Modernization continues to permeate Dayak lives

Is it true that Dayak tribes living deep in the hinterland of Kalimantan still live primitive lives? Early this month, The Jakarta Post photographer P.J. Leo visited a number of villages in Kapuas Hulu, Putussibau district, West Kalimantan, about 700 kilometers from the provincial capital of Pontianak. Here he observed the daily lives of members of one tribe, Dayak Taman, who live on both sides of the Kapuas river.

PUTUSSIBAU, West Kalimantan (JP): The mere mention of the word "Dayak" calls to many people's minds images of tattooed bodies and violence. Our mental picture of the Dayaks is one of primitive tribal people never parting with machetes, arrows and blowpipes, which they use to defend themselves and kill their enemies. However, do present-day Dayak people fit this caricature?

Dayak culture seemingly had a low degree of civilization. Intertribe wars and slavery are said to have been the order of the day. However, this is all history and myth now.

In the course of time, the Dayaks, although living deep in forests and far from urban civilization, are now no longer free from the influence of the modern way of life. However, tradition is still a big part of their lives.

The Dayaks now can enjoy the modern conveniences made available by progress in technology, such as electricity, TV, satellite dishes, boat engines and the like.

"It is actually not easy for Dayaks to accept modern technology if we are not convinced of its benefit for us," said John F. Herry Muda, head of the Malap village, when talking about the technology applied in the era of the ancestors of the Dayaks.

The Dayaks live in a close relationship with nature. They do not dare cause damage to the land and the forests, because they know that doing so will mean damaging their own lives.

However, the Dayaks have no other choice but to open up forest areas for growing rice in order to survive. They will fell trees and burn a certain area in the forest to plant rice on the thin layer of usable soil. The topsoil is usually sparse and after just one harvest is unfertile. So farmers must move to another forest area and clear the land for the next rice crop.

When choosing a certain forest area to be cleared for farming, the Dayaks often do not consider the flatness of the land. They simply clear and burn the trees and start planting rice. Harvests often fail due to poor irrigation.

Dayak culture is inseparable from their characteristic long houses, or betang panjang, which often have at least 25 doors. Here they lead and defend their lives. To Dayaks, these houses are not only shelters, but also serve as defensive forts during enemy attacks.

"Don't be surprised to find a betang panjang built five to 12 meters above ground with large tree trunks as stilts. In this way occupants can keep themselves safe from enemies and also wild animals," John said.

"In the belief of our ancestors, betang panjang are built close to a river bank, and must look over the river, because good fortune is said to be there in the river. This is the traditional belief of the Dayaks."

Because of possible natural disasters and the efforts of the government to modernize "backward" villages, some long houses have been moved from their original positions. Some have been moved further from river banks because of threats of landslides. As roads are built for overland transportation, betang panjang are rotated 180 degrees, so they now face the road rather than the river.

"There is a taboo, known as buling in the Dayak language, in the event of a betang panjang having its back on the river. However, members of the Dayak community today heed the government's advice that the back of their houses should not look on the road," John said.

Local and foreign tourists and researchers visiting the hinterland of Kalimantan express the hope that old long houses, many built scores of years ago, be well looked after. As now it is difficult to find traditional Dayak houses as good as those built in the past.

The majority of betang panjang existing now are built only about 2.5 meters above the ground, while the tree trunks used as stilts are not as big as those used for houses of the past.

District administrations in West Kalimantan have extended, sometimes reluctantly, financial assistance for the repair of these traditional houses unique to West Kalimantan. In the villages of Sukamaju and Malapi I, you can still find magnificent and well maintained betang panjang standing high above the ground.

"All these traditional houses may be sold as tourist objects. Besides the traditional houses, community members can intensify their handicraft production. Those living in betang panjang are usually related," John said.

To travel from one village to another, which is often quite a long distance, the Dayaks rely on boats. They also travel by boat to forest areas to clear the land for farming.

The Dayaks living in Malapi village, where scores of people live in the same long house, hope that PLN will supply electricity to the house so nights will no longer be dark.

At sunrise, the Dayaks begin their daily activities. Men sail their boats along the Kapuas River to their farms. Others take their cattle to graze. The women, meanwhile, busy themselves making taingin (rice baskets) and other handicrafts.

As time goes slowly by, modernization continues to permeate into all aspects of Dayak lives. However, present-day Dayaks no longer run into the deep forest when surprised by outsiders, but are meeting the outside world head-on.