Rain, River and Religion A Study of Negotiating Identity of Bakumpai People in Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Ethnographic study that related communcal identities in Kalimantan gave important understanding that customary communities, believes and local languages were interrelated. Scharer (1963) classified Dayak Baroto community as Ngaju. The term Ngaju in the local languate meant “toward upper course”. Additionally, some used the term “Oloh Ngajus” to identify the communities that differed themselves from “Oloh TUmbang” representing the community of Dayak living in the area alongside estuary. The Olong Tumbang was the areas alongside the estuary of Barito River in which Bakumpai people lived. Using ethnographic approach, data were collected in the area of Barito, Samba and Long Iram Rivers. The data of the narration of the life of Bakumpai people and their identity were collected in the period of August 2015 to June 1016. the study found the religious identify of Bakumpai people in the context of Dayak and Islam in South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Bakumpai people converted to Islam did not automatically leave their Dayak identity. They did not change their customary and cultural identity as the case of other communities of Dayak in Kalimantan who changed their identity into Malay (Tame Melayo, Basalam). The social structure of the people in the past could not instantly be changed into Malay social structure. The issue of customary identity as raised in the study has been discussed by researchers. Dayak was not compatible with Islam. However, Bakumpai people proudly acknowledged that they were part of Malay of the descendants of Ngaju.