History of Dayak

Dayak come to Kalimantan Island in 3000 – 1500 BC. They are Proto -Melayu group from Yunnan, South China. They are going to Semenanjung Malayathought Indo-China. After that go to Indonesia accused Kalimantan. This migrationhappened in Granal (Ice Period). In this period the water tea are drying so the littleboat are can used, this boat are bercadik boat. Lives in this period are lives inMegaliticum period there are Forefather homepage. The Artefak in in this period aredolmen that discovery in Sedahan Sukadana, Ketapang. The first Dayak are stayingin the beside Kapuas river and other beach in Kalimantan. Out coming on Melayu’sPeople from Sumatera and Malaya became Dayak immigration to mountain.

THE DAYAK’S DANCE

1.The Gantar DanceThis dance is telling about people who move to plant rice. Stick telling woodwhereas bamboo and seeds in depth telling seed rice and it basin. This dancefamous enough and often also is known by Dayak Benua. This dance can dinedin 3 kind, there are Gantar Regain, Gantar Busai, Gantar Senak / Gantar Kusak. 

2. The Perang DanceThis dances telling about Dayak Kenyah heroes warring to oppose enemy.This dance movement very lively, handy, full spirit and sometimes followed byscream dancer. In dance Kancet Pepatay, dancer use traditional clothes DayakKenyah to complete with war Utensils such as mandau, perisai and war clothes.This dance to convoy with song Sak Paku and just use instrument called Sampe. 

3.The Gong DanceIf Kancet Pepatay telling male and brave man, Dayak Kenyah, on thecontrary that Kancet ledo telling about soft weak female like a trunk rice that tobend soft to blow by wind. This dance to bring by women with use traditionalclothes Dayak Kenyah and at her second hand to hold bunch wools engage birdtail. Usually this dance to bring above ‘Gong’, so kancet Ledo also mean GongDance. 

4.The Kancet Lasan DanceThis dance telling about daily lives, engage bird, bird that to noble by DayakKenyah women, Dayak Kenyah that motion same and her position like as KancetLedo Dance but dancer didn’t use “gong” and engage wools bird and also dancer a lot of use position lowed and to squat or to sit with knee touched floor. Thisdance more to press at engage bird motion when to fly to float in the air and toperch in tree branches.

5.The Lelang DanceThis dance telling about the girl with named Utan Along will to married wayto force by her parents with young man who dislike. The finish Utan Along tobreak intu a run to forest. This girl dance Dayak Kenyah to brings with to convoyLelang song.

6.The Hudog DanceThis dance do by wood masker that look like a wild animal and use leaf banana or leaf coconut to close dancer body. This dance fixed link with religionceremonial from group Dayak Bahau and Modang. This Hudog Dance are tointend for getting power in coped disturbance disease destroyer plants and hopeto give fertility with harvest products that produce a lot.7.The Hudog “Kita” DanceDance from this Dayak Kenyah at principle same with Hudog Dance fromDayak Bahau and Modang, namely for less ceremony to received gear to plantfor saying thanks to god who give good harvest product. The differencesbetween Hudog Kita dance and Hudog dance are in costume, mask, her movement dance and background music. Hudog Kita dancer costume are usearm long clothes from usually cloth and use sheath cloth, ker mask with formusually face people who a lot of special carved that made from wood and that isveil to make from “manik2” with ornament of Dayak Kenyah.8.The Serumpai DanceThis is Dayak Benuaq dance to doing for against disease and people whobitten stupid dog. With named Serumpai because dance to convoy instrumentSerumpai.9.The Belian Bawo DanceBelian bawo ceremony with direction for disagree disease, medicined peplepay “nazar”, etc. after changed become dance, this dance often on the programsaccepter guest and other art, this dance belongs to Dayak benuaq dance.10.The Kuyang DanceBelian dance from Dayak Benuaq far away ghost that keep trees that bigand high in order not to disturbing peoples or people that to feel tree above.11.The Pecuk Kina DanceThis dance telling about Dayak Kenyah that go out from Apo Kayan area tolong fresh area that earn long time years.12.The Datun DanceThis dance is dance together girls of Dayak Kenyah with total not certain,can be 10 to 20 people. This together dance made by leader of Dayak Kenyah in.

Apo Kayan named Nyik Selung, as sign thanks and happiness for the birth of their grandchild. Then this dance developed to all of area in Dayak Kenyah.13.The Ngerangkau DanceThe Ngerangkau dance there are tradition dance in dead from DayakTunjung and Benuaq. This dance use utensils rice grill that in bumped be regular position horizontal so appeared.14.The Baraga Bagautar DanceFirstly, Baraga Bagauntar is ceremony “belian” to take care of baby, helpedfrom “Nayun Gantar”. Now, the ceremony has began a dance by the DayakBanuaq.

A LONG SUFFERING OF DAYAK

-In ‘Orde Baru’ Government, agricultural product are always exploited.

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History of Dayak in Kalimantan are conflict between them with comer fromMadura, but also with forestry and mining companies. Dayak’s tradition ground ispronunciations as ‘empty ground’ by company that come with economicdevelopment name.-In Kalimantan cities, Dayak’s races being become minority citizen. They arepressed to forests. The thinking of Prof. USOP. MA, the famous Dayak’s peoplefrom Palangkaraya, in government officer in Kalimantan, also DPR’s Leader,-Follow are Dayak ethnics with mining and forestry companies conflict.

DAYAK BAHAU vs BARITU PASIFIC

The problems of Dayak Bahau in Matalibag, East Kalimantan traditiongrounds with PT Limbang Praja and PT Amangga Pundi Nusa (Barito Pacific Timber Group). Still go on till now.Matalibag Vilages beside in Pariq Rivers, accused long Connect Zone.Distance between Samarinda with Matalibag are 430 km or 38 hour with boat tillLutan Village. From there, for until to Matalibag, we are must entering Parig River with engined boat till 30 minute.The Broad of Matalibag base on tradition rule calculation achieve 775.000hectare. For ten greater part tradition Matalibag zone, consist of dense jungle whichbelong of many kind of wood like meranti, kapur, bengkirai, tengkawang, aran, andso on. Exept that also found many kind of forest product like bird’s nest, resin, andrattan.Total of Matalibag citizen are 153 Family Heads. Ancestor of this ethnic livesin Parig rivers zone from former, nice 1815. Their works are to process unwiring areaarable land, gardening, and from forest products that doing from tradition. Theproduct of field, garden and forestry are economic result source.In 1992, PT. Limbang Praja dan PT. Anangga Pundi Nusa, make HTI TransLocation in tradition grounds zone Matalibag, they are not discuss with Matalibagcitizen first. HTI trans location for transmigration from NTT, since May 1992. such astradition grounds in Bengeh River zone, which have broad 8,400 hectare andMeriting Rivers with 6,800 hectare. Since that, Matalibag citizen are losing freedomfor get power and procession, in tradition ground zone.In 23 May 1992, there are consultation between 137 citizen with company of Muspika. This company are giving suggest if citizen make load tradition groundexhaust for HTI Trans Location.After that, citizen give 14 loaded. This loaded are failing, but, the last of 1993,the company agreed with 14 loaded of citizen in Jakarta, but there is no realization.Citizens are doing protest in 10 June 1995 and 19 October 1996. but it isn’tsuccessful. Companies are still doing activity in HTI Trans Location.  

Taking over tradition ground is not yet finished. This company are doing theftof wood in tradition zone in 22 November 1996, Matalibag citizens protest and giveloaded till 5 Milliard rupiah, but this loaded failed.The both problems is not yet finishing already appear forest fire that beginfrom HTI Trans Location of PT. Anangga Pundi Nusa. These on fire are destroyingcitizen gardens. Actually, this on fire is cannot happen if the company agree with“Lembaga Adat Matalibag” question. Tradition Organization ask if PT Anangga PundiNusa can cope with this fire, but, it’s unsuccessful. Citizens are asking money for 949 million rupiah, but it failed.Taking over tradition not yet finish (May 1992), wood theft in tradition groundzone (November 1996) and on fire of forest (February 1998), not finished, citizen dotradition promise for finished this problem in last 1998, Matalibag citizen get a littlemoney..

DAYAK ETHNIC vs PT INDO MURO KENCANA

The people of Dayak Siang, Dayak Murung, and Dayak Bekumpai muststand with army to take their competency that taken by PT. Indo Muro Kencana(Aurora Gold). This company is ones of company in Australia since 1987.March 2000, an army from brigade Mobile, with command from leader of NortBarito and instruction of president No.3 at 2000 about “

PenanggulanganPenambang Tanpa Izin” 

(PETI) . to do the action again, North Barito Polres thatsupported by PT. Indo Muro Kencana do the compulsions to the Tengkarong andPermata Village, middle Kali.The action happened in the morning. The army knocks some house andcommands the people to go out from their house in the yard children and womenunited free from the man. They are enemy with the armies will be handcuffed. Then,someone command them to stand in the trucks. Finally, the armies bring all of peoplego out from the village.

Dayak Community

Dayak tribe located in Central Kalimantan consist of Dayak Hulu and Dayak Hilir. Dayak Hulu comprising: Dayak Ot Danum, Dayak Siang, Dayak Murung, Dayak Taboyan, Dayak Lawangan, Dayak Dusun and Dayak Maanyan. While Dayak hilir (Rumpun Ngaju) consists of: Dayak Ngaju, Dayak Bakumpai, Dayak Katingan, and Dayak Sampit. The dominant tribe Dayak in Central Kalimantan is the Dayak Ngaju tribe , other tribes who lived on the coast is a Banjar beach Malays with 1/4 of Kalteng population. Besides, there are also Javanese, Madurese, Bugis and others. The combination of Dayak tribes (Ngaju, Sampit, Maanyan, Bakumpai) reached 37.90%.

Creation, Concept of God and Death in Dayak Ngaju Culture

1. Introduction

The first missionary came to Kalimantan island recorded at 1835. But before that time, at 1718, Daniel Beekmann an England officer reported that a padre from Pourtugese came to Kalimantan inland, but before he accomplished his mission, he was murdered by local people¹.

Tjilik Riwut in his book “Maneser Panatau Tatu Hiang” stated that Dayakness people were so strong to hold their ancestor belief, Kaharingan Religion before the missionaries come. Because of the indefatigable efforts of the missionaries, the dayakness people know the gospel and by the time the people are converted to Christian. After Dayak community know the bible and the Christian Doctrines, the Kalimantan Church gives an order which is called “Aturan Ungkup”. It is an order for Dayakness Christians do not involve to custom ritual ceremony of their ancestors. If they want to be baptized in Christ, they must leave their ancestor's religion with all the ritual embedded in it. This order causes most of Christian dayakness people disengage and lost the connection with their ancestral culture. That is why that many young dayakness Christian now could not acknowledge their own ancestral culture².

In this article, I try to contextualized the gospel to the culture of Dayak Ngaju based on their concept of God, creation and death in the Kaharingan religion, the ancestral religion of Dayak Ngaju people. The first section I explore about the concept of God, creation and death in Kaharingan religion. And the second section, I try to explore about the concept of God and salvation in the Bible. And the third section is the contextualizing of the gospel to the culture of Dayak Ngaju.

2. The Concept of Creation, God and Death in Dayak Ngaju Religion

A. Brief Description about Dayak Ngaju People

Dayak Ngaju is the people who live on the lower and middle of Rivers : Kapuas, Kahayan, Katingan, Rungan, Manuhing, and Mentaya of Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Central Kalimantan has numerous rivers from the catchment areas to the north in the Schwaner Mountains, flowing to the Java Sea.

River-water becomes main point in the life of Dayak Ngaju people. Most of them live along the bank river (on their early development), and use water supply from the river for life, transport, etc. The bank river of the Kahayan regarded as the true tribal area of the Ngaju from where they spread over other rivers.

The name of Dayak, means "native", apply by the immigrant Malay who settled at coast part of Borneo. The name "Ngaju" means "unplander" to distinct themself from other tribes in Central Tumbang" means that they live in the river's mouth (Tumbang), "oloh Ot Danum" means that they live at the headwaters, and settled in the part of Central Borneo. They name themselves after the various rivers on which they live.

Kalimantan Island is divided into three countries : Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Indonesia's part, Kalimantan, consists of more than two thirds of the island and is divided into four provinces: Kalimantan Barat (West), Kalimantan Selatan (South), Kalimantan Tengah (Central), and Kalimantan Timor (East).

Name of rivers in Central Kalimantan and their length in km.

 Barito (900 km), Kapuas (600 km), Kahayan (600 km), Katingan (600 km), Mentaya (400 km), Seruyan (350 km).

B. Dayak Ngaju Religion

Kaharingan is the name of religion of Dayak Ngaju people in Central Kalimantan. According to Dayak people, Kaharingan Religion has been existed thousands years, from the beginning of the world, when Ranying Hatalla Langit (the name of their God) created the universe. It has been existed before the coming of Hindu, Budha, Islam and Christian religions to their territory. After the coming of other religions to Dayak people, Kaharingan become known as the religion of dayak's ancestor, or ancient religion. Kaharingan means “life, exist by itself”. 
The religion itself from time to time has been unified with Dayak people's life from their birth (process of giving name), marriage, and death, before other religions give their influence to the people's life. Dayak people have three relations which needs to be in harmony and balance. First, their faith to Ranying Hatalla. Second, the relation between man as community or individual. Third, their relation with the nature and universe³. 

C. Source of Dayak Ngaju Conception of God

The Source of Dayak Ngaju conception of God are from sacred literatures (sacred story in songs, story from priest-auh oloh Balian), Religious drawings (made by priest ex: Batang Garing)^, Traditional law, and Traditional Rituals (Tiwah ritual/mortuary ritual, etc).

D. The Concept of Creation, God, and Death in Kaharingan Religion

The conception of God is the center where the whole of Dayak Ngaju culture and religion determined by which their entire life and thought must be interpreted. Their conception of God is to which everything must be refer to⁴.

 

(a) Hornbill (the sacred bird in Dayak religion)

  (b) model of Dragon Ark (The ark to deliver soul to heaven),

 

  (c) a Rattan art of Batang Garing Tree (Tree of Life) in Dayak Ngaju Culture

 

The Story of Creation

Kaharingan, Dayak Ngaju religion, believe that there are two great power that create the universe. The name of these two great power are Ranying Mahatala Langit dan Jata Balawang Bulau. The universe itself is divided into two world : Upper World and Under World. The Upper World controlled by god Ranying Mahatala Langit, and the Under World controlled by Jata Balawang Bulau⁵. The two gods is one in essence, because Jata is the shadow of Ranying Mahatala Langit.

On the creation story, Ranying Mahatala Langit throws away lawung (a head bend) which is made by gold and diamonds. The lawung grows become a tree, which is called batang garing or tree of life. The tree has leafs and fruits from all kind of gold, diamonds, amethyst, and all of the precious stone. Jata Balawang Bulau also releases a Tingang female bird (hornbill) from the cage. The female hornbill goes to the tree and eats the fruit of the tree. Ranying also throws his gold sword. The sword transforms to be a Tingang male bird, which is called tambarirang. The male hornbill (tambarirang) comes to the tree of life and eats the fruits of tree. The two hornbills strikes each other caused a sacred war.

The holy war makes a devastating war which destroys the batang garing. The devastated pieces of batang garing make up life of other creation, which are male, female and two arks. The arks made from golds and diamonds. The first ark, named banama bulau (golden ark) navigated by the first woman who is named Putir Kahukup Bungking Garing. The second ark, named banama hintan (diamond ark) navigated by the first man who is named Manyamei Limut Garing Balua Unggom Tingang.

The man and woman are in their own ark and wandering in the ocean, which is the source of every flowing water. Finally, the man asks the woman for married. The woman accepts the man's request, with one condition that the man will give her a land and a house to build. The request is fulfilled by the help of the two supreme power, Ranying and Jata. After all, the man and the woman become husband and wife. For them born the descendants of human : (1) Maharaja Sangiang; (2) Maharaja Sangen; and (3) Maharaja Bunu.

• The two hornbill (tingang) and the sun: hornbill and  sun symbolized the deity of Ranying Mahatala Langit, as the source of all the living. There was a sacred war between the two hornbills of Upperworld and Underworld.

• Spear : point out to upper world, symbolized Ranying Mahatala Langit

•  The fruits of Batang Garing : three fruits symbolized the three major  descendants of men. The fuits points to upper and under world, signifies that man always direct their view to this two worlds as a balance life

• The leaves and branches: the leaves has the form of the feathers of hornbill (symbol of upperworld), and the branches  has the form of curve which symbolized underworld (Jata). The harmony and untiy of this two world

• A Jar (balanga) of holy water : symbolized under world (Jata)

• The island of Batang Garing is the island of men origin where the first men come to the earth. The island called Pulau Batu Nindan Tarung.

Symbol of Batang Garing (Tree of Life)^6.

The tree of life is dead and devastated to bring life for people and universe.

The Concept of Deities

The story of Batang Garing (tree of life) tells us the the philosophy of Dayak Ngaju people about life. Life is a result of collision of two great power. From the collision of the two power formed the universe and life. After creation, they have their own distinctive power but the two power create balance and harmony in the universe. If one of the power is removed, the balance harmony of the cosmic will be disrupted⁷.

In Kaharingan world view, the origin of men at the beginning is in one nature with the deities (Upper World). The relation between men's world and deities' world are never ending. Men can ask help for their relatives in the deities world (Upper World). From this perspective has been built an understanding of Dayak Worldview for deceased people, they called buli, which means going home (back to their origin).

In the perspectif of Kaharingan etnoreligion, the concept of God can be seen from the division of authority of the two deities. The power of Upper World is ruled by Ranying Mahatala Langit , represent by Enggang bird (hornbill). The power of Under World is ruled by Jata Balawang Bulau, represent by Tambun (dragon). This two power is two but in one essence. The two power have other deities to control cosmic-order of the human life. They are Raja Pali, Raja Untung, Raja Sial, Raja Hantuen and Raja Peres. This other deities has role as the representatives of the Upper World and Under World to control order over the human life.

Raja Pali (King of taboo) will give punishment with thunder if someone break the custom law (taboo law). Raja Untung (King of fortune) gives fortune, wealth and riches. Raja Sial (King of badluck), his tasks is to make misfortune, accident, cruelty, even death. Raja Hantuen (King of ghost), king of ghost which is source of disaster and everything that disruptive to human, they drink human blood. And the last is Raja Peres (King of Peres) which is the king of disease and plague.

These deities has the role of maintaining cosmos-order of the human life. The deities gives fear to Dayak people worldview in doing something wrong to deities, men and nature because of the punishment from the deities (thunder, disease, plague, death, natural disaster, etc). In dayak people worldview, the realities of these deities is real and embedded to their life. They believe that if something bad happen in their life, it has connection with the intervention from the deities. That is the reason they live under the fear and respect to these deities power which is dwell within the upper world and under world and interfere the human world.

Life After Death

In Kaharingan religion, there is a ritual for a mortuary sacred ceremony. The ritual called Tiwah. Tiwah is a sacred ceremony to bring the deceased soul to the “prosperous land” or the village of the souls. Tiwah is both death and life ritual⁸ . There are seven objectives of Tiwah⁹:

1. Summon the soul from their temporary Upper World home and from the grave
2. Bathe the soul
3. Providing clothing for the souls
4. Provision the soul with the food that never spoil
5. Give the souls an opportunity to bid their kin farewell
6. Escort the souls to the “Prosperous Village” (Lewu Tatau)
7. Reunite the three souls

The only way for a deceased person to begin their journey to the Prosperous Village is to wait for others to open their tomb. At the Tiwah ritual ceremony, the bones of deadly person bring out from their old grave to a new place with a sacred ritual. The bones of the deceased then place into a miniatur tomb house called “Sandung” together with the precious treasures of the deceased person. 

Sandung, a place to preserve the bones of deceased person , whose souls guard the village.

The bones bring out from the old grave to "Sandung" (miniature tomb house) with a ritual ceremony called Tiwah

III. The God of the Bible

A. The story of Creation

The central point of creation in the bible is that the sovereign God is the creator of the heaven and the earth. God creates heaven and earth by words. He is an ordered God, and He is the source and creator of all the living by His creative works.

God creates heaven and earth (Gen 1). On the first day He creates light and separate light from the darkness. The second day, God creates firmament and divides the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament. The third day, God separates water and land and creates vegetation. The fourth day, God creates sun, moon and stars. The fifth day, God creates living creatures in the water and birds. The sixth day, God creates animals and man. The seventh day, God rests from His creation work.

God creates man and woman from his own Image (Gen 1:26-28). This means that man and woman gives by God attributes for rational, moral, social, creative and spiritual capacity. Man is created from the dust of the ground. God breathes into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man becomes a living soul. God takes one of man's ribs and makes a woman from the rib, and brings her to the man.

B. God of the Salvation

After the fall, the condition of men is under the dominion of sin and death, guilty before God, and under the grip of Satan¹⁰. God calls men to His amazing salvation plan in Christ. The response needed from men is conviction of sin, repentance from sin, and faith in Jesus Christ¹¹. Salvation is the whole process that results from the finished work of Jesus Christ as He died in space and time upon the cross¹². Salvation results sanctification of the people of God and glorification when Christ returns.

IV. Contextualization The Gospel

A. Initial Point of Contact

Initial Point of Contact can be developed to The Kaharingan Concept

Ranying Mahatala Langit is the source of the creation and all the living God is the sovereign God over the Nature The dwelling place of God (Upper World, Under World) There is a life after death Journey to the village of the soul (Lewu Tatau/prosperous village). There is a place for the soul to stay eternally after death (represents by a small tomb house-Sandung) Tree of Life. Christ work in the cross, His suffering, wound and death (devastated and ruins) to bring life and blessing for people. The only way for a deceased person to begin their journey to the Prosperous Village is to wait for others to open their tomb (Tiwah mortuary ritual)-- entering point to the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of the believers

B. Constructive and Corrective Engagement to the Gospel

The Kaharingan Concept	Transformation concept by the Gospel
The creation  The universe is the result of collition (disordered power)  Man and woman is created from the ruins of the devastated tree of life	God is a sovereign God, He creates the universe in an ordered and creative works The Lordship of the Creator and Ruler of the nations There are no other gods God created man and woman in God's image
Concept of God  no distinction between evil spirit and Ranying Mahatala Langit (duality and unity between evil and good spirit) evil spirit have their role to control and order at human life (with the law of taboo, punishment, etc)	The Sovereign God13:   God who owns and rules the universe   God is sovereign over all the power in the universe  God is sovereign over the destiny of the nations God is Holy
Concept of death and life, resurrection   the deceased person will go to the prosperous village directly without judgement of their sin   there is no resurrection of the body, only the soul	The supreme revelation of God is in Christ, validated by Jesus resurrection from the dead   Jesus Christ will judge the world because of their sin
Concept of man and sin  there is no concept of sin in dayakness people  the concept of 'taboo' before the deities	The universal need for repentance (because of sin and guilt) and conversion of their worldview & belief
Concept of future judgement   there is no concept of future judgement. All the deceased souls will be go to the village of their relatives in the Upper World.	The reality of a future judgement (moral accountability  The assurance that God will righteously judge the world by Jesus Christ  Bodily resurrection
Live under fear to the deities (taboo, punishment, etc)- punishment by deities	God made us free from the bondage of sin and Satan power The forgiveness of sin and the grace of God in redemption work of Christ - The cross of Jesus was basically a place of conflict with Satan14

Conclusion

We can find some point of contacts with the Kaharingan religion and the gospel from the story of creation, their concept of God and death. This point of contacts need to be develop more in order to contextualized with the message of the gospel. At least from the perspective of creation, concept of God and Death, we can find “identificational” approach to proclaim the gospel to enter the worldview of Dayak Ngaju People through this points of contact.

There is a need of contextualizing in Dayak Ngaju culture. The decision of the church about “Aturan Ungkup” makes the Christian people lost of relation with their ancestor's culture. Before too late to preserve our cultural inheritance, we need to find a way to preserve the culture and in the same time build a biblical contextual approach of the culture.