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A Journey into the Heart of Dayak Farming

After two decades in the city, a young Dayak woman reconnects with the land and the traditional farming practices of her ancestors. WORDS AND IMAGES Sumarni Laman . At the heart of the Dayak Ngaju community of Borneo lies a farming tradition deeply intertwined with nature — a practice so harmonious that it forms a

Rani’s Rayah

A Dayak woman unleashes the power of song in defense of Borneo’s forest. WORDS Pinarsita Juliana | IMAGES AND VIDEO Save Our Borneo   . “What is the purpose of the invitation for the Dayak to stand united? What is the purpose of loving the forest? As an inheritance for posterity, it is,” sang Rani

Farming Is Fighting: A Dayak Community Resists Unjust Regulations and Land Privatization

Meta Septalisa In 2015, a tragedy hit Indonesia: massive forest and land fires, which blanketed the whole country with thick haze. Following this disaster, the Minister of Environment and Forestry stated that her ministry was investigating 417 companies that were responsible for fires on about 1.7 million hectares of forest. But that’s not all. The

My Extinction Rebellion through Education: A Young Dohoi Woman’s Message

village children

Lina A. Karolin One morning, I woke up early and, carefully parting the mosquito net that hung above me, I walked to the window next to my wooden bunk. I opened the window gently, trying not to make any noise so as not to wake the others up. It was dim outside, but I could

Fighting Deforestation with Tradition: The Laman Kinipan Festival in Borneo

Pinarsita Juliana Coconut leaves and other decorations were hanging on the frame of the meeting hall’s gate of Laman Kinipan, a village in Lamandau district of Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia. At the gate, a welcoming ritual called potong pantan was taking place. One after the other the honored guests, wearing traditional clothes, were given a

Ita: A Special Food for a Special Time in an Indonesian Community

by Lina A. Karolin I carefully cut the rice stalks in front of me. “Make sure you do not leave any stalk behind,” said Grandma Kader, my great-grandmother. “If you leave a sprig, the rice will cry and won’t come back again, which is why the next harvest will not be good,” she said with