The Taman People: Modernization and the Struggle to Preserve Culture

This book explores the distinct features and way of life of the Taman people, who reside along the Sibau River, Mendalam River, and the upper Kapuas River in West Kalimantan. Their lifestyle, worldview, and social dynamics are vital to study, particularly in the context of development and national cultural integration.

Population and Sampling

The research focuses on approximately 5,000 individuals from the Taman tribe who live in various villages and interact with other tribes as well as Malay and Chinese communities through trade and religion. Their way of life is analyzed to understand how they maintain their identity in the face of social and economic changes.

Chapter Overview

• Chapter I: Provides an overview of the physical, demographic, economic, educational, and health conditions of the Taman people.
• Chapter II: Delves into the history of the Taman community, based on oral traditions and written sources, exploring their social structure and the influences of outsiders, such as the Malay, Chinese, and the colonial rule of the Dutch and Japanese.
• Chapter III: Focuses on the Taman people's internal perceptions of their social stratification.
• Chapter IV: Discusses the traditional leadership structure and its role within the community.
• Chapter V: Examines the concept of kinship and its role in marriage decisions.
• Chapter VI: Explores the rules and processes of marriage, while Chapter VII investigates the male contributions within marriage.
• Chapter VIII: Addresses divorce and how the Taman community handles it without deepening social stratification.
• Chapter IX: Summarizes the research findings and presents conclusions about the impact of modernization on Taman culture amidst broader social and cultural changes.

A Celebrated Masterpiece

This book, a conversion of Thambun Anyang’s dissertation in the Netherlands, has become one of the leading works in its field. With its thorough analysis, it has earned widespread recognition and even won a national award for being one of the best books.

Through careful exploration, Thambun Anyang invites readers into the life of the Taman people with respect and analytical intelligence. The book not only describes but also deconstructs and analyzes the complex issues faced by the Taman in navigating the tide of modernization sweeping through their community.

Through his in-depth research, Thambun Anyang opens a window into the world of the Taman people, revealing their social structures, kinship systems, and the dynamics of change occurring among them. With a unique approach rooted in legal anthropology, the reader is guided to understand how the traditional culture and laws of the Taman interact with the ever-evolving modern world.

This book is not merely a documentation of the Taman tribe, but also a thought-provoking work that stimulates discussions on social change and cultural sustainability.

As one of the finest references in its class, this work enriches the knowledge base on Indonesia’s cultural diversity and serves as an essential resource for academics, policymakers, and the general public who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the Taman community and the challenges they face.

-- Apai Deraman