The amazing Dayak Bungan porters of West Kalimantan

Text by Dolly Priatna photos by Ismunandar

SAMARINDA, E. Kalimantan (JP): Fifteen days after setting out from Pontianak, the provincial capital of West Kalimantan, the long-boat trip upstream from the mouth of the Kapuas river ended at Tanjung Lokang -- the most distant village in Kapuas Hulu regency of West Kalimantan. Here, in this Bungan Dayak village of 500 inhabitants the trek up the Mueller mountain range would begin.

In these dense highland forests, we, members of the advance team paving the way for the Kapuas-Mahakam Expedition, stayed in bivouacs for 30 days, from April 15 to May 15. The actual expedition itself started on June 15, and is slated to end on July 24. The purpose is to explore this particular territory, which serves as an important water catchment area for the region. Three of Kalimantan's great rivers -- the Kapuas, Mahakam and Barito -- cut through this area.

Immediately the zoological and botanical advance research groups set out to do their work. The mountaineers went up the slopes of Mt. Terata (1,457 meters), slashing their way through the dense jungle growth until they reached one of the highest peaks in the Mueller range.

Throughout the journey -- up to the very last moments when the small advance team reached the end of its journey in Samarinda, East Kalimantan -- the services of the 15 local porters acquired at Bungan Jaya Village proved invaluable. Not only were they indefatigable in crossing rivers and scaling cliffs barefoot while lugging loads of up to 20 kilograms each, they acted as instantaneous "taxonomists" who were able to identify the local names of most of the flora and fauna on the Mueller. Their fishing skills added welcome diversity to our meals.

To help set the menu for the day, Jahun, whose normal occupation was village head of Tanjung Lokang, asked the typical question: "What kind of meat would you like today? Just give us a few bullets." And true enough, one bullet, which could be bought for Rp 10,000 in Tanjung Lokang, invariably brought home a piece of game, usually a wild boar, whose meat the porters loved. The sound and smell of fish cooking in the pan was almost always present close to mealtimes. Quite often the porters also brought wild fruits -- often sour tasting but indisputably refreshing.

The porters were between 15 and 40 years old and were visibly proud to be Bungan Dayaks. For a living those people usually farm or prospect for gold. Leisure time is usually spent hunting in the forest. Almost every Bungan male is an adept hunter, which is done with either spears or shotguns. Obviously, they also like to fish in their home territory's clear and rapid-running brooks and streams. But newcomers are not particularly welcome on hunting trips, as was clear from Ugay's polite but firm rejection of our team member's wish to come along on one such occasion. "You'd better not. Boots make noise and we may have no meat tonight," he said.

But as the days went by, the bond between team members and porters grew ever closer and during the nights, everyone gathered around the campfire to eat and chat. Sometimes card games were played, with the porters teaching the team members how to play the Bungan variety of poker.

Farewell

On the 44th day of the journey, Tiong Ohang village was reached. This was the moment for us to bid farewell to our porters from Tanjung Lokang. Some of the porters made use of some of the money they had earned -- Rp 15,000 a day plus an extra payment for their trip home -- to buy supplies. "When you come back, don't forget to bring bullets, and also many fishhooks and nets." said Ole, who was proudly wearing one of our presents -- a Jakarta Post T-shirt with a picture of venerable Jazz pianist Bob James on the front.

Now back in Jakarta we find it difficult to forget those 30 days on the Mueller range in the heart of Kalimantan, especially those 15 helpful and friendly porters. Especially impressive was what seemed to be their inborn sixth sense -- the ability to pick the right mountain ridge to climb, or to the safest spot to cross a stream. In the jungle they also seemed to have the innate ability to tell direction. Streams appeared to provide the main points of reference because otherwise there seemed to be no way of orienting yourself amid the dense jungle growth.

Climbing cliffs, traversing gorges and trying to locate streams formed the bulk of our activities. And always there were the leeches and blood-sucking insects. But that never seemed to worry our porters. Once, when we appeared lost, Ugay put us at ease, saying: "Don't worry. There is a clear stream ahead. We'll set up our tents there and in a week we will be at the Mahakam River."

And sure enough. It was just as he said. We were never lost for long and so we were able to climb Mt. Terata twice instead of only once, which was good because that area is especially rich in wild flora and fauna. Without the porters, however, we wonder if we could have ever done it. Even our food would have been much less edible.

No doubt Ugay and his mates are now back on the Mueller range, or will soon be, to assist the members of the main expedition. A distance of almost 2,000 kilometers will be covered by this present team, from Pontianak in West Kalimantan to Samarinda in the east. Without the porters of Tanjung Lokang village it is difficult to believe that they could ever accomplish that task.