Betang House

Betang house is a typical traditional house Kalimantan contained in various parts of Kalimantan, especially in upstream areas which usually becomes the center of the Dayak tribe settlements, where the river is the main transportation routes for the Dayak tribe to perform a variety of mobility everyday life like going to work to the fields where Dayak tribe fields are usually far from residential areas, or perform commercial activities (the ancient Dayak tribe usually trade using the barter system of mutual exchange with the fields, gardens and livestock).

Great shape and this betang house varies in different places. There betang house which reach lengths up to 150 meters and 30 meters wide. Generally betang house built in the form of a stage with a height of three to five feet from the ground. The high building this betang I expect to avoid flooding in the rainy season that threatened areas in the upstream river in Borneo. Some housing units could have a house betang more than one depending on the size of the household members of such residential community. Each household (family) occupies the chamber (room) that the barriers of a large house betang, along with the Dayak tribe in general also have single houses built temporarily to perform the activity fields, and this is because away distance between fields with the settlements.

More than buildings for dwelling Dayak tribes, actually betang house is the heart of the social structure of the life of the Dayak. Betang culture is a reflection of the togetherness in the daily life of the Dayaks. Inside the house this betang every individual's life in the household and society systematically arranged by mutual agreement as stated in customary law. Common security, both from criminal interference or sharing food, the joys and sorrows as well as mobilization of manpower to work the fields. The main value that stands out in life at home is the value of togetherness betang (communalism) among the citizens who inhabit it, regardless of the differences they have. From this we know that the Dayak tribe is the tribe who appreciate a difference. Dayak tribe appreciate the difference of ethnic, religious or social background.

But at the present time too many outsiders (and even Indonesia's own people) thought that the Dayak tribe is the tribe that are closed, individual, rude and uncivilized. Actually this is a big lie created by the Dutch colonial time period of Indonesia's independence struggle to divide the unity and integrity, especially among the Dayak tribe itself which at that time upheld the betang home culture. And a lie is still considered correct until now by those who do not know the right of the Dayaks. For example, writing works of the Dutch people named J. Lameijn entitled Rising Sun, where the writing is very degrading treatment of Dayak communities. Part writing was as follows.

".... Once finished pertcakapan it was sufficient that my knowledge of the Dayaks. Before that I already knew, that the Dayak was very rude and savage pathos. If not forced, there is no just dare to walk alone ditanahnya, because surely it will come back no more heads. "

Dayak community a bad image in perparah again with the emergence of ethnic riots that occurred in Kalimantan, which in large-scale exposure to out of the country (mainly via internet) without looking at the real cause of the riot is only looking at based on the massacre that happened, like the riots in West Kalimantan (Sambas) and Central Kalimantan (Sampit and Palangkaraya). I myself was in Sampit city during the riots first broke out on 18 February 2001 and 2 days later I was in Palangkaraya, when I was a grade 3 junior. Based on my view of the ethnic violence in Sampit and Palangkaraya, where here I did not side with any interest but I prefer to see actual facts on the ground during my stay in Sampit from my childhood until the outbreak of the conflict Sampit. Riots are not the result of the intellectual leaders who wish to disrupt the situation or feeling jealous because certain ethnic Dayak tribe more successful in making a living in Borneo, but rather the injury to feelings Dayak people who buried for years due to not appreciate that their culture betang owned by certain ethnic groups, until perihnya wound can not be arrested again by the Dayak and eventually lead to the outbreak of the bloody conflict. Should have a better understanding of that particular ethnic proverb "Where dipijak earth, where sky upheld", instead of being arrogant and want to win themselves and do not appreciate the local culture (cultural house that upholds betang common values, equality, mutual respect, and tolerance).
Now, the house is a residential betang Dayak people gradually disappeared in Borneo. Even if the residents still could no longer find it as the main house, where the family shelter, grow and share stories with the community. Betang stay a memorable home for most of the Dayaks. In some places that are dispersed, the house betang maintained as a place for the tourists. Call it, for example in Palangkaraya betang there is a house built in the 1990s but rather seen as a monument that is not inhabited. The young generation of the Dayak are now no longer living at home and raised betang (including myself). Betang house is said to only be found in corners, the interior of Borneo without knowing the exact location. This statement certainly suggests that the house betang only story of the tradition associated with backwardness and underdevelopment of the modern lifestyle.

And now, in the face of modern life is very individualist, who are only concerned with personal interests, material and full of hypocrisy, cultural masihkan betang house into order to live together in Kalimantan or whether this culture will also disappear as the disappearance of home building betang in Kalimantan. Whatever the answer we only person who can determine Borneo!