as one of

Dayak identities and must be present at

every Dayak villages.

The Kenyah Umaq Bakung Dayaks own the

Datah Bilang Hulu and Datah Bilang Hilir

long houses. In the lamins front, there isan ulin wood belawing with a diameter of

50 centimeters. On the belawing, the date

when it was made is written: 24-4-1996.

The long house that serves as balai or

function house has six main columns, each

with a diameter of 60 centimeters, which

are carved with Kenyah Dayak motifs. In

the verandah, there is a stage about a half

meter high. In the front side just under the

leaves to wrap rice and hold meat broth

and drink, while others whittled bamboo,

and others cooked rice, meat, and boiled

water. This work-together activity did not

involve women since they have their work

in their respective families, such as drying

unhusked rice under the sun, making

rattan handicraft, cooking, and so on.

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. From our current perspective,

lamin is now identical with a function hall

as its structure, construction method,

SP

RP

Amin Biu Lepoq, Datah Bilang Hulu.(Rangga Purbaya)



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stage, there is a relief describing gradual

migration of local people from Tege village

in Apokayan. They began to leave Tege

village in 1861 and 1930 and arrived atDatah Bilang village in 1975.

Just like in Datah Bilang Hilir and Datah

Bilang Hulu, the long house we visited in

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 housesare 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)

To keep the poles erect, the logs are tied to

one another using bamboo bars and rattan.

The long house is to stretch eight meterswide and 24 meters long. In the middle of

the planned long house, there is a pole of

the same height but of bigger diameter,

around 50 centimeters. In the front side,

there are two poles of ulin wood, 30 cm in

diameter. At the edge of the planned lamin,

there are piles of construction materials,

including logs of ulin wood, ulin shinglesand shingles of other woods. We were

tipped that the same lamin would be used

as the governments District Ofce.

Built by the Dayak Kenyah community, the long houses in Datah Bilang

Hilir and Datah Bilang Hulu were not meant to be communal residencebut as places for community meetings and socio-cultural activities.




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Lamin Long Tuyoq (Rangga Purbaya)




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The Bahau Long Gelat Dayak community

owns the Long Tuloq long house.

Currently, three families inhabit the lamin.

The house has a unique feature comparedto other long houses. The lamins kitchen

is located inside the main room and is

used during traditional rituals only. The

house also has two stories: the rst story

for activities of local people, especially

for meetings. The rst and second story

is connected with a staircase made from

carved ulin wood. On the second oor,

there are three doors leading to the room

of the three families, descendants of Bahau

Long Gelat Dayak royal families. The

royal descendants are called hipuy, while

ordinary people are called panyin.

On the second oor Belawing Belareq, head

of Bahau Long Gelat Dayak tribe in Long

Tuyoq, who also serves as traditional elder

of the Long Pahangai District, greeted us.

The second oor is also used as a meetingplace for hipuy. As a meeting place, the

oor in front of the rooms is elevated by

around 50 centimeters from the seats of

hipuy. In the event of a meeting with the

panyin, the hipuy usually hold an internal

meeting rst in the second oor before

they go down to the rst oor to meet

ordinary people. Usually, the common

people work as craftsmen weaving rattans

into anjat (Dayak traditional bag) and

gravitate around farm work.

The long house appears very old but stillwell maintained. In front of the lamin,

there is a yard of the football court size

and a belawing statue carved out of ulin

log. Just outside the court, there are

several poles of ulin logs that appear

to be very old. The eld, along with the

poles, is the place where local people hold

the kayau ceremony. In the past, kayau

ceremony was a ritual designed to show off

the heads of the enemies they have killed

to villagers. Not far from the eld is the

Mahakam river.

The houses of Bahau Busang Long Gelat

Dayak are located not far from left and

right of Long Tulog long house. In other

words, the Long Tulog long house is

located in the middle of the village and

becomes the center of socio-culturalactivities of local people.

We can say that the long house in Datah

Dawai is older than the Long Tuyoq lamin.

This is due to the fact that people still used

rattan, not nails, to tie and hold the lamins

walls and roof. The house is standing

on ulin wood poles of around 4 meters

high and diameters of 30 centimeters.

The lamins kitchen is located inside the main room and is used

during traditional rituals only. The house also has two stories: therst story for activities of local people, especially for meetings.



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The houses oor is made of thick wood

panels, each tied with rattan. The house is

inhabited by only one woman aged more

than 65 years. Although the house is stillstanding tall, the long houses durability is

slowly worn out due to age.

Meanwhile, Tolan Bawah and Tolan Atas

long houses in Lambing, Muara Lawa

District, are owned by Benuaq Dayak

tribe. Our resource person, Y. Nyangkum,

says the two long houses already existed

during the colonial time, around 1920s.

The Tolan Bawah long house, which is

younger than Tolan Atas lamin, is no longer

inhabited. In front of the lamin, there is a

wooden belontakng statue signifying that

a traditional rite called kwangkai (seeing

off the soul) was once held there. The

condition of Tolan Bawah lamin is rather

worrisome. Its shingle roof is now leaking,

its wall, which is made of tree barks, are

also worn out and torn, while its rattanand bamboo ooring is also on its way of

becoming dilapidated.

The kitchens of both Tolan Bawah and

Tolan Atas long houses are not separated

from the lamins main room; they are

lower than the oor of the main room.

Meanwhile, the bath, laundry, and toilet

room is separated from the long house.

Underneath the long house, there is a

chickenrun and piles of wood. Tolan

Bawah lamin has three rooms, which, as

mentioned above, are no longer inhabitedas the former occupants have all passed

away, while their surviving family members

chose to build their own house in front

of the long house. Tolan Atas lamin, on

the other hand, is still inhabited by two

families. The walls of Tolan Atas long house

is made from tree bark, while its oor is a

mixture of rattan and bamboo. The houses

poles are tied with rattan. The house has

12 main poles and four windows. People

who stay in the Tolan Atas long house use

oil lamps to illuminate the house in the

evening. Tolan Atas long house, to a certain

extent, reects past long houses.

The physical appearances of Tolan Bawah

and Tolan Atas long houses are very

similar to long houses in Pepas Eheng,

though their sizes are relatively smaller.The sizes of Tohan Bawah and Tohan Atas

long houses are more or less the same

as those of the long houses in Benuang.

Pieces of mattress spotted folded during

daytime indicate that the inhabitants also

use the lamins main room for sleeping.

In the evening, they spread the mats to

sleep on.

Statues in front oflPepas Eheng lamin. (Steve Pillar)




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The front side of the long house is facing

east, where there is a belontakng and big

eld and un-asphalted road stretching

over one kilometer towards the main

road. The back side, facing west, water

is owing 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 drymats 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 envelopedus 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)




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diameter. The six poles are decorated with

incisions ofasolejo motive, a tiger legend

and a human face named nangbrang.

The house oor and land surface is

connected with stairs three meters in

height made of ulin wood. The stair

is covered with wood panels to prevent

people and animals from entering the

house easily. In the past, the stair was

pulled upward in the evening to prevent

enemies and animals from entering thelong house. The lamins oor is made

from bengkirai wood panels as thick as 10

centimeters and 60 centimeters wide. The

long house has two rooms occupied by

two families.

The two houses have spacious verandas

for consultation meetings. In the

verandah, there are two tuwung (drum)

made of bengkirai tree bark for rituals,and one sung (mortar) in the shape of a

boat with four holes for pounding rice. On

the upper pole were hung equipment for

rituals such as the statue of enggang bird

and kaliwet (a cat-sized animal, one of

those protected animals)

Residents of Tiong Ohang village in Long

Apari District belong to the Aoheng/Penihing Dayak sub-tribe. They have

a long house called Amin Aya Bangun,

which was built in 1980. The house is 40

meters long and 15 meters wide, four

meters above the ground. The lamins

roof is made from shingles of ulin wood,

while its walls are of wood panels, and its

Above left: Rattan peel beingshaped and smoothened, Long

Isun.(Rangga Purbaya)

Above right: A big tamborine atUmaq Dadu, Lung Anai.

(Steve Pillar)




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floor is made of wood panels. This long

house is exclusively used for traditional

rites and meetings.

The long house in Naha Buan village in Long

Apari District, named Baang Adat Huvung

Nyoaang Noha Boan, is smaller in size

compared to the Tiong Ohan long house. Its

length is only 20 meters and is 15 meters wide.

The long house has 10 poles of ulin wood and

is only one meter above the land surface.

In the lamins verandah, there is a tuwung(drum), suan (alu), and losung (lesung). The

tuwung is reversed to its support, so with the

losung (rice pounder) at a corner. A staff, Lasa,

explains that the reversed positions of the

equipment means mourning over the dead of

a community member who believes in their

ancestors religious belief.

The long house in Tiong Buu is located

across Tiong Ohang village and Naha

Buhan and is separated by the MahakamRiver. The size of Tiong Buu lamin is

almost the same as that of the Naha Buan

long house.

Dayak Kayan owns the long house in Long

Paka. Its length and width are the same

as those of the Naha Buan and Tiong Buu

long houses. Inside the long house, there

is a drum and lesung (rice pounder). Thelong house also functions as a meeting

place and place for traditional rituals. The

traditional elder head of the Kayan Dayak

tribe lives behind the long house.

Above left: Lesung, Noha Buan.(Rangga Purbaya)

Above right: A tamborine at Lamin BaangAdat Huvung Nyoang Noha Buan.(Rangga Purbaya)



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Totem, Lamin Tiong Buu.

(Rangga Purbaya)



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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)




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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, includingmandau, luring potential

buyers almost every week.

(Rangga Purbaya)




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(Rangga Purbaya)

Bathroom

Bathroom

Bedroom

OpenB d

Kitchen

61


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Pintuq and Benung Long

Houses

Tradition head of Benuaq, Petrus Lama,

stays in the Pintuq long house in Benung

village. The house has 12 main poles and

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 reection of the

Tolan Atas long house, inhabitants of Pintuq

long house also sleep in the main room. A

smattering of mattressses were spotted

folded during daytime.

The long house faces east, towards the main

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 eld also serves as a place wherepeople 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.

Not far from the Pintuq long house, another

long house, Benung, stands rmly. The house

has six doors and is inhabited by extended

family members of Mr. Banyak, the customary

secretary of Benung community. The Benung

long house is located at a crossroad leading

to Engkuni and Mencimai. On the front

side, facing the long houses stair, there is a

A lamins interiorlayout in Benung

belontakng, while on the left size of the long

houses front is seen a tempelaq. The long

house, which appears to be well maintained

with decayed woods replaced, is also

equipped with a parabolic antenna.

Bedroom

GuestRoom

FamilyRoom

Bedroom

Kitchen

Porch

Porch


(Steve Pillar)



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Upper below: Lamin structure

at Long Lunuk, using rattan for

binding.

Lower right: Some elders of

Benung village received our team

in their home.

Lower left: Datah Bilang Hilir

residents cooking in a lamin.

(Rangga Purbaya)

performed the traditional rite kwangkai

as an offering to their ancestors. The

numerous water buffalo horns in front of

the rooms mean the family or inhabitants

have conducted the ritual many times.

Those who place water buffalo heads or

horns usually belong to the royal family

or hipuy (Bahau Dayak), paren (Kenyah

Dayak), mantiq (Benuaq Dayak), or a

wealthy family residing in the long house.

The kitchen area is divided into threesections: the dining room, cooking

space, and bathroom. The kitchen is

also elongated along the long house but

is smaller in size as it is intended to be

for cooking and bathing and laundry

purposes only. Such is the brief overview

of long houses found in West Kutai,

including Long Tuyoq, Pepas Eheng,

Datah Dawai, and so on.

Building A Long House

Before building a long house, the Dayaks

rst decide on the location where the long

house would be constructed. The most

ideal position is an east-facing long house,toward the rising sun. In other words, the

long house must stretch over a piece of

plain and dry land that allows the front

side to face east and backside face west.

This position allows the whole house to

sun exposure throughout the day.

When building a long house, the Dayaks

closely follow beliefs they inherited from

Shapes and Parts of Long

Houses

As its name suggests, a long house i s

built elongated along the main road or in

the upstream-downstream direction for

Dayak people living around the upstream

of Mahakam river. A long house is divided

into two parts: the lamin itself and the

kitchen that is separated from the long

house. Lamin itself is divided into Open

Space and Closed Space.

An open space defies the use of

partitions, only house poles. The open

space may also be called a public space as

lamin inhabitants gather there for various

activities, including weaving, meetings,

greeting guests, conducting traditional

rites for healing (belian) or rituals for

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

room functions as a room where each

family congregate. Closed spaces are

also elongated as if to honor the shape

of the long house. Inside the closed

space, inhabitants place their respectivebeds and personal belongings. Also

inside the room, the head of the family,

children and wife conduct various family

activities. Up in the ceiling of the closed

space, the family stores various personal

belongings such as porcelain, spears,

and mandau. On lamin poles in front of

their rooms are hung the head of a water

buffalo signifying that the occupants had




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their ancestors. Either when they are

about to start construction or when the

construction is already well underway,

they always observe the moons position. If

the moon is half-covered meaning not it

is not a full moon construction may not

be continued. And if they force themselves

to continue building, they believe re

would burn down the long house.

They may not cut down trees for the long

house at random timing. The Kenyah

Dayak fell trees for a long house at the

beginning of the full moon. By following

this conviction, they believe they would

get woods that are slow to decay and have

better resistance to termite activities.

When nding a location to build the long

house, they also observe areas hit by oods

to determine the height of poles supporting

the house. With correct estimates, the

houses oor would be impervious to

overowing water in the event of oods.

The proposed lamin location should be

big enough to accommodate at least 20

families, or around 12 meters. No regulation

on width. The poles or supporting pillars

should be planted into the ground up to one

and a half meters down to ensure that the

long house would stand rm.

Kulle of the Datang Bilang Hulu believes

that instead of building private houses,

which tend to occupy more space,

residential areas built on Dayak values

may save us more money. This opinion

is in line with philosophical values of

solidarity, harmony, and mutual help

dearly held by the Dayaks. Kulle adds that

the Dayaks also have a belief that a long

house or just any other house should

not be completely made of ulin wood

but must be mixed with other woods

such as meranti and others. And if this

conviction is violated, they believe that

the inhabitants would never feel peaceful

and there will always be conflicts among

family members.

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)



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Below left:

Doh Ding, peeling an areca nut,

Long Tuyoq.

Below right:

Ding Hat, making mandau sheath,

Long Tuyoq.

(Rangga Purbaya)

Left: A scene at Long Tuyoq village.

(Rangga Purbaya)

Illustration: Yayak Yatmaka


Moon 1



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The Dayaks also subscribe to the principle

of meticulous time calculation to start

building a long house. No matter howsmall the planned lamin is, the same

calculation still applies. They would wait

for the ninth night the moon is up in the

sky, even if it means they need to assign a

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

parallelism of the moons 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

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

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

the big tree trunk could slide withoutIllustration: Yayak Yatmaka

Moon 2Moon 3

Moon 5

Moon 8

Moon 4

Moon 9

Moon 6

Moon 7


The Heritage of Rural Technology of East Kalimantan's Dayaks

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