The Marriage

Marriage also have they own rules in Dayak Maanyan culture. These rules provided by their ancestor has been held until today without any significant changes. The rule is made to prevent any violation possibly made.

The youth of Dayak Maanyan usually choose their  own mates. After this two young people is falling in love and seriously continue for next level, then the rule of marriage is like these :

Ijari

The couple visiting elders and hand over some kind of contract written by those two to announcing their relationship. It usually continued by their parents meeting each other to discuss about their youth marriage. This meeting result is a letter as an engagement of their youth to married.

Peminangan

Peminangan is usually held after a little agreement between families. In this event the discuss about the time they will have the marriage event, and make another agreement letter that binds the two families in cultural rules.

Now, after all the previous rules is agreed, it is time to held the marriage ceremonial. The marriage ceremonial itself is divide in parts. The parts are sacred and cannot denied..and this is the parts :

·         Keagungan Mantir

·         Kabanaran

·         Pamania Pamakaian

·         Tutup Huban (if they had grand father still lives)

·         Kalakar Taliwakas

·         Turus Tajak

·         Pilah Sakti.

And the next chapter is Adu Bakal, it is necessary so the future brides may had their test to challenge any kind of problems in their married lives. It will be held 100 days, any violation will be charged by cultural law call Hukum Sapuhirang.

Adu Jari and Adu Hante is the real ceremonial event. In this event the brides ruled by cultural marriage law Lanyung Ume Petan Gantung.  The ceremony is held with Wurung Jae and Igunung Perak.

These law is made so the lives of new couple is blessed by their parents, elder and God…

The Funeral of Dayak Maanyan

The funeral ceremony of Dayak Maanyan is began when of the family died. When one of their family past away, they sirens the Gong several times to announce the event, and when the people hear the siren, they come and brin g along some things called Nindrai like rice, coconut, pig, chicken, money and others.

Few men went to the jungle to gather  woods and chop a special tree they call Hiyuput to made a coffin for the one who died. The coffin named Rarung, it has similarity shape with Jukung (the traditional fishing boat) with cover.

Then they bathing the death body and clothed. The body is lay down in some kind bed, and in edge of the dead’s head they light up a candle, after that the family gathered and begin Rapu ceremony that took a little part of hair, nail, eye brow and fabric from the dead one, to be placed above the grave in one package.

At the midnight time, the body is laying at rarung and the gongs are sounded. Now it is time to their elder to begin the ceremonial. Wadian, Pasambe, Damang, Mantir and families are began to start the prayer in Kaharingan Religion.

Wadian is assigned to gave the person who died clues and advices so the Amirue (spirit) does not get lost on the way to heaven. Wadian also fed the death with food that has been provided like tobaccos etc.

If the Wadian end the ceremonial, it is time to placed the coffin to the grave yard, along with it..the families cries due the funeral ceremony has been accomplished.

Myth and Fabels

Dayak Maanyan, like other dayak tribes has so many myth in their lives. For example, there one myth that has been known since their great beginning.

The myth about statue called Abe. Maanyan people believe that Abe is heritage from their ancestor, and it have a magical power to show them what things is going to happening due the year. If the statue smiling, that means good year, but if it crying or sad then it will be something awefull going.

So..when Abe show a good clues, they start to begin their activities. Most of them living their live harvesting latex or rubber and farming.

When Abe shows bad, they start to find out what kind of mistakes that has been through along the years and start to pray in they faith of Kaharingan Religion.

Dayak Maanyan also known has a lot of witchcraft. It still lives amongs them until now...:-)

History of Dayak Maanyan

Dayak Maanyan society is a part of Dayak Kalimantan tribe that has been existed in Kalimantan Island since 242 BC. They existing is proven by sculpture and relics in Amuntai, South Kalimantan.

They ancient kingdom, Nan Sarunai is a great kingdom with social live and cultures. At that time Dayak Maanyan living in the area that in the present known as South Kalimantan Province. 

According to some histories, Dayak Maanyan is a Marine People that lives near beaches and bays headed to the sea. They also had histories written in particular ancient folk bible and relief in Borobudur Temple. The reliefs shows that Dayak Maanya people has doing travels across the sea to Madagascar, East Afrika with they traditional boat called Cadik. It was a great travels…!! Didn’t you agree..?? 

But..their great past is looking backward with their live in the present days, they live deep in the Central Kalimantan. Far away from the sea and their ancient marine lives…

Nan Sarunai was a great Dayak Kingdom that has a long histories. They ruins is caused by the expantion and war. Nan Sarunai was invated by Sriwijaya and Majapahit Kingdom. Nan Sarunai collapse at year 1355, they surrender to Majapahit Kingdom from Java Island and the new kingdom was established, this new kingdom has been known as The Negara Dipa.

War makes people have to evacuate their selves, refugees are countless..they live separately in the deep island of Central Borneo..away from their greatness of marine, social and cultures that has been their knowledges for years..

The areas that was belong to Nan Sarunai is now becoming South Kalimantan Province with the Banjar people live as a majority community. The Banjar people is mixed cultural living by Dayak Maanyan and the Malayan Sriwijaya.

Since Nan Sarunai collapsed, Dayak Maanyan lives in Central Kalimantan regions. They live by villages like Buntok, Telang, Patai, Ampah, Tampa, Dayu, Tamiang Layang, Ugang Sayu, Balawa and others.

They live uniquely depending on farming lives..they gather Latex and agricultural crops..and most of them are raising animal farms..they grows pigs, chicken and fishes. It’s a 180 degrees different living from their marine live was….

Dayak Ma'anyan lives in East Barito region and half of South Barito region, their population is about 2,80 % from the whole Central Kalimantan population.

Dayak Ma'anyan has a very unique languages their had a similarity with Madagascar language.They use their languages in few different level and grammar such as social / common conversation and original roots language.

Unfortunately, the most of young Dayak Maanyan generation is never known about the greatness of Nan Sarunai..and accept their live as they have been known today.

                                                                    Ampah Monument