The Green Areas of Borneo are Dayak Settlements and Customary Lands

The green areas of Kalimantan are Dayak settlements and customary. Landssource: https://www.grida.no/resources/8324

BORNEOTRAVEL - SAMARINDA: Take a close look at the map of Kalimantan in the illustration!

The green areas in Kalimantan indicate Dayak settlements that still maintain their natural beauty. The Dayak people live in harmony with nature, acting as inseparable guardians of their way of life.

Nevertheless, various interpretations arise regarding these changes, raising questions about their implications. 

What do they mean? 

They signify that fallow fields are part of local wisdom. The natural cycle will soon return; before long, the greenery will grow back, as fields burnt to produce ash and charcoal that enriches the soil receive rain. 

Soon, these green fields will be covered with various vegetables, rice, corn, and other crops.

Far more dangerous than fields: why are they not only left alone but encouraged?

However, mines? Mining areas will damage the location. It can take between 50 to even 100 years for recovery. In many places, it becomes a pond that contaminates the environment and damages nature, leaving behind mercury.

Mercury is one of the metals often used in mining processes, especially in gold mining and other metal ore mines. 

In this context, mercury can appear in mined land areas because it is used in separating gold from its metal ore. 

This process is known as amalgamation, where mercury is mixed with gold ore to form amalgam, which is then separated by heating.

Environment Dayak Earth

The use of mercury in mining can cause serious environmental pollution. 

When mercury is released into the environment, whether through air, water, or soil, it can become toxic to living organisms and potentially pollute water and soil used for agriculture or human and animal consumption. 

Deforestation in Borneo because HPH, mining, and large plantations.

Therefore, strict management and monitoring are necessary in the mining industry to reduce the risk of mercury pollution and its negative impacts on the environment and human health.

Ladang = Dayak natural order

In an effort to preserve the Borneo environment and culture, only a few truly care. Ethnic descendants and individuals who love nature are most important. However, from 1950 to 2020, Borneo's forest areas have been increasingly reduced due to deforestation.

The green parts of Kalimantan indicate the Dayak settlement area that still maintains its natural beauty. 

The Dayak people live in harmony with nature, becoming inseparable guardians of their lives. Nevertheless, many interpretations have emerged about the meaning of these changes, raising questions about their implications. 

Since ancient times, the green parts of Kalimantan have been the Dayak people's customary land, especially in the Borneo Highlands. Their settlement area is still adorned with natural greenery, while the white or red areas on the map mean: Deforestation in Kalimantan because HPH, mining, and large plantations.

The accusation of deforestation often affects the indigenous people of Borneo, even though they have been living alongside nature wisely since ancient times. 

The accusation that Dayak slash-and-burn practices harm the environment is false information that needs to be countered with historical facts.

The Dayak slash-and-burn system to affirm the truth of their practices. 

When discussing "tribes" Dayak, we are referring to a community that is spread across several countries but has the same ethnic identity. 

Dayak Slash-and-Burn System: Since 10,000 years ago

Since when did the Dayak people know the slash-and-burn system? 

Since they have existed and settled on Earth Borneo. Historical evidence shows the presence of Dayak humans in Niah Cave, Miri, Malaysia, since 46,000 years ago, and since then, slash-and-burn practices have been known to them.

Mochtar Lubis in his book, Manusia Indonesia (1989: 9), wrote, "to this day in our country there are still two million people in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and other islands who seek their sustenance with agricultural technology that began 10,000 years before the Prophet Isa."

Certainly! Here is the revised version incorporating the concept of how burning generates ash and charcoal that fertilizes the soil, similar to volcanic activity in Java, and how this process affects only the cultivated land and promotes the growth of new plants:

The role of slash-and-burn in Dayak life and culture

Slash-and-burn, or sawah, is a traditional agricultural method practiced by the Dayak people in Borneo that involves clearing land by cutting and burning vegetation. This technique, deeply rooted in their cultural and spiritual practices, is not just a means of farming but a holistic approach to land management. 

When the land is burned, it produces ash and charcoal—substances that enrich the soil much like volcanic ash in Java. This process provides a temporary boost in soil fertility specifically for the cleared plots, allowing for productive cultivation. 

After a few years, the land is left fallow to regenerate, which supports the natural regrowth of the forest. Additionally, the cycle of burning and regeneration leads to the emergence of new plant species, fostering biodiversity. 

This method, deeply integrated into the Dayak’s way of life, ensures that the environmental impact is localized and manageable, aligning with their sustainable practices and spiritual beliefs.

Integrating local knowledge into conservation efforts

To effectively conserve Borneo’s rainforest while honoring the Dayak cultural heritage, it is essential to blend traditional ecological knowledge with modern conservation strategies. 

The Dayak’s understanding of slash-and-burn agriculture, including the benefits of ash and charcoal in enriching the soil, offers valuable insights into sustainable land management. This practice ensures that only the cultivated land is affected, allowing surrounding areas to remain untouched and continue their natural ecological functions. 

By incorporating this traditional knowledge into broader conservation efforts, and by securing land rights for the Dayak people, we can develop strategies that are both environmentally effective and culturally respectful. 

This combined approach helps preserve the rainforest while supporting the Dayak’s traditional practices and promoting a balanced, sustainable interaction with their environment.

Certainly! Here's a more detailed expansion of the concept in American English:

Dayak as the scapegoat for deforestation and wildfires in Borneo

In recent times, the Dayak people have been unfairly scapegoated for deforestation and wildfires in Borneo. This perception is misleading and fails to recognize the long history of sustainable land management practiced by the Dayak. 

For over 10,000 years, the Dayak have utilized slash-and-burn techniques to manage their agricultural lands. Throughout this extensive period, there was little to no significant environmental degradation attributed to their methods. 

The contemporary issues of deforestation and wildfires are largely driven by illegal logging, mining operations, and the expansion of palm oil plantations, which are often overlooked in the blame placed on indigenous practices. 

The Dayak’s traditional slash-and-burn agriculture involves controlled, cyclical burning that enriches the soil and supports biodiversity, a stark contrast to the destructive impacts of industrial activities.

The notion that the Dayak are responsible for the current environmental crises is a classic example of “post-truth,” where misleading narratives overshadow factual evidence. It’s crucial to address this misconception by recognizing the Dayak’s historical role in managing their environment sustainably and to distinguish their practices from those of the commercial entities contributing to deforestation. 

Understanding this distinction is essential for developing fair and effective conservation strategies that acknowledge the true drivers of environmental issues in Borneo.

-- Rangkaya Bada