The Dayak IPA: [ˈdaɪ̯ək] (or Dyak) are the peoples indigenous to Borneo.^[3] It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic subgroups, located principally in the interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily identifiable. Dayaks are categorised as part of wider Austronesian-speaking populations in Asia. The Dayak were animist in belief, however many converted to Christianity, and some to Islam more recently.^[4] Estimates for the Dayak population range from 2 to 4 million.^[1][2] Used to describe the languages of Borneo appart from the Languages of Chinese, Indian or European origin. ... Kaharingan, is the religion is professed by most Dayaks in the Kalimantan province of Indonesia. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Barito may refer to: Barito River Barito languages Barito Kuala Category: ... The Bidayuh (formerly known as Land D(a)yak) is one of the main indigenous ethnic groups now settled in areas of southwest Sarawak and the adjacent areas of west Kalimantan. ... Bukitan (also known as Baketan) is small tribe living the state of Sarawak, East Malaysia. ... The Dumpas are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... Dusun is the name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah. ... The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. ... The Idaan are an ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in the Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, and Sandakan districts on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. ... The Illanun are an ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily on the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia, in 17 villages around the Lahad Datu and Kota Belud districts; also in Kudat. ... The Kadazan is the largest ethnic group in Sabah (a state in Malaysia) making up about one third of the population. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Kedayan are an ethnic group residing in Brunei, Labuan, Sabah, and parts of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. ... The Kelabit, who have close ties to the Lun Bawang, are an indigenous race of the Sarawak highlands--the remotest and highest of Borneos mountains. ... The Kendayan (also known as Kendayan Dayak or Kanayatn) are an ethnic group native to Kalimantan, Indonesia. ... The Kenyah are an indigenous peoples of Borneo, living in the remote Baram and Belaga regions in Sarawak, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia. ... The Kwijau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Lun Bawang is of a Dayak tribe found in Central Borneo. ... The Lotud are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Mangkaak are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Maragang are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Melanau are a people who live on the island of Borneo, primarily in Sarawak, Malaysia, but also in Kalimantan, Indonesia. ... The Minokok are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Murut are an indigenous ethnic group inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo. ... The Penan are a nomadic aboriginal people living in Sarawak. ... Punan is an ethnic group distinct or a minority ethnic here in Sarawak specially, unrelated to the Penan and also the other so called Punan found both in Sarawak and Kalimantan part of Borneo. ... The Rumanau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... The Rungus are an ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in northern Sabah in the area surrounding Kudat. ... 1. ... The Tambanuo are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. ... George Town is the capital city of the state of Penang in Malaysia. ... The Tidong are an ethnic group of Borneo, residing primarily in the Bulungan Regency, in the province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia and in the Tawau Division, Sabah, Malaysia. ... The Ukit is a tribe found in Sarawak, Borneo. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Kalimantan. ... The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

History

Two young Dayak in traditional attire, Photo taken in 1905.

Common interpretations in modern anthropology agree that nearly all indigenous peoples of South East Asia, including the Dayaks, are descendants of a larger more common Austronesian migration from Asia, regarded to have settled in the South East Asian Archipelago some 3,000 years ago. The first populations spoke various languages and dialects now termed under the collective Austronesian Lingua, from which Dayak languages are traced. About 2,450 years ago, metallurgy was introduced and subsequently became widespread. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 440 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1261 × 1717 pixel, file size: 560 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) about 1905 Die Sitten der Völker von Dr. Georg Buschan File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 440 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1261 × 1717 pixel, file size: 560 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) about 1905 Die Sitten der Völker von Dr. Georg Buschan File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Anthropology (from Greek: ἀνθρωπος, anthropos, human being; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the study of humanity. ... The term indigenous people has no universal, standard or fixed definition, but can be used about any ethnic group who inhabit the geographic region with which they have the earliest historical connection. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

The main ethnic groups of Dayaks are the Bakumpai and Dayak Bukit of South Kalimantan, The Ngajus, Baritos, Benuaqs of East Kalimantan, the Kayan and Kenyah groups and their subtribes in Central Borneo and the Ibans, Embaloh (Maloh), Kayan, Kenyah, Penan, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and Taman populations in the Kapuas and Sarawak regions. Other populations include the Ahe, Jagoi, Selakau, Bidayuh, and Kutais. Categories: Indonesia geography stubs | Provinces of Indonesia ... East Kalimantan (Indonesian: Kalimantan Timur abbrv. ...

The Dayak people of Borneo possess an indigenous account of their history, partly in writing and partly in common cultural customary practices. In addition, colonial accounts and reports of Dayak activity in Borneo detail carefully cultivated economic and political relationships with other communities as well as an ample body of research and study considering historical Dayak migrations. In particular, the Iban or the Sea Dayak exploits in the South China Seas are documented, owing to their ferocity and aggressive culture of war against sea dwelling groups and emerging Western trade interests in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Coastal populations in Borneo are largely Muslim in belief, however these groups (Ilanun, Melanau, Kadayan, Bakumpai, Bisayah) are generally considered to be Islamized Dayaks, native to Borneo, and governed by the relatively high cultural influences of the Majapahit Kingdoms and Islamic Sultanates, periodically covering South East Asian history.

Economy

Agriculture

Traditionally, Dayak agriculture was based on swidden rice cultivation. Agricultural Land in this sense was used and defined primarily in terms of hill rice farming, ladang (garden), and hutan (forest). Dayaks organised their labour in terms of traditionally based land holding groups which determined who owned rights to land and how it was to be used. The "green revolution" in the 1950s, spurred on the planting of new varieties of wetland rice amongst Dayak tribes.

The main dependence on subsistence and mid-scale agriculture by the Dayak has made this group active in this industry. The modern day rise in large scale monocrop plantations such as palm oil and bananas proposed for vast swathes of Dayak land held under customary rights, titles and claims in Malaysia and Indonesia, threaten the local political landscape in various regions in Borneo. Further problems continue to arise in part due to the shaping of the modern Malaysian and Indonesian nation state on colonial political systems and laws on land tenure. The conflict between the state and the Dayak natives on land laws and native customary rights will continue as long as the model on land tenure is used against local customary law. The main precept of land use, interpreted by local customary law, is the precept that cultivated land is considered to be owned and held in right by the native owners, and the concept of land ownershipflows out of this central belief. This understanding of adat is based on the idea that land is used and held under native domain. Invariably, when colonial rule was first felt in the Kalimantan Kingdoms, conflict over the subjugation of territory erupted several times between the Dayaks and the respective authorities. Palm oil from Ghana with its natural dark color visible, 2 litres Palm oil block Palm oil is a form of edible vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Land tenure is the name given, particularly in common law systems, to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to hold the land. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

Religion

The Dayak indigenous religion is Kaharingan, a form of animism which, for official purposes, is categorized as a form of Hinduism in Indonesia. The practice of Kaharingan differs from group to group, and for example in some religious customary practices, when a noble (kamang) dies, it is believed that the spirit ascends to a mountain where the spirits of past ancestors of the tribe reside.^[5] On particular religious occasions, the spirit is believed to descend to partake in celebration, a mark of honour and respect to past ancestries and blessings for a prosperous future. Kaharingan, is the religion is professed by most Dayaks in the Kalimantan province of Indonesia. ... The term Animism is derived from the Latin anima, meaning soul.[1][2] In its most general sense, animism is simply the belief in souls. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ...

Over the last two centuries, some Dayaks converted to Islam, abandoning certain cultural rites and practices. Christianity was introduced by European missionaries in Borneo and may have been a deliberate policy by the colonial authorities to create a social bulwark against the spread of Islam.^{[citation needed]} Religious differences between Muslim and Christian natives of Borneo has led, at various times, to communal tensions.^{[citation needed]} Relations, however in all religious groups are generally good. For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Muslim Dayaks have however retained their original identity and kept various customary practices consistent with their religion.

An example of common identity, over and above religious belief, is the Melanau group. Despite the small population, to the casual observer, the coastal dwelling Melanau of Sarawak, generally do not identify with one religion, as a number of them have Islamized and Christianised over a period of time. A few practise a distinct Dayak form of Kaharingan, known as Liko. Liko is the earliest surviving form of religious belief for the Melanau, predating the arrival of Islam and Christianity to Sarawak. The somewhat patchy religious divisions remain, however the common identity of the Melanau is held politically and socially. Social cohesion amongst the Melanau, despite religious differences, is markedly tight.^{[citation needed]} Religious belief refers to a faith or creed concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine. ... The Melanau are a people who live on the island of Borneo, primarily in Sarawak, Malaysia, but also in Kalimantan, Indonesia. ... Liko AB is a family-owned, Swedish company that is based in the village of Alvik, outside of Luleå, in Norrbotten, Sweden. ...

Society

A group of Dayak people sitting in a house.

Kinship in Dayak society is traced in both lines. Although, in Dayak Iban society, men and women possess equal rights in status and property ownership, political office has strictly been the occupation of the traditional Iban Patriarch. Overall Dayak leadership in any given region, is marked by titles, a Penghulu for instance would have invested authority on behalf of a network of Tuai Rumah's, and so on to a Temenggung or Panglima. It must be noted that individual Dayak groups have their social and hierarchy systems defined internally, and these differ widely from Ibans to Ngajus and Benuaqs to Kayans. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2041x1387, 466 KB) Die Sitten der Völker von Dr. Georg Buschan from about 1900, Erster Bind, Abb. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2041x1387, 466 KB) Die Sitten der Völker von Dr. Georg Buschan from about 1900, Erster Bind, Abb. ... Social equality is a social state of affairs in which certain different people have the same status in a certain respect, minimally at least in voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and property rights. ...

The most salient feature of Dayak social organisation is the practice of Longhouse domicile. This is a structure supported by hardwood posts that can be hundreds of metres long, usually located along a terraced river bank. At one side is a long communal platform, from which the individual households can be reached. The Iban of the Kapuas and Sarawak have organised their Longhouse settlements in response to their migratory patterns. Iban Longhouses vary in size, from those slightly over 100 metres in length to large settlements over 500 metres in length. Longhouses have a door and apartment for every family living in the longhouse. For example, a Longhouse of 200 doors is equivalent to a settlement of 200 families. In archaeology and anthropology, a long house or longhouse is a type of long, narrow single room building built by peoples in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe and North America. ... The bed of this stream is made up of rocks, some very rounded (having had a longer life in the stream) and some not. ...

Headhunting was an important part of Dayak culture, in particular to the Iban and Kenyah. There used to be a tradition of retaliation for old headhunts, which kept the practise alive. External interference by the reign of the Brooke Rajahs in Sarawak and the Dutch in Kalimantan Borneo curtailed and limited this tradition. Apart from massed raids, the practice of headhunting was limited to individual retaliation attacks or the result of chance encounters. Early Brooke Government reports describe Dayak Iban and Kenyah War parties with captured enemy heads. At various times, there have been massive coordinated raids in the interior, and throughout coastal Borneo, directed by the Raj during Brooke's reign in Sarawak. This may have given rise to the term, Sea Dayak, although, throughout the 19th Century, Sarawak Government raids and independent expeditions appeared to have been carried out as far as Brunei, Mindanao, East coast Malaya, Jawa and Celebes. Tandem diplomatic relations between the Sarawak Government (Brooke Rajah) and Britain (East India Company and the Royal Navy) acted as a pivot and a deterrence to the former's territorial ambitions, against the Dutch administration in the Kalimantan regions and client Sultanates. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The White Rajahs refer to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was the first joint-stock company (the Dutch East India Company was the first to issue public stock). ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...

Metal-working is elaborately used for making mandaus (machetes - 'parang' in Indonesian ). The blade is made of a softer iron, to prevent breakage, with a narrow strip of a harder iron wedged into a slot in the cutting edge for sharpness. The headhunting necessitated being able to draw the parang quickly. For this purpose, the mandau is fairly short, which also better serves the purpose of trailcutting in dense forest. It is holstered with the cutting edge facing upwards and at that side there is an upward protrusion on the handle, so it can be drawn very quickly with the side of the hand without having to reach over and grasp the handle first. The hand can then grasp the handle while it is being drawn. The combination of these three factors (short, cutting edge up and protrusion) makes for an extremely fast drawing-action. The ceremonial mandaus used for dances are as beautifully adorned with feathers as the dresses are. There are various terms to describe different types of Dayak blades. The Nyabor is the traditional Iban Scimitar, Parang Ilang is common to Kayan and Kenyah Swordsmiths, and Duku is a multipurpose farm tool and machete of sorts. Turned chess pieces Metalworking is the craft and practice of working with metals to create structures or machine parts. ... Mandau is the traditional weapon for the Dayak. ... Categories: Weapon stubs | Swords | Mechanical hand tools ...

Politics

Dayaks in Indonesia and Malaysia have figured prominently in the politics of these countries. Organised Dayak political representation in the Indonesian State first appeared in Kalimantan during the Dutch Administration, in the form of the Dayak Unity Party (Parti Persatuan Dayak) in the 30s and 40s. Feudal Dayak Sultanates of Kutai, Banjar and Pontianak figured prominently prior to the rise of the Dutch Colonial rule. In politics, representation describes how residents of a country are empowered in the government. ...

Dayaks in Sarawak in this respect, compare very poorly with their organised brethren in Kalimantan due to in no part, the personal fiefdom that was the Brooke Rajah dominion and latently the pattern of their historical migrations from the Kalimantan Regions to the then pristine Rajang Basin. Political circumtances aside, the Dayaks in Kalimantan actively organised under various associations beginning with the Sarekat Dayak established in 1919, to the Parti Dayak in the 40s, and to the present day, where Dayaks occupy key positions in government.

In Sarawak, Dayak political activism had its roots in the SNAP (Sarawak National Party) and Pesaka during post independence construction in the 1960s. These parties shaped to a certain extent Dayak politics in the State, although never enjoying the real privileges and benefits of Chief Ministerial power relative to its large electorate. Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. ...

Under Indonesia's transmigration programme, settlers from densely-populated Java and Madura were encouraged to settle in the Kalimantan provinces, but their presence was, and still is, resented by Dayaks, Banjars and local Malays . The large scale transmigration projects initiated by the Dutch and continued by the current national government, caused widespread breakdown in social and community cohesion during the late 20th Century. In 2001 the Indonesian government ended the gradual Javanese settlement of Kalimantan that began under Dutch rule in 1905. The transmigration program (transmigrasi in Indonesia) was an initiative by the government of Indonesia to move landless people from densely populated areas of Indonesia to less populous areas of the Indonesian archipelago. ... Java (Indonesian, Javanese, and Sundanese: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia, and the site of its capital city, Jakarta. ... Madura is an Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java, near the port of Surabaya. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with The 20th century in review. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ...

From 1996 to 2003 there were systemic and violent attacks on Indonesian Madurese settlers, including mass executions of whole Madurese transmigrant communities . Inevitably, order was restored by the Indonesian Military but this was late in application. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

References

Further reading

• Victor T King, Essays on Bornean Societies (Hull/Oxford, 1978).
• Benedict Sandin, The Sea-Dayaks of Borneo before White Rajah Rule (London 1967).
• Eric Hansen , Stranger in the Forest: On Foot Across Borneo, (Penguin, 1988), ISBN 0-375-72495-8.
• Norma Youngberg, The Queen's Gold (TEACH Services, 2000)

See also

• Krio Dayak people and their language
• Iban people and their Iban language

Image File history File links Portal. ... The Krio Dayak are a Dayak ethnic group in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. ... The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. ... Iban is the spoken language of ethnic Dayak Iban in Borneo. ...

External links

• www.dayakology.com - a site run by Dayaks
• Assessment for Dayaks in Malaysia