Suara dari masyarakat Taboyan / Voices from the Taboyan community

Suara dari/voices from: Naman, Herianto, Mekriet Supriadi, Interviewer: Supardi

 

Pak Naman, Pal Herianto, and Pak Mekriet Supriadi from the Dayak Taboyan community in Berong village, Gunung Lumut, share the spiritual significance of Gunung Lumut as the place where their ancestors live, and the importance of preserving it as their cultural heritage.

 

English:

 

Naman:

[Gunung Lumut] is considered a sacred forest, and it’s this status that preserves [its existence]. It cannot become a production [forest]. So, this enables Mount Lumut to remain safe [from being used as an industrial forest] as it’s a sacred mountain.

According to Kaharingan Hindus, Mount Lumut is where the spirits reside.

Mekriet Supriadi:

The spirits of the ancestors.

Naman:

So, in a death ritual, according to Kaharingan Hindu belief, they, the wara, which is what they are [called] here, take the souls of the dead there [to Mount Lumut].

It’s not just for [the people of] Mount Purei but for everyone in East Kalimantan. However, the majority of those who go there are Kaharingan Hindus.

You see, that’s where the spirits are, including our ancestors too.

Here we say liau kelelungan[u1] .

They can’t be disturbed.

The Kapuas [River] also goes there, the Kapuas estuary. Yes, it’s the same, all the wara go there [to Mount Lumut].

That’s why [we] intend to preserve [the Gunung Lumut forest].