ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 72 Volume 1 Edisi 2

DAYAK IDENTITY ETHNIC CLASH IN

Oleh: Ricky Zulfauzanª ªLecture in Faculty of Social and Political Science, University of Palangka Raya, e-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT:

This study describes Dayak is the majority ethnic resident of Palangka Raya city and most of Central area. As previously known, Dayak ethnicity is highly open in the matter of social interaction with different ethnic group. This is due to “Huma Betang” philosophy that the Dayak community adhered to. However, ethnic clashes due to intense and heterogenous inter- tribal interaction process cannot be avoided. For example, in the Dayak community, serving the best food they have is a form of respect towards guests (different ethnicity). Guests eating heartily together with host until none of the food left is an honor for . Refusing the invitation to eat is a huge affront for them. However, different condition happens in the case of tradition, interaction, and courtesy of . When they are offered invitation to eat, Javanese tends to consider refusing it. Even though they receive it, Javanese will behave as though they are forced to, by leaving a lot still in their plates to avoid presumption of being “serakatan” (avaricious). This paper would offer solution to minimalize the occurrence of ethnic clashes and conflicts in Palangka Raya, as this city is a candidate for new governance capital city of Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). This effort is important so that ethnic conflicts that claimed a lot of lives won't be repeated, as trauma of Dayak- Madura ethnic conflict during 2000s still well-remembered among Dayak community.

Keywords: Dayak identity, ethnicity, ethnic clash

I. INTRODUCTION other social issues. However, cons party thinks that is still suitable to become the The issue of moving the capital city of capital city. The reason is that of minimal cost Republic of Indonesia has lately become the prepared by the government, as it is claimed to topic of numerous talks. From light be more efficient to repair Jakarta compared to conversation in coffee stall, up to discussion moving to and build a new capital city. forum of scholars. From senseless debate in As disagreement occurred, the various press or non-press medium, up to government took actions along with it. Several concrete acts taken by the government. From a areas were reviewed and prepared to be the mere issue, up to become a political new capital city, including in Sumatera, commodity. , Papua, and Kalimantan. From Disagreement over this issue are numerous areas reviewed, it finally selected unavoidable. Some of the pro party assumes into a few cities, with Palangka Raya in that Jakarta is no longer suitable as capital city, as the strongest candidate. mainly because heavy burden of Jakarta due to Palangka Raya is chosen as candidate urbanization, traffic jam, flood, and various after a process of comprehensive reviewing. ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 73 Volume 1 Edisi 2

From historical aspect (initial idea of Bung In addition to Malayan people, several Karno), minimal natural disaster danger aspect experts thought that part of occupants living in (such as earthquake or volcano), also the shoreline of Kalimantan were mixture of geopolitical safety aspect (right in the middle local resident (Dayak) and immigrant such as of Republic of Indonesia territory). Chinese people who came as traders or As previously known, Dayak ethnic workers. These Chinese people were often group is the majority of resident ethnicity in found in cities, for example Pangkalan Bun, Palangka Raya and most of Central Sukamara, and Nanga Bulik. In addition, Kalimantan (see BPS, 2010). This city has area assimilation also occurred between Dayak and of 2.400 km2 with a total of 376.647 resident Indian people who believed in . number and density of 92,067 people/km2. The divide of Malayan ethnicity in Kalimantan is hard to describe, as the term of I. DAYAK AND ETHNICITY Malayan tribe is only used in the definition of 1.1. Who is Dayak? different , not in the definition of different origin/tribe. Even though so, there Local resident of Palangka Raya is does a lot of the original Malayan who came Dayak ethnic group from parental tribe of from Riau and Malaka Peninsula. Mallincordt Dayak Ngaju. The short distance of Dayak in Scharer (2013) explained that Malayan tribe to the river causes them to identify their people living along the shore was partly self or their community with the river names descendant of Javanese people during [2]. According to Widen [3], the Dayak lived reign. This kind of distribution is in extended family groups in or often found in the shoreline. The occupant traditional house (betang) were they could could be originated from nobleman in Sedulun develop and practice their customs and culture. river and Malay [4]. A Dayak traditional house not only symbolised Some theorized that Dayak people who potections but also belom bahadat (to live has converted to hesitant to call together based on cutomary law), embodying, themselves Dayak because of shame and unity tolerance and solidarity. humble feeling. This feeling grew widely The arrival of Malayan from Sumatera during unitarian and repressive Orde Baru and Malacca pushed Dayak people who lived period. To this date, Dayak was stereotyped as in shore to move back towards Kalimantan primitive, backward, live amidst the forest, inland. Besides Malayan, Bugis and Javanese uneducated, even thought to have a tail. people were also arrived and took resident in Author does not wholly agree to the the eastern and western shore of Kalimantan. previous notion. From some discussion In the western part of Kalimantan, Chinese personally conducted by author, it appeared people had also come to work at the mines. that there are critical political and economic In general, Dayak people believed in motives at the base of it. For example, Dayak or . Dayak people who people highly respects status of government has embraced Islam calls themselves Malay officials (civil servant, police, military). A part and Bakumpay. In Palangka Raya, numerous of Dayak still thought that their offspring has Malayan people have assimilated to Dayak yet to work properly or unemployed still unless tribe, resulting in a new unique culture that can they become government personnel. Due to be found in either building architecture or their this reason, a part of Central Kalimantan daily lives. community tries to blur, or even leave their original ethnicity of Dayak. They wish to gain ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 74 Volume 1 Edisi 2 privilege from their new identity to compete her/his ethnic, or (b) a person is willing to join for the limited resources. in a certain ethnic group and thought to be Due to the reason above, it become suitable and trusted by the other member of common to meet Dayak people who have ethnic group [9]. Social scientist generally Javanese name, such as Sugianto, Slamet, Sri agreed that ethnicity was an important Wahyuni, or Dayak who have Islamic name phenomenon in political review. They initially such as Muhammad, Ahmad Sujarwan, Abdul made an understanding of the existence of an Yassir. This was due to notion of Javanese ethnic group. Ethnic has a deepening review identity as sole representative of Indonesian during its development. For example, ethnic identity which grew during period of Orde was developed based on sense of belonging in Baru reign. In other words, the Javanese name the bond of a group [10], ethnic as a network is believed to be able to help Dayak people to of significant symbols [11], ethnic was gain work in the government office as civil composed of living choices of group called servant, army, and police. social construction [12]. Ethnicity is tightly related with the 1.2. What is ethnicity? birth of democracy in the world at the start of 21st century [13]. The blooming of democracy Ethnicity has different definition based process along with decentralization politic on the language used to interpret it. First, the where central government give rights to local definition of ethnicity comes from Latin government to have political freedom and ethnos, to point out non-Greek groups who recognition in electing their own district head. lived in the marginal area, foreign, and a bit Ethnicity become an emotional and profound barbaric [5]. According to Eriksen [6]; bond which birthed the struggle of certain Haralambos & Holborn [7] ethnos means not ethnic groups from the dominance of majority have a religion. Ethnic was oftentimes used by ethnic. Ethnicity is also related to each culture European to call West Aboriginal people as that feature unique character of the ethnic uncivilized and not-religious people. In group, in which bond was formed between the England up to the middle of 19th century, member of group that known as primordialism. ethnic was applied as alternative of ‘race'. This make ethnic bond often manipulated and Meanwhile in the Indonesian dictionary [8] turned into tools by elite group in order to ethnic is related to social group in social or obtain source of power, mainly in area with cultural system that is defined to have certain heterogenous resident. mean or status due to heredity, adat, religion, Based on Yang (2000) [14] the concept language, or others. of ethnicity possessed a wide meaning, which According to sociological and was the defined as following: anthropological point of view, ethnic group is “… ethnicity include ethnic group, commonly seen as cultural difference rather membership, ethnic affiliation and ethnic than physical one. Thus, by deriving it from identity. On the one hand, ethnicity is subjective that basic concept, social scientists had since it is the product of the human mind and different point of view about ethnicity. Review human sentiments. On the other hand, ethnicity of social politic aspect of ethnic is called is objective characteristics and constructed by ethnicity. social forces and power relation. It's is to a In the psychological review, a person is large extent independent of individuals desires. categorized as an ethnic when (a) a person is On balances, ethnicity is the outcome of mentally prepared to do in behalf of subjective perception based on some objective ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 75 Volume 1 Edisi 2 characteristics such as physical attributes, symbolic bond to ancestral land, 6) has shared presumed ancestry, culture, or national solidarity feeling between its occupant. origin”. According to Liliweri [16], ethnicity Handelman [15] separated three steps concept was a concept which explained by of development showed in the human cultural several factors, including: community, which were: first, ethnic category, 1. Group status of a person based on inherited the correlation of a person towards community culture from previous generation. At this was a rather loose bond and only a depiction of point, a condition is explained where existing cultural difference between his/her everything is inherited by previous group with the outside world. Second, ethnic occurrences and has political properties network, in which orderly interaction had within a ring of power. occurred between ethnic members and thus, 2. Cultural values and norms that differs a resource distribution occurred within members member of group from other groups. of network. At the level of ethnic association, Members of ethnic group commonly have the members had developed shared interest a sense of realization of shared cultural and formed political organizations under values and norms, even make it into their collective statement. Third, at the level of cultural identity to separate themselves ethnic community, the community had from other surrounding groups. This meant established a permanent territory and bound by cultures or norms in society that must be their political organization such as seen in a conducted by heterogenous community at nation state. each interaction in social relationship. For Schermerhorn completed this by stated example, the Betang cultural philosophy in that an ethnic group was a collective the differentiating identity context. community that shared or depicted to share 3. Ethnic categorization based on affiliation, ancestry, had same historical experience in the meaning that with a certain basis a group past, and had cultural focus within one or of people make affiliation to each other, several symbolic elements that stated its even the basis is turned into an identity or membership, such as family patterns, physical identification of individuals to show that features, religion and believe alliances, dialect they are a part of certain ethnic group. or language forms, tribal affiliations, Affiliation is viewed as a form of self- nationalities, or combination of those organization in an ethnic group conducted properties which in the base was a form of in a certain timeframe, thus it became a bond between members as a group. distinctive identity in another form. Fundamentally, an ethnic group 4. Different from race, ethnicity was a possessed six properties as following: 1) has process of exchange of inherited unique name which identified the essence of behavioral and cultural habits. At this community, 2) has myth of shared ancestor, point, the definition is not far different similar origin in a certain timeframe thus the from 2nd point above, in which author group forms a fictive familial tie, 3) the group imagined as exchange forms within social has shared historical memory or past memory interaction. such as heroes or certain occurrence, 4) the 5. Group identity based on shared language, group has united cultural elements such as culture, history, and geographic origin. religion, rite, and language, 5) the group is This point is a form of differentiating bound to homeland, both as physical bond or affirmation as existence limit of an ethnic group. ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 76 Volume 1 Edisi 2

6. Cultural share or exchange based on first, second, and third level of pyramid. language, religion, and nationalism. Based Each level is highly different from the on this consideration, ethnicity is always other. related to “excessive” believe that their 4. Possessing a behavioral pattern. It is own language, religion, and nationality are defined as situation or condition from above language, religion, and nationality which interaction forms performed by of others. members of ethnic group, both within or Author assumed that share or exchange with another ethnic group. mentioned above was not in the definition of 5. Having an ethnic institution/ limited primordial movements, but a form of establishment/ organization. It is defined social movements operated by certain actors in as a vessel or place in where ethnic group bringing ethnicity spirit as their basis of organize themselves, either inwards or struggle. outwards of group, thus the ethnic group From various explanation for definition able to regulate their rights and duties. The of ethnicity above, it can be summed that organization/institute must exist on the ethnic is a group in community which base of inheritance from the previous possesses certain differences or characteristics generations. between one group to the other. To affirm the Based on the elaboration of several difference of an ethnic group from the others, factors about ethnicity concept above, it can be there are several generally emphasizing concluded that ethnicity is a forming of characteristics. Based on the previous communities based on shared identity, culture, definitions, author assumes these following religion, history, and language, thus in characteristics: deliberate realization making the community 1. Possessing their own ethnic name or label. different from other communities. This is due It can be used to call for their self to attributional recognition process given both (recognition) or given by others. Usually a by outsider or from within the community name or label is birthed as an adhered main itself. In other word, elaboration related to name or can be used as a term. social and political aspect of ethnic is called 2. Possessing an ethno-linguistic (language) ethnicity. and religion. Dayak ethnic group is a large ethnic, making selecting sub-ethnics 1.3. Why Ethnic Clashes Occurr? (subtribes) cannot be avoided. This caused separation of sub-ethnic due to area or Inter-cultural clash is an inevitable different daily activities based on their occurrence because of different essence distance to the river. Similar with religion, between humans. Despite that, these clashes before new were brought to won't ignite horizontal conflicts unless Kalimantan island by traders, scientists, political and economic motives are involved. and colonialism-era administrators, most Political scientists thought that there had been of the pre-colonialism occupants believed no conflict with ethnic background, however in animism. conflicts occurred in Indonesia all this time 3. Possessing a form of social strata. It is were economic or political conflicts that rode called social strata due to materialism on ethnic difference. Most of the conflicts nature, causing a depiction of social happened in Indonesia were a form of layering within the Dayak community in competition over limited resources, such as Central Kalimantan which is composed of stocks, power, and identity prides. ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 77 Volume 1 Edisi 2

Formation of ethnic identity is a part of traditional community rather than politic resources to compete in the interest corporation. Ethnic institute should not be group. Moving ethnic group within ethnicity is dragged into the interest of power struggle an effective act to move individuals in order to within practical politics, such as election, achieve collective goals. Every act can be seen etc. to possess rational motivation as a basis to A good ethnic institute should apply compete for limited resources, such as principals of modern organization, welfares, positions, political powers, or other including being democratic, limited resources. accommodative, transparent, and According to Prabowo and Suparlan visionary. Even though it is not a profit- [17] in their article titled “Ethnicity Issue and oriented organization, ethnic institute Spatial Layout in Indonesia”, it was found that should always try to develop itself unavoidable cultural contact had occurred in onwards. Jakarta, , and Lampung. Spatial 2. Strengthening the role of solution-maker of consequence could be seen from the tendency ethnic institute. of certain ethnic group to try maintained their In a modern community structure, ethnic cultural identity, both in urban or rural area. institute does not only function as keeper They concluded that no serious treatment and conserver of ancestor's culture. towards ethnic groups, either local resident or However, it must play role as a solution arriving occupants, would affect negatively maker. It should be present to marginalized towards spatial layout of a city. community who in need of justice. Ethnic institute also needs to be given 1.4. Anticipating Ethnic Clashes wider rights, such as in relation to resolve traditional conflict, governance of As elaborated above, inter-cultural traditional land, and recognition over adat clashes are inevitable within a heterogenous rights, even up to the publication of adat community structure. Because of that, certification. anticipative actions are required to avoid these 3. Building inter-ethnic harmonious forum clashes escalate into massive conflicts with Inter-ethnic harmonious forum needs to be ethnic background, moreover so if these form as a vessel of discussion if cultural clashes will be occurring in the new capital city conflicts and clashes occurs as previously of democratic Republic of Indonesia. elaborated. Not only that, this forum can In the center of every conflict happened also become government's instrument to in Indonesia during all this time is the feeling perform counseling towards growing and of injustice, poverty, and adversity which in developing ethnic institutes. deliberate or not was related to the state. Thus, Through this forum, government role can there are several points that can be done by be maximized without intervening and each component to anticipate this, for dragging ethnic institutes into practical example: politic stage due to interest of a few local 1. Independent and modern ethnic elites. institutions 4. Supporting policy which grant privilege An ethnic institute should be independent for host ethnic group and free of government's intervention due When Palangka Raya has officially to its neutral position which is strategic for announced as capital city, strategic policy pressure group. It should be siding to in the form of special autonomous ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 78 Volume 1 Edisi 2

constitution should be configured. At the [1] Badan Pusat Statistik. Kalimantan minimum, it should regulate: Tengah dalam Angka, Badan Pusat a. The compulsion that public officials, Statistik; Palangka Raya, 2010. either at level of governor, city mayor, [2] Usop, KMA M, Pakat Dayak: Sejarah or sub-district head, should be held by Integrasi dan Jati Diri Masyarakat Dayak people. Dayak Daerah Kalimantan Tengah. b. Sum ratio of government officials Palangka Raya: YPK-BG. 1996. filled by Dayak people should be [3] Widen, Kumpiady. ‘The Rise of Dayak above 50%. Identities in Central Kalimantan' c. Authorization rights over land are Studies in History Society and Cultural. regulated that only Dayak people and Vol. 4, pp 273-282, 2016. others who have pass through [4] Scharer, Hans. Ngaju Religion: The acculturated process with Dayak Conseption of among a South people can own land. Borneo People. Springer Science and d. Main priority for Dayak people in Business Media. pp. 54, 2013. accessing public service facility [5] Susanto, Budi A. Identitas dan managed by the government. poskolonialitas di Indonesia. : Kanisius. pp. 106, 2003. II. CLOSING [6] Eriksen, Thomas Hylland, Ethnicity and Nationalism: Antropological The moving of capital city of Republic Perspectives. London: Pluto Press. pp. of Indonesia should be a good breakthrough. 10, 1993. This well-meaning intention won't be useful if [7] Haralambos & Holborn. Sociology: it remains as issue without concrete action Themes and Perspectives.London: from the government. In addition, strong Collins. pp. 222, 2000. support from the community is also critical for [8] Departemen Pendidikan Nasional. this plan to be realized. Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI). This is hardly an easy effort. Readiness Third Edition . Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, and alertness in addition to support from 2005. government and community is required. More [9] Anthony Smith, Myths and Memories of over, the main issues are mutually profitable the Nation (New York: Oxford solidarity and cooperation, both for University Press,. pp 57–96, 1999. government and also local ethnic group, which [10] Charles Taylor, “The Politics of in this case is Dayak ethnic. Recognition,” dalam Amy Gutmann, ed., ACKNOWLEDGEMENT : Examining the Author would like to thank field of Politics of Recognition (Princeton, NJ: Social Science of BKS-PTN Barat which grant Princeton University Press), pp. 25–73, the chance for author to publish and present 1993. this paper. Thank you also for Faculty of [11] Ashutosh Varshney, “Nationalism, Social and Political Science of University of Ethnic Conflict, and Rationality,” Palangka Raya for giving much support. Perspectives on Politics, v.1, no.1, pp. 85–99, 2003. REFERENCES [12] Geertz, Cifford. “The Integrative Revolution”; Harold R. Isaacs, Idols of the Tribe: Group Identity and Political ISSN2239-2274 Jurnal Sosiologi | 79 Volume 1 Edisi 2

Change (New York: Harper & Row), Etnisitas dan Identitas Bangsa 1975. Indonesia. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada. [13] Anderson, Imagined Communities: pp. 5. 2007. Reflections on the Origin and Spread [16] Liliweri, Prasangka dan Konflik. Naitonalism. London: Verso. 1992. Yogyakarta: LKIS. pp. 14, 2005. [14] Yang, Philip Q. From Ethnic Studies: [17] Prabowo, Hendro & Suparlan, Agus. Issues and Approaches. New York: State “Masalah Etnisitas dan Tata Ruang di University of New York Press. pp. 40, Indonesia” Proceeding FTSP University 2000. Gunadarma Vol. 1. 2005. [15] Handelman & Schemerhom like quotation by Tilaar. Mengindonesiakan