Batang Concepts of Floating Settlement in Barito Basin, Indonesia

Abstract

The Barito Basin on Borneo Island provides a natural habitat for the floating settlements of Dayak people, which are located along the Barito River and its tributaries. This floating settlement, like other settlements, is the outcome of the people's life experiences, which has resulted in housing that is in harmony with the surrounding environment. The distinctive feature of this floating town is the arrangement of residential clusters on the same floating platform, which allows them to move together as a group. In order to create a settlement, one tribe joins forces with another group. The purpose of this study is to identify, in particular, the ideas that are inherent in and binding on floating settlements, as well as their implications. The findings of the study found batang as an inherent and binding concept of floating settlements in the Barito Basin. In this floating settlement, the term batang can refer to a variety of things. First and foremost, the people who live in Barito Basin are well acquainted with the phrase ‘living in batang’, which refers to the practice of residing in a region known as batang. The area along the riverbank that is inhabited by floating settlements is included in this location. Two more uses for batang refer to different residential groupings that are all located inside the same base. Third, the base that serves as the home for this residential group is referred to as batang. For the fourth time, the term batang is employed in reference to the log material that forms the foundation of the floating settlement. Batang becomes a concept that has a unique definition and important meaning attached to the floating settlements in the Barito Basin. Batang is not only a physical setting but also a social and cultural place for its people who live floating and rely on rivers.