Modernization continues to permeate Dayak lives<\/p>\n
Is it true that Dayak tribes living deep in the hinterland of
\nKalimantan still live primitive lives? Early this month, The
\nJakarta Post photographer P.J. Leo visited a number of villages
\nin Kapuas Hulu, Putussibau district, West Kalimantan, about 700
\nkilometers from the provincial capital of Pontianak. Here he
\nobserved the daily lives of members of one tribe, Dayak Taman,
\nwho live on both sides of the Kapuas river.<\/p>\n
PUTUSSIBAU, West Kalimantan (JP): The mere mention of the word
\n\"Dayak\" calls to many people's minds images of tattooed bodies
\nand violence. Our mental picture of the Dayaks is one of
\nprimitive tribal people never parting with machetes, arrows and
\nblowpipes, which they use to defend themselves and kill their
\nenemies. However, do present-day Dayak people fit this
\ncaricature?<\/p>\n
Dayak culture seemingly had a low degree of civilization.
\nIntertribe wars and slavery are said to have been the order of
\nthe day. However, this is all history and myth now.<\/p>\n
In the course of time, the Dayaks, although living deep in
\nforests and far from urban civilization, are now no longer free
\nfrom the influence of the modern way of life. However, tradition
\nis still a big part of their lives.<\/p>\n
The Dayaks now can enjoy the modern conveniences made
\navailable by progress in technology, such as electricity, TV,
\nsatellite dishes, boat engines and the like.<\/p>\n
\"It is actually not easy for Dayaks to accept modern
\ntechnology if we are not convinced of its benefit for us,\" said
\nJohn F. Herry Muda, head of the Malap village, when talking about
\nthe technology applied in the era of the ancestors of the Dayaks.<\/p>\n
The Dayaks live in a close relationship with nature. They do
\nnot dare cause damage to the land and the forests, because they
\nknow that doing so will mean damaging their own lives.<\/p>\n
However, the Dayaks have no other choice but to open up forest
\nareas for growing rice in order to survive. They will fell trees
\nand burn a certain area in the forest to plant rice on the thin
\nlayer of usable soil. The topsoil is usually sparse and after
\njust one harvest is unfertile. So farmers must move to another
\nforest area and clear the land for the next rice crop.<\/p>\n
When choosing a certain forest area to be cleared for farming,
\nthe Dayaks often do not consider the flatness of the land. They
\nsimply clear and burn the trees and start planting rice. Harvests
\noften fail due to poor irrigation.<\/p>\n
Dayak culture is inseparable from their characteristic long
\nhouses, or betang panjang, which often have at least 25 doors.
\nHere they lead and defend their lives. To Dayaks, these houses
\nare not only shelters, but also serve as defensive forts during
\nenemy attacks.<\/p>\n
\"Don't be surprised to find a betang panjang built five to 12
\nmeters above ground with large tree trunks as stilts. In this way
\noccupants can keep themselves safe from enemies and also wild
\nanimals,\" John said.<\/p>\n
\"In the belief of our ancestors, betang panjang are built
\nclose to a river bank, and must look over the river, because good
\nfortune is said to be there in the river. This is the traditional
\nbelief of the Dayaks.\"<\/p>\n
Because of possible natural disasters and the efforts of the
\ngovernment to modernize \"backward\" villages, some long houses
\nhave been moved from their original positions. Some have been
\nmoved further from river banks because of threats of landslides.
\nAs roads are built for overland transportation, betang panjang
\nare rotated 180 degrees, so they now face the road rather than
\nthe river.<\/p>\n
\"There is a taboo, known as buling in the Dayak language, in
\nthe event of a betang panjang having its back on the river.
\nHowever, members of the Dayak community today heed the
\ngovernment's advice that the back of their houses should not look
\non the road,\" John said.<\/p>\n
Local and foreign tourists and researchers visiting the
\nhinterland of Kalimantan express the hope that old long houses,
\nmany built scores of years ago, be well looked after. As now it
\nis difficult to find traditional Dayak houses as good as those
\nbuilt in the past.<\/p>\n
The majority of betang panjang existing now are built only
\nabout 2.5 meters above the ground, while the tree trunks used as
\nstilts are not as big as those used for houses of the past.<\/p>\n
District administrations in West Kalimantan have extended,
\nsometimes reluctantly, financial assistance for the repair of
\nthese traditional houses unique to West Kalimantan. In the
\nvillages of Sukamaju and Malapi I, you can still find magnificent
\nand well maintained betang panjang standing high above the
\nground.<\/p>\n
\"All these traditional houses may be sold as tourist objects.
\nBesides the traditional houses, community members can intensify
\ntheir handicraft production. Those living in betang panjang are
\nusually related,\" John said.<\/p>\n
To travel from one village to another, which is often quite a
\nlong distance, the Dayaks rely on boats. They also travel by boat
\nto forest areas to clear the land for farming.<\/p>\n
The Dayaks living in Malapi village, where scores of people
\nlive in the same long house, hope that PLN will supply
\nelectricity to the house so nights will no longer be dark.<\/p>\n
At sunrise, the Dayaks begin their daily activities. Men sail
\ntheir boats along the Kapuas River to their farms. Others take
\ntheir cattle to graze. The women, meanwhile, busy themselves
\nmaking taingin (rice baskets) and other handicrafts.<\/p>\n
As time goes slowly by, modernization continues to permeate
\ninto all aspects of Dayak lives. However, present-day Dayaks no
\nlonger run into the deep forest when surprised by outsiders, but
\nare meeting the outside world head-on.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/modernization-continues-to-permeate-dayak-lives-1447893297",
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