Self Portrait of Labian Leboyan (The Conservation Efforts of the Heart of Borneo by Local People)

SELF PORTRAIT OF

LABIAN LEBOYAN The Conservation Efforts of the Heart of Borneo

by Local People

Photo cover: Saliah 1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword Heart of Borneo National Working Group 5 Head of Kapuas Hulu District 6 WWF-Indonesia 7 Photovoices International 8 Sentarum Lake 11 Saving The Heart of Borneo 12 Labian-Leboyan, The Buffer Zone 18 Forest, River, Lake: Our Big House 25 Change is the only Constant 53 Reading the Nature’s Sign for Ecotourism 90 A Tale from the Field 129 Bibliography 134 Editorial Team 134

M. Suryanto Playing while learning, Semangit people always invite children in touch with nature while learning on its utilization (left).

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Sodik Asmoro A cloudy day at Belaram Lake

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Foreword

Heart of Borneo National Working Group

The Heart of Borneo is an initiative of three countries in Borneo, namely Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia that based on the principles of conservation and sustainable development for the tropical highland forests. This initiative has been declared by three countries since 2007 and its goal is to preserve and maintain the sustainability of Borneo's best remaining forests for the welfare of present and future generations.

One important pillar to ensure the program goes well is if all conservation and development actors are willing to learn from the knowledge and socio-cultural wisdom from the local people.

Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan is one of the districts that located in the Heart of Borneo area while Labian-Leboyan watershed is part of the district. Labian-Leboyan becomes an important area in Kapuas Hulu since it is the corridor between two national parks, namely Betung Kerihun National Park and Sentarum Lake National Park.

Empowering people through photography in Labian-Leboyan is a collaboration program between Photovoices International, WWFIndonesia, Ford Foundation, and Heart of Borneo National Working Group under the umbrella of Heart of Borneo Initiative. This is

part of effort to support people empowerment as one of the main Heart of Borneo programs in capacity building.

The photography activity of Labian-Leboyan communities was the first community empowerment that using photography as a tool in the Heart of Borneo area. Through photography, local people in Labian-Leboyan can deliver their perspectives, aspiration and concern about their environment, livelihood, education, health and culture. From the pictures of Labian-Leboyan, more people will know and understand the challenges of people who live in the Heart of Borneo in managing their natural resources and preserving their culture.

Finally, we hope that the voices through photography from Labian-Leboyan communities in this book can inspire many stakeholders to construct an integrated strategic action for community empowerment and local development in the Heart of Borneo that it really benefits the local people.

Dr. Andi Novianto Chairman of Heart of Borneo National Working Group

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Foreword

Head of Kapuas Hulu District

Kapuas Hulu Regency as the first Conservation District in Indonesia is proud and grateful being selected as one of the locations in Indonesia, even in the world, for the Photovoices International, WWF – Indonesia, National Geographic Indonesia and Ford Foundation. As an innovative program, Photovoices used a non-traditional approach, providing cameras and photography trainings for the people to document important things in their life, such as the condition of the natural environment, the social condition of the people and the traditional culture as well as record the changing process, advantages, challenges and hopes. This program allowed people to see, protect, and control the environment, the social order, the nature, the culture, the development, and other important matters in their area, through the media of photography.

In Kapuas Hulu District, the Photovoices Program was carried out in six villages in the watershed of Labian-Leboyan, the area connecting Sentarum Lake National Park and Betung Kerihun National Park, that makes the title of this book, the Labian-Leboyan: Through

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the People's Eyes. The Photovoices Program was focused to facilitate and empower local people. Through photography, their voice could be heard; they could be involved in development planning and implementation, and the conservation of the nature and culture in their area. The people had enjoyed the benefits of the program, which was completed in December 2008. Through the pictures and the data they produced, the people managed to propose several better programs with clearer information for development in their area.

Strengthening people through photography is expected to become useful media for the learning of the people, local government, as well as relevant institutions and other parties to bring into reality sustainable management and preservation of natural resources in Kapuas Hulu District. The nature and the culture are always integrated in every pulse of the Motherland.

Drs H Abang Tambul Husin

Foreword

WWF-Indonesia With thousands of plant and animal species, many found only on this island, Kalimantan major part of Borneo is well known as one of the most biodiverse places on earth. It is also home to, and a source of, livelihood for most of the Dayak tribes who have a diverse range of social and cultural characteristics. However, the beauty of the nature – as well as the richness of the culture faces serious threats due to unsustainable ways of natural resource use and management which could lead to adverse consequences globally.

Towards sustainably manage this unique places, in 2007 the governments of three countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam, declared Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative, with goal to conserve and promote sustainability of one of the Borneo's best remaining rain forests, for the welfare of present and future generations. In this initiative, local communities and indigenous people are key stakeholders, whose role and participation are crucial to ensure long-term sustainable management of the areas.

Capacity building for community is an important and major part of programs in the HoB. By encouraging ownership and responsibility to manage its natural resources , knowing their rights and obligations, community would have the ability to manage its natural resources sustainably. WWF collaboration with Photovoices and community members of Labian-Leboyan, West Kalimantan highlights this spirit well.

The Labian-Leboyan Photovoices photography in Kapuas Hulu was designed to allow exploration of local people's perspectives and aspiration on the significance and challenges of natural resource management in the Heart of Borneo. During the program, which took place for almost a year, local people's ideas, values, hopes and story of their daily lives, were captured and well documented. This initiative provides opportunity for local people to express and voice their ideas through visual media and tell stories of their culture traditional knowledge and wisdom.

As an organization that puts people empowerment as one of the main pillars in its national conservation agenda, we believe that the success of sustainable natural resource management much depends on the involvement of people and should be supported by policies on fair access to natural resource. Through publication of this pictorial book, we hope to provide information for the local government, non-government organizations, and other decision making parties to plan strategically for sustainable development in the Heart of Borneo.

Dr. Efransjah, CEO WWF-Indonesia

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Foreword

Photovoices International

Photovoices International—Empowering People through Photography—provides cameras and photography training for people in remote areas of high biodiversity to document important issues in their lives, including the state of the natural environment, what they value about traditional culture, to record community strengths and challenges and their hopes for the future.

Photovoices also trains local facilitators who talk to the photographers about the stories behind the pictures so that conservationists can have a visual and narrative documentation of local knowledge.

Using the Photovoices process—part documentary, part art, part storytelling—men and women living in West Kalimantan have invited us into their lives and have provided important community-based information that is essential for our partner WWF-Indonesia, the HoB National Working Group, the government and others seeking to protect this unique part of the globe and to combat global warming.

Through the pages in this book, you will see how the West Kalimantan photographers—who had never before touched a camera—have provided us with compelling images as they documented the rich biodiversity of their forests and lakes and the lives of the people.

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Through their storytelling about the pictures, we can understand their unfiltered ideas about nature, their traditional culture, the clans and family life that have existed for untold generations—as well as their hopes for the future. The photographs and storytelling provide people a way to reflect on their own lives and to talk together about what they want to protect, what they want to make better and to put forth their own ideas about compatible economic development.

The Photovoices pictures and stories provide the people in West Kalimantan with a visually – strengthened voice at the table as decisions are being made and a powerful way to communicate information about biodiversity and indigenous knowledge from one of the world's special places to people around our globe.

We hope that each of you who read this book will do everything you can to protect the Heart of Borneo and biological and cultural diversity in a rapidly changing world.

Ann McBride Norton President, Photovoices International

Diki Zulkarnain

COMMUNITY LIVING IN THE HEART OF BORNEO PUT THEIR EFFORTS TO VOICE THEIR DAILY STORIES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY 9

CORRIDOR LABIAN-LEBOYAN

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Sentarum Lake Sentarum Lake or Danau Sentarum has a unique ecosystem.

The area represents wet lake area, peat-land forest, and tropical rainforest of Kalimantan. A lake functioning as water catchment area and water regulator to Kapuas Watershed Area, it has protection area status since 1981. It means that the area has valuable biodiversity and ecosystem. For instance, specific plants of tengkawang (Shorea beccariana), ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), and arwana. The atmosphere of the lake is also interesting: hills, peat land forest and rainforest surround the lake (see map). But, after being torn-out by illegal logging activities, the area surrounding Sentarum Lake are threatened by land-clearing activities for oil palm plantations. Roots of trees that hold up the earth are replaced by oil palm trees. The uniformed roots of trees let water run the earth that caused lake becoming shallow.

Diki Zulkarnain

"A complete laboratory of nature.

Sentarum Lake is an example of a lake ecosystem, fresh water forest and tropical rainforest"

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Saving The Heart of Borneo “There is only one place on the planet where the Indo-Malay forest of South East Asia can still be conserved on a large enough scale to still be permanently viable. It straddles transboundary highland of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, and reach out through the foothill into the adjacent lowlands. Border. We call this area the Heart of Borneo”

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Three countries announced the Initiative of Sustainable Forest Management in the Heart of Borneo on 12 February 2007 at the sideline of the Country Led Initiative meeting in Bali. Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam agreed to work together to conserve and manage one of the world's most important biodiversity centers, covering a 22 million ha area, one third of Borneo.

This was the first step of the rescue commitment based on a long, deep analysis on the richness and the important value of Borneo, the biggest forest left in South East Asia. There is no doubt that in the past 150 years Borneo has become one of the world biodiversity centers which attract naturalists. During 1994 – 2004, 361 new species were found or 3 new species on average each month. It is estimated that there are more than 15,000 species of flowery plants ready to be found. Many of them can not be found in any other place in the world and can be the key of medicine inventions to cure diseases that threaten human life.

Here there are more than 3,000 species of wood trees, including 267 species of dipterocarps (giant rain forest trees that produce wood and latex), 155 of them are endemic of Borneo, with high economic

values. Compare to Germany, which has 66 species of wood trees, 6 of them are endemic.

Borneo is one of two places in the world which is home to elephants (Elephas maximus), rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis harrissoni) and orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), which live side by side.

It is also home to at least 210 species of mammals, 44 of them are endemic to Borneo, and unique animals like owa (gibbon, Hylobates spp), Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), clouded leopard, and hornbill.

Mid in the 1980s, the coverage of Borneo forest was still 75%. In 2005 it dwindled to about 50%. During 1985 – 1997, about 20 million ha of the forest was destroyed in Indonesia or 1.5 million ha/year, more than half of Germany's area. Most of them were low land forests located 300 m above the sea level, which was home to more than 60% species of rain forest. While since 1996 illegal logging activities increased, with an average of 2 million ha of forest cut down every year, half of the Netherlands' area.

Equator rain forests quickly disappeared due to human activities. Illegal logging, land

conversion into plantations, farming pattern that reduces the soil fertility and forest fire become the main threats. If no appropriate measures are taken immediately, it is feared that all lowland rain forest in Kalimantan—the Indonesian part of Borneo —will soon disappear, and other forests left in the island will face uncertain future.

Hence, it is assumed that Borneo has been inhabited by people who rely on the nature's richness to lead a sustainable life as hunters, collectors and nomadic farmers since 45,000 years ago. The natives of Borneo in Kalimantan known as Dayak are scattered all over the island, comprising of hundreds of tribes with 142 oral languages, while in Malaysian Borneo–Sabah, there are more than 50 languages and accents, and 30 languages in Sarawak.

The conversion of forests into oil palm plantation—ironically—to provide biofuel is the biggest threat. In Malaysia, the growth of palm oil plantation during 1998 – 2003 reached 8%, and at least covered 1.6 million ha in Sabah and Sarawak. In Kalimantan, the growth reached 11.5% annually, almost 1 million ha.

During the big forest fire in Kalimantan in 1997 – 1998, more than 6.5 million ha— twice of Belgium's area—lowland forest and agricultural areas were destroyed. Smokes chocked up the area of 2,000 x 4,000 km2.

Hundreds or even thousands orangutan died. El-Nino was said to be the cause of the serious fire. But most fires were triggered by human beings.

At the coast where the land and the sea meet, there is mangrove ecosystem which is home to biota to develop and raise its children, protect the coast from erosion by the waves, and has long been utilized as the source of food and wood. Mangrove forests in Borneo are mostly located in river delta and are found along almost all coasts. In the past Kalimantan had 1,580,000 ha mangrove forests, but in 1980, it was estimated that about 95% of them were sacrificed for illegal logging, and only 1% was protected in the reserve. It is estimated that one third of mangrove forests in Kalimantan or 1.3 million ha had been cleared in 1993. In 1992, only 1.2 million ha mangrove forest was left in Borneo.

Agustinus Husin Dayak Iban community in Kelawik Hamlet is carrying out Pedara Sanau Ari, as a thanksgiving on the return of their fellow wanderers.

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1980s, it was estimated that only less than 2% of inundated swamp forest which still existed. In 2002, only almost 10 million ha of peat swamp forest was left throughout Borneo.

A.M. Roni Mulyadi Community in Labian-Leboyan area make use of river ecosystem resources utilizing traditional fishing gears.

Inundated swamp forest (ramsar site) and peat swamp forest are found near the coast and lake lines, like around Mahakam and Kapuas River. Inundated swamp forest absorbed a lot of minerals from the river overflow while peat swamp forest caught rain and absorbed less nutrient. In 1981, only 2.5% of peat swamp forests and 5.4% of inundated swamp forest were protected in Borneo while peat swamp forest could trigger fires when the upper layer of the peat dried up and began to simmer. In West Kalimantan the attention was focused more on inundated swamp forest than the wetland that formed peat even though in the wetland in Sentarum Lake and Mount Palung areas there were peat swamp forests. In Kalimantan, inundated swamp forest occupied 7% of the natural forests. At the end of 14

The Heart of Borneo is a water tower for three countries because 14 of 20 rivers that flow in this island come from there. Water is the main source of life. Therefore, conserving the water source means saving the life itself.

Differences in the land and forest management in the five provinces/states and a country—Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam—resulted in the different interpretation on the impact of ecosystem. Decision on the right over land and forest in Kalimantan has not been made; they are still seen as resources that can be exploited with overlapping official titles.

Ecosystem management does not know state boundary and authority. Due to different governance systems of the three countries that own Borneo, the ecosystem management has not been integrated and thorough. This clarifies the fact that flora and fauna diversity could not be maintained if the forest area is divided. Conservation needs protection over a vast and inter-

connected area. If this is not conducted, thousands of species' life patterns will be disturbed and in the long run they will extinct.

So, WWF supports the joint aspiration of the three owners of the third biggest island in the world after Greenland and Papua as announced at the 8th Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Brazil, March 2006. Not all of the area in the Heart of Borneo becomes protected or conserved area as it also covers production forests and other areas. Sustainable management of the production areas is encouraged.

From the total area of 22 million ha at the proposed work area, 57% are found in Indonesia, 42% in Malaysia and 1% in Brunei Darussalam with the following details: Central Kalimantan: 2,466,000 ha (11.2 %), East Kalimantan 4,010,000 ha (18.2%), West Kalimantan 6,137,000 ha (27.8%), Brunei Darussalam 131,570 ha (0.6%), Sarawak 5,373,000 ha (24,3%), Sabah 3,968,000 ha (17,9%).

There are 22 main conservation areas and the proposed temporary coverage, 7% of the total area of Borneo: Batang Ai National Park, Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Betung Kerihun and Apan Entulu National Park (proposed), Balleh National Park (pro-

posed), Danum Linau National Park (proposed), Apad Runan National Park (proposed), Ulu Belait Protection Forest Reserve, Gunung Mulu National Park, Gunung Buda National Park, Ulu Temburong National Park, Maligan Virgin Jungle Forest, Crocker Range National Park, Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Kinabalu Park, Maliau Basin Protection Forest Reserve, Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sebuku Sembakung (proposed), Kayan Mentarang National Park, Mount Muller area, Bukit Baka-Bukit Raya National Park, and Sentarum Lake National Park.

ALL FIGURES AND DATA refer to the wilderness and the daily life of people in the Heart of Borneo. Now, along the area between Putussibau and Ukit-ukit, where illegal logging activities used to occur, there are a number of betang (longhouses) made of stones, not wood anymore. This damaged the culture, some people said. On the other hand, the change in the house building material shows the trail of illegal logging that was rampant during 2000 – 2002. Is there any more trail of the excessive exploitation of the forest's natural richness?

Physically, the betang in Sungai Luar Hamlet, Sungai Abau Village, Batang Lupar Sub-District, Kapuas Hulu District in the midstream area of Labian-Leboyan water-

shed, now has the design of a two-storey house with cement walls. 'Amulets' hung in front of the door clearly show that the sturdy building is the residence of people from Dayak Iban tribe. Across the house, there is a kind of a wooden stilt house with fences at its front part to prevent cattle from entering into the house.

The longhouse is located at the side of the road connecting Ukit-ukit and Lanjak, which is partly made of sand and soil, soft when it rains, going up and down the hill, between secondary forests. Passing through this 5 km heavy route heading to SDN 09 Ukit-ukit Elementary School, 5 children—4 boys and a girl—of Dayak Iban Sungai Luar go to school and return home. Those little children, who are at the first – fourth grades, walk on foot in the morning at 6, with their lunch boxes, and arrive home at 4 p.m. for the sake of education. While four other older children have to continue their study at SD 02 Lanjak Elementary School, staying with their grandmothers.

For Henry Jali (49), head of Sungai Luar Village, which consists of 5 hamlets, the current condition was worse compared to five years ago. “We used to have our own school—until today the school building is still there—which was managed by ourselves. The teachers received fees from

us, not the government. The teacher, Ms. Marina, received Rp 400,000/month, plus rice, and if there was no job, she received support. Now that the kompeni—timber companies—have stopped their operation, we have no more fund,” said the man, who is clearly smart, outspokenly. The school has a teacher, who teaches until the fifth grade, while the sixth grade students should continue to their study in Ukit-ukit or Lanjak. Ideally, there should be two teachers so that the students could graduate from the elementary school.

That was the “glory” of the past, when the residents' economy improved due to illegal logging. Now Henry Jali is making efforts so that there would be one elementary school to accommodate 40 school-aged children from five hamlets under his responsibility.

He hopes the regional councilors who visited the area during the campaign period with many promised program “would not just talk big.”

It seems that Henry could not have much hope, let alone on the hope for a school building. “The land was repeatedly measured for the construction of roads, but none was realized.” The soil path, 3 km away from the road, was built by the residents themselves in 2008 during 45-hour community work.

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Anastasia Bulau Inhabiting the rainforest, a big grey tailed racer snake (Gonyosoma oxycephalum) is the predator of squirrels. This snake is found on tree-canopy.

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But they have strong basic capital, which could be explored more: the wish to move forward. Prioritizing education, he sent his eldest daughter Linda to a midwifery college for two years in Pontianak. After working for three years in Jakarta, she has now returned to Kalimantan, working in Antonius Hospital, Pontianak. While Niga, the second daughter, was elected as a hamlet chief, and started her term in August 2009, replacing himself.

Dayak Iban is progressive, indeed. Everyone may come forward and step to the fore as long as they are capable.

BACK TO PUTUSSIBAU, passing the betang, longhouses which now have cemented walls.

Some residents were cementing the 1.5 m path near the house. A slight trail of the illegal logging. That's it. Some villagers returned from the field, the women immediately covered their face with the saraung (bamboo hats) when they saw strangers in a car, especially as one of them held a camera.

There was an advice for visitors of the Heart of Borneo. Be mindful with the Dayak Iban.

Do not introduce yourself as a journalist and a photographer. Because, according to them, illegal logging activities were stopped because of their reports. Which also meant the stoppage of their (big) income. The immediate impression that happened to some

groups of community is actually the trauma resulted from activities that promised improvements, but there have never been materialized. Even, community do not know what they can enjoy by providing such information. Seemingly it was the response they showed whenever they met with journalists or newspersons.

THE OLD SAYING, when there is sugar, the ants will come around, when there is money, there are many things around might apply when the illegal logging activities are rampant. The activities of illegal logging trigger the intensity of negative impact of the social aspect. When money was abundant, Syahirsyah from WWF-Indonesia said , prostitution was unavoidable. There are not only low-class prostitutions but also high-class ones. Jimmy—that’s the way Sahirsyah is often called—continued, on the other hand, it was inevitable for men from outside the areas to have relationship with local women.

Some got married, and even had children.

But as soon as the big fortune stopped, the men left. Maybe they returned to their first wives. Or the women just simply be left even though they had no other wives in their places of origin.

making money for the family or for themselves. So far, because of the similar culture, there is no sad story about them like what have happened to other Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.

However, there are also many victims of such marriage who do not dare to leave their comfort zone. It would be more comfortable living with the extended family, relying on their mercy. How long could they survive? Without any certain job, without any certain future, especially for the children.

Some of them once in a while are forced to become prostitutes.

Is it the expensive social cost, which might be overlooked, as a result of the illegal logging?

With the bad roads, the journey returning back to Putussibau took about 4 hours, while it could take only two hours if the roads were not damaged. Along the road that split bushes and tall grasses that used to be a forest, from the car window, so many soil orchids with white flowers were seen. A little sign of the great richness of the Heart of Borneo.

Some of the abandoned women later worked in the neighboring country of Malaysia, 17

Labian Leboyan, The Buffer Zone

How important the Labian-Leboyan watershed is. It connects two National Parks— Betung Kerihun and Sentarum Lake National Parks—in the Heart of Borneo.

Even though it has a “twin” name, LabianLeboyan is a single river that flows from the upstream area in Garam Hill at the border with Malaysia to the downstream area in Sentarum Lake, providing life for the wilderness and human beings. It is named after two main tribes who rely their life on the areas along the river. Labian, the Dayak tribe who lives at the upstream area, and Leboyan, the Malay tribe at the downstream area.

Flowing from the upstream area at the north, from Kelawik, it is the witness of the friendship between two tribes who used to help each other. In the past century, Kelawik area belonged to the Dayak Tamambaloh in Mensiau Villlage. When a ngayau (tribal war) broke, Tambambaloh asked some Dayak Iban people from Malaysia to help them. As an expression of gratitude because they managed to beat the enemy, the fast mountainous area was handed over to the Dayak Iban.

Since the beginning, human beings had a close relationship with the nature. The

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human life was adjusted with the nature.

The village was even named after bakul (Antiaris toxicaria Lesch), the name of the tree producing poisonous latex that is smeared on blowgun sticks or arrows, that's how the Dayak Tamam Embaloh (Tamambaloh) calls it, while the Iban calls it Ipuh.

Forest is the place for collecting and hunting, it is the center of universe. Protecting the forest's life means protecting our life.

They do not cut down the forest for commercial purposes, or kill rare species like bekantan (Nasalis larvatus), ruai bird (Argusianus argus) and hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), whose feather is used to adorn men's heads.

FOUR CENTURIES LATER, human civilization grew along Labian-Leboyan. The demand to fulfill their needs and temptations to enjoy instant good life instant sometimes make them ignore the ancestors' heritage of wisdom. Forests which used to be regulated regarding their utilization were chopped down uncontrollably. It was said that before illegal logging activities were rampant in 2002 - 2004, Labian-Leboyan's water was so clear that you could see the fish at the river bed. Now the brownish

water with soil which no longer tied on roots flows to the 132,000 ha Sentarum Lake.

and mostly were outside the Betung Kerihun National Park.

Labian-Leboyan is now full of stones and remains of chopped woods. Illegal logging made orangutan, bekantan and monkeys were trapped in an area and they found it difficult to find food. Illegal logging and hunting had reduced their number, especially the orangutan subspesies. Species officer of WWF-Indonesia, West Kalimantan Program, Albertus Tjiu in Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) of orangutan in 2004 recorded that the remaining population of Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus was 7,936 individuals (14,1%), Pongo pygmaeus morio 15,406 individuals (27,4%) and Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii 32,906 (58,5%). It was estimated that there were 2,000 Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus in Betung Kerihun and Sentarum Lake National Parks, which were possibly connected in the past. The loss of forest area made the whole orangutan habitat area became separated pockets that endanger their existence. The subspecies is also found in Sarawak, Malaysia. In 2007 there were 1,030 individuals (550-1,830) in Betung Kerihun National Park, 700 individuals at the west of the park, in Embaloh watershed and in the surrounding protected forest, the rest were in Sibau watershed,

Sentarum Lake National Park is a protected area at the upstream area of Kapuas River, about 700 km from the estuary of Kapuas river, Pontianak. In the rainy season, the debit of Kapuas river which flowed to Sentarum Lake through Tawang river reached 1,000 m3/second (Giesen, 1987). In the dry season, about 50% of the water from the lake went to the Kapuas downstream area. Most parts of Sentarum Lake National Park dried up. In big rivers, Labian-Leboyan, Tawang, Tengkidap and Sentarum, the water was left only at their deepest parts. About 100 km north of the equator, there are inundated swamp forests, peat swamp forest, riverside forest (riparian forest), heath forest, lowland forests. The most complete fresh water habitat designated by UNESCO as wetland area (ramsar site). There live the smallest fish, linut (Sundasalax cf. Microps), while the biggest fish is tapah (Wallago leeri) which could be more than 2 m long, and the most expensive one, red arowana (Scleropages formosus).

The area is home to at least 675 vegetation species from 97 families, 150 reptiles, amphibians, 13 primates and 350 bird spe-

cies, and 2006 research added to 50 new species. Data on orchids and parasites have not been collected. There are a number of rare species: Dichilanthe borneensis, an endemic species which is the missing chain between Rubiaceace and its family, Vatica menungau (menungau), a new endemic species.

Eugeissona ambigua (Ransa) which is rare and at the brink of extinction. Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), jelutung (Dyera costulata) which are protected. And an endemic species which is similar to what is found in Amazon: pungguk tree (Crateva relegiosa) CHANGES IN THE NATURE must affect human beings. “In the past, fish from Sentarum Lake returned to the river and we never lacked (of fish),� said Yosep Unjak from Ukit-ukit Hamlet. Due to illegal logging and the use of warin (trawl) at the upstream area of Sentarum Lake, there is now hardly any fish. A conflict between residents at the upstream and downstream areas almost broke. Finally they reached an agreement.

People at the upstream area promised to stop illegal logging, trying to provide seedlings of rubber trees, local trees like tengkawang (Shorea spp.), terap and other trees which are the favorites of orangutan.

While residents at the downstream area 19

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stopped cultivating toman fish (Channa micropeltes) and did not use warin to prevent the extinction of fresh water fish.

When the illegal logging activities slowed down, other temptations and threats came.

Since 2005, there was a plan to open 1.8 million ha oil palm plantations spreading from West Kalimantan to East Kalimantan, passing the Sentarum Lake, Betung Kerihun (West Kalimantan) and Kayan Mentarang (East Kalimantan) National Parks. These are water catchment areas and areas which keep the water balance in Kalimantan for 14 of 20 main rivers in the island like the watersheds of Kapuas, Sibau, Bungan, and Ambaloh. While oil palm trees are greedy for water and could not sustain water. If Indonesia has 1.5 million ha idle land, why should they cut down forests?

Suryadi Trapped in temilar (fishing-net) in Leboyan river, a Sinyulong crocodile is not killed by inhabitants.

Here men and crocodiles have strong bonds instilled since the time of their ancestors (left).

The residents keep protecting the forests and the contents upon their own awareness.

Take Bakul Village, for example. In 2005 there were still some illegal logging activities, but in 2006 there was no more illegal logging. People no longer clear the forest to create fields, but they make best of former fields. The village forest is fully protected; people are not allowed to cut any trees, except to get the wood to make boats, coffins and to construct houses. It needs about 10 trees with at least 35 cm diameter to build a house, but the ones they usually use are between 60-100 cm diameter. Since 2006, Bakul villagers have also stopped their habit of hunting rasung (bekantan, proboscis monkey) and orangutan. Along with the interactions of WWF-Indonesia and other organizations with community, the intensity of bekantan and orangutan huntings have been decreasing.

What is encouraging, the efforts to increase their income, upon the residents' own initiative, are directed by improving their knowledge and skill. They want to map the planting season and the fruit season so that they can arrange the harvest. They harvest the rubber trees when the price is high.

Abundant fruits will be utilized to give additional value. “We want to be able to make

dodol (a kind of taffy made of fruit), making best of the fruit season,” said Leo Tameang, an official of Bakul Village.

INDEED, NO ONE KNOWS BETTER about our own hopes and dreams and could express them but ourselves. Sometimes we need more than just words to support our ideas and to ensure certain parties about them.

Photos, for example, will help a lot. Within this spirit, we run the Labian-Leboyan Photovoices program. For seven months, during June-December 2008, 70 men and women—students, public figures and residents from all walks of life from 12 kampongs in 6 villages in 2 sub-districts— Mensiau, Labian, Sungai Ajung, Melembah villages (Batang Lupar Sub-District), Semalah, Leboyan villages (Selimbau SubDistrict), and representatives of junior high school students in Ukit-ukit Hamlet and Lanjak for a few days received a training on the theory and the practice of using simple digital cameras. And then, accompanied by 7 facilitators, they took pictures of their daily life and the surrounding environment with three main themes—conservation, people & culture and ecotourism, creating good natural photos that could bring important messages.

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Ukit-ukit and Semangit Hamlets. “Then there was a need to cover the whole watershed area, but there was a lack of natural and human resources, there was a need for 12 kampongs, but the fund was only enough for half of them,” said Hermas Rintik Maring from WWF-Indonesia, West Kalimantan Program.

Jackson Sigi Hunting within rainforest area, is one of life-patterns of Dayak Iban community in Kelawik. They shared their ravin according to their customary arrangements.

These activities produced no less than 30,000 photos. But what was more valuable, the residents were inspired and got the initiative to establish Communication Forum for People in Labian-Leboyan Watershed.

They realized there were interesting things to see regarding the culture, daily life, which could grow understanding about all things and problems in their life, which is united by the flow of Labian-Leboyan.

The development was in accordance with the efforts to develop Photovoices. The decision of the main theme and the target considered the specific need of the people and the area in the two suggested locations, 22

The people had divided their own zone: the downstream area (Semalah – Nanga Leboyan Villages), midstream area (Melemba Village – Ajung River), upstream area (Labian – Mensiau Villages). Each village was given one week to decide the candidates for Photovoices participants. So, from the very beginning, people were asked to play an active role.

In the daily life, the Photovoices activities and the pictures not only strengthened the communication through oral language, but a lot of things were also explored. Residents were proud of themselves and their culture.

One camera provided for each participating hamlet for its documentation that becomes a reminder of an event date, detail of ceremonies and helps with the communication among different generations. When there are guests who ask about a ceremony or an activity which is not being held in the area, they can learn it from the photographs.

The program also encouraged Iban-MelayuTamambaloh residents to understand their own culture and tradition which they have performed since they were born, during their childhood, adolescence and adult, the wedding and death rituals.

As for the local government, they appreciated the Photovoices program, which was regarded as the attention from outsiders.

Due to the limited budget, the local government could not visit all (remote) areas.

Residents also made best of the photos as a helping tool to apply for development budget. Report about the damage of a bridge at Tempurau Hamlet along with the picture received a quick response. Sub-district and district officials came to take a look. Earlier, their proposal without any photo got no response.

Such initiatives eliminated the fear about the tendency of people to ask for direct aid.

Since the beginning, it was stated that there would not be any direct aid. Regarding the Photovoices program, one of the requirements was that the residents themselves had to select the photographers, instead of the WWF-Indonesia and Photovoices. The residents were later aware about the importance of playing their role to meet their own need. It turned out that they could take pic-

tures and be trusted. The importance of photography was followed up in SMP 1 Lanjak junior high school, which included the lesson of photography in the local content of its curriculum, supported with a unit of computer.

EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT. The smart idea of people in the hinterland is quite relieving.

People, from the upstream to the downstream areas, wish for adequate number of teachers, school buildings which are easy to reach, quality education, facilities to support the learning process like practical readings which could improve the additional values of corps, and affordable education cost.

In upstream areas, children have to struggle and be strongly determined to continue the education. Residents of Bakul Village have to go to junior high school in Ukit-ukit or Batanglupar, and live in Lanjak, and if they want to go to senior high school they must go to Putussibau, Sintang or Pontianak. The people believe that it is not necessary to have high schools in their area because of the limited number of students. What's important is that the elementary schools have good quality.

Hamzah Preying on fish in the river fish trap, the sawah rendam snake (Homalopsis buccata) inhabiting the fresh water area in the low land.

Abadi Laid in state in the house of mourning, the deceased resident was lent various kinds of traditional attires.

This is the last tribute extended by the local inhabitants.

The wish of the people to move forward and have a better education is as strong as the current of the Labian-Leboyan. As rich as the Sentarum Lake area.

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Forest, River, Lake: Our Big House Traveling to Danau Sentarum National Park during the transition period at the end of June between the dry and wet seasons, was an artistic journey. We also had to prepare a strong will and great patience to follow the nature’s uncertainty.

From the Ukit-ukit Hamlet, Labian Village, in the rainy season, a driver should be able to steer the car going up and down the hill toward Lanjak, the capital of Batang Lupar Sub-District. After that the journey would continue with a one-hour journey by a longboat along the Labian-Leboyan river, which ends at the lake. The 2009 dry season had parched the mid upstream area of the river, making it look like a desert you could ride over by motorcycle. But on this dry season day, a heavy rain changed this part of the river into a muddy bowl that you could you could not get across by motorcycle or

longboat. The result; transportation from Lanjak was cut off. But the rain was a blessing for the residents, who had started to face water scarcity.

The Lanjak Hill looked green but was covered by bushes, a secondary forest which could not catch water like big trees. Another choice was, taking a longboat from Pakar Tekalong Hamlet, along the midupstream area of Labian-Leboyan river that flowed passing the betang (longhouses) of the Dayak Iban (who call the area Labian) and the Malays (who call it Leboyan).

After plying the river for several minutes, the boat driver Budi, guide Antonius Hermanto Ije who wore saruang (bamboo hat, in Tamambaloh dialect) to protect him from the sunshine, and Syahirsyah from WWF-Indonesia, West Kalimantan Program,

Helena Damiana Sati In the dry season many people in Tumbali finding fish by diving the river.

The water is very clear and can be drink directly without the cooking process.

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repeatedly pointed at the stump of black tree logs emerging at the river side and even in the middle of the river. That was ironwood, or locally known as kayu belian or ulin (Eusideroxylon zwageri), prime quality wood which is strong and good for pillars, floors and ship’s bearings. Some were nearly perfect whole logs. Millions of rupiah of valuable wood was seen abandoned during the seven-hour journey.

Many logs were found in the middle of the river because about 100 years ago, the area where the river is located used to be a forest. The current flow gradually eroded the land, moving the gully path. The width and the winding of the current looked like curley hair, thick and thin of 10-15 meters wide. Once a while, small biawak (monitor lizard) was seen moving very quickly from the sandbank to the bush or jumpig into the

M. Suriyanto (above) Supporting the life in its surrounding, rainforest trees provide various benefits. Rengas tree, as shown in the picture, provides homes for bees.

Maspuri One of the kinds of primates commonly found in Indonesia is the long-tailed monkey. They are often naughty to their surroundings.

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water. A variety of birds—rhinoceros hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), helmeted hornbill (Buceros vigil), eagle, kingfisher— flew across the river. The river was calm— meaning that it was deep—of clear water but brownish green, not muddy, “clear” enough to reflect the trees and the cliffs. A number of trees showed the hair roots or hanging roots reaching the water. Clusters of bamboo dangled over the river. Straight and tall trees like tahun, tembesu, medang, kawi, kebaca, putat, landak, eli, kamsiak, and embasung could be easily recognized as tikung trees that become the habitat of honey bees, with ladders made from strings to facilitate the work of bee harvesters.

At several points the river met tributaries.

Some residences along the river, which are located next to rice fields and rubber fields, are named after the forest’s richness. Bakul Hamlet, where betang (longhouses) of Dayak Tamambaloh at the upstream area are found, is named after bakul (Antiaris toxicaria Lesch), the name of a tree with poisonous latex used to smear blowgun sticks and arrows. The Malay Tempurau hamlet, at the downstream area is named after a tree with many honey bees, tempurau. At the river side, there is a large-

"Some residences along the river, which are located next to rice fields and rubber fields, are named after the forest’s richness" scale cultivation center of siluk or red arwana (Sclerophages formosus), a kind of fish with the highest economic value from the richness of Labian-Leboyan river. The river that provides livelihood for people at the upstream-midstream and downstream areas requests their tolerance with an agreement not to catch fish using poison.

Because this will kill not only the fish but also their eggs, which would never hatch.

There is still a debate about the use of tools to catch fish. Because not all kampongs (small villages) have a fishermen’s group like Meliau, which has one from generation to generation with a group leader chosen once in three or four years, depending on the performance. This group supports several agreements for the use of 10 potential lakes in Meliau, including the tools that may be used.

Balerang Lake that is designed as a protected area still has a utilization zone,

with fishing tools limited to bubu (a plaited rattan fish trap) with two-inch-diameter holes and fishing rods. People set fish traps, called bubu penang, once a year during the dry season.

The community agrees that warin or trawl, with 1.75 inch diameter holes, may only be used in Loko Lake, along with bubu, nets and small temilar (a kind of tool to catch fish). Meanwhile, the areas of Merebung Besar, Merebung Kecil and Kasin Lakes have been designated as utilization zones.

Meliau 1 and 2, Sarang Burung Besar and Kecil, and Lintang Lakes, are utilization zones with fishing tools limited to bubu, fishing nets and fishing rods. In addition, there are also utilization zones in certain villages with fines and other sanctions. They are Meliau and Tempurau hamlets in the areas near Nanga Semati Lake, Meliau Hamlet and Pelaik River in Nanga Bejele, Meliau Hamlet and Manggen River in Lubuk Ula Leban. Outsiders who are found to have electrocuted fish will be fined and the catching tools confiscated. Since 1980s Meliau has no longer used poisons which cause the death of small fish, and even eggs, which would inflict losses to the people.

Residents of the midstream and upstream areas are against the use of warin (trawl).

Before the 2000s, the Meliau people could catch hundreds of kilograms of tapa and piam fish. Tamin and Sodik Asmoro, public figures and also fishermen in Meliau Hamlet told their stories. In the past they could certainly catch between 10 and 15 kilograms of fish in a day. Now it is only 5 kilograms at the most. Since people used warin, their income has dropped significantly. The warin nets have very small holes just like trawls, with the mouth that could spread hundreds of meters. Fish, along are netted along with eggs. The local population is growing and, in addition, more people are coming from outside the area both locally-born and outsiders. Local knowledge and customs have begun to be violated. During the heavy rain in November- January, mepai fish (fish lay their eggs in Iban dialect). If the warin is set, many fish would die. If it is rancid, the fish will not lay their eggs. The Village Discussion Board, and heads of villages that border with Meliau Hamlet, were asked to sit together to discuss when warin started to enter the area in 2000. However, residents in the downstream area still did not accept any changes. If they must stop using warin, what was the alternative for their livelihood?

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Yusni Making a ledge of the seven-meter boat, Syahadi in Leboyan village complains about raw materials that recently becoming difficult to obtain.

Runggah

Because there are many lakes, toman female fish which are still taking care of their young should not be netted. During the dry season, the toman fish go to the lakes. If a fisherman is found catching a female fish with its juvenile, the fisherman will be fined Rp 120,000. It is more difficult for toman fish to breed. If a female fish is killed, thousands of her young will be devoured by other fish.

Fish tends to swim to the upstream area, but will return to the downstream area during the egg-laying season. Therefore, the temilar’s mouth should be directed to the upstream so that it would not catch fish that will lay eggs. A compromise for a deal was made; there should not put any trawl at the left part from the upstream area of Leboyan River.

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Community's rubber plantations situated on the forest border rely on surrounding ecosystem to provide land fertility.

Right during the dry season, fish is trapped in the depths. Some fish could even survive in the mud.

Semangit has many such water-catch ponds. Such annual windfall is for the insiders only, the villagers.

Visitors may fish but they must consume the capturedfishes in the village, thus, they should not take ones away.

Jackson Sigi

These rich rivers and lakes are also inhabited by senyulong crocodiles (Tomistoma schlegelii). There’s no story about the crocodiles attack men. Their main food is fish. Therefore, as long as their preys are sufficient, there are no reasons to attack human beings.

Working together in the fields to make holes to plant seeds, the Dayak people manage land and make their best of surrounding ecosystem resources (right).

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Saliah The blackened wood and grasses that dominate the northern area of Semangit hamlet that burned in 1996 due to prolonged drought (left).

Sukri Releasing of carbon as the results of the community activity when they open land for plantation within boundary of the Sentarum Lake National Park (right).

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Photovoices Documentation

Masriana Dayun

Marlina

A Plant of legumes family (Vigna sp) presenting a beautiful flower (above).

A Plant with many benefits. Alao, in local language, gives a blessing from leaf to leaf-stems (left).

Pekawai (Durio kutejensis) has beautiful flowers and delicious fruits.

Mariatun

Photovoices Documentation

Providing environmental contributions, Putat tree (Barringtonia sp.) provides sources of feed for life. These trees grow alongside the river.

Bunga lelemas (Alpinia mutica) is a plant belonging to the ginger family with fruits that can be used as baits.

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Suryadi White oyster mushrooms (Pleuratus astreatus) provide additional nutrition for rural communities (above).

Suryadi Growing on the ground in a rain forest, mushrooms become decomposer in the balanced ecosystem (right).

Oktavius The corpse flower or titimborok, has long been known by the people.

Growing in damp spot under trees, this plant also grows easily near residences (left).

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Suryadi

Anastasia Bulau

Suryadi

Known locally as a bunga bengkal (Nauclea subdita) family of Rubiaceae, this good smelling flower grows on the Labian River.

Known locally as a fruit mushroom, these plants grow during in fruit season. People cook the plant as vegetables. They roast it in a bamboo tube.

Bunga campaka (Gardenia sf. tubifera) is a white beautiful flower with a good scent that grows on the Labian River. The local people often use this flower as medicine for abscesses.

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Suryadi

Suryadi

Bambu orchids (Dendrobium moqueteanum) are easily found in residential area.

Pangkar flower, of trumpet flower family Apocynaceae, is easily found in every house yard.

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Suryadi

Suryadi

Some leaves becomes the source of medication for skin disease, ketepeng cina (Cassia alata) is an example of the contribution of rainforest environment.

Sticking atop the height of trees, the orchids captivate. This plant becomes one of a kind hunted by collectors and traders of species.

Sodik Asmoro

Suryadi

Flowering throughout the year, the Dipodium pictum orchid presents 10-16 bud of flowers.

A plant belonging to the genus of Aglaonema has the potency to be developed as an ornamental plant.

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Rahmat From Menyukung Lake, lines of hills are seen: Pangelang and Malingkung Hills (at the left part), and Selasih dan Marang Hills, These hills are located in two subdistricts, Jongkong (southern part) and Selimbau (northern part).

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Yosep Kalabet

Suryadi

Disguising itself on a tree trunk, tree frogs (Theloderma horridum) are easily found around kampong.

Scientifically named Pseudogufo subasper, this raung frog often accused reducing capture of fishermen.

Suryadi Sodik Asmoro Tuman fish belonging to Pak Sa'at is a commodity which drives village economy.

Another kind of reptile family which is easily found in river area is turtle (Coura amboinensis). This animal has the conservation status of near threatened (IUCN) and Appendix II (CITES).

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"Community living on the edge of the rainforest has used to live with wildlife, like snakes and scorpions" Suryadi Sheltering behind bushes and grass, an even rarely found sepit urat snake is encountered. It signs changes in ecosystem (right) During the egg-laying season, a sagu snake meets Suryadi when he is working in the field. The snake attacks him (left page) Having pretty deadly venom, this Tropidolaemus wagleri snake has a variety of local names (below left)

Oktavius Commonly found in open areas and on the side of river, scorpions live side by side with inhabitants (below right)

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Sodik Asmoro This kind of snake that spreads throughout Kalimantan scientifically named Psammodynastes pictus crocardus javanicus. This snake is included in conservation status of CITES Appendix II.

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Suryadi While working in field, inhabitants often encounter this kind of snakes. Since used to it, they do not kill the snake (right)

"When the wildlife are fullfilled the needs of their natural feed, there is no story they attack human beings.

A balanced ecosystem will sustain surrounding life"

A.M. Roni Mulyadi Easily found in peat swamp forest area, ular belang (Bungarus fasciatus) and ular hitam (Naja sumatrane) can give fatal consequences whenever they bite (above)

Sodik Asmoro Ular api air (Acrocardus javanicus) is widely sold in Sarawak, Malaysia. Once this snake lays eggs, it produces some 40-50 eggs (right)

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Damianus Pendi Becoming one of the fishing bait when fishermen catch fish in the Labian river, buntak kali is a favorite to fishes like tengadak and tapah (above)

Oktavius A unique Kangkuis (Pyrops candelaria).

This insect is nowadays very rarely found around Labian River (above right).

Suryadi Locally known as kutu kedebuk, this lice disturbs the growth of fish, in some cases even lead fish to death. Suryadi photographs the lice taken from between the fins of his fish (left page).

Suryadi Putat flowers are favorable to bees (Apis dorsata) to produce honey that gives a number of benefits (left).

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Hamzah Bekantan (proboscis monkey), a unique primate that is only found in Kalimantan, lives on the edge of forest, in the swampy area, around mangrove and peat-land.

Nowadays, its population is drastically decreasing.

Riyong Kancil is increasingly difficult to get. This is an example of a change in ecosystem (below right).

Suryadi An eagle that has been raised from its early days

by H.Ran is accustomed to human behaviors.

Aloysius This nocturnal animal is often accused of preying inhabitants' fowls. An eventually trapped owl now becomes a pet (far left).

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Change is the only Constant

Mariatun A fog that permeates in the panorama of the river when the dry season comes, Semangit Kampong presents the panorama of nature and the hospitality of culture of the forest edge community (left).

During the four-hour journey from Putussibau to Ukit-ukit Hamlet, which should take only half of the time if the roads were not damaged, there stood a number of betang (traditional Dayak longhouses) made of brick- stone, and are not made of wood anylonger. Illegal logging has been seen as a destructive activity to culture instead of being regarded as an economic improvement, a little track of illegal logging activities that were rampant during 2002-2004. It was too little what was gained by community compared to the environment and the social impacts and the culture that were sacrificed.

Getting deeper in the hinterland, more changes were seen in Ngaung Keruh Hamlet, Batang Lupar Sub-District. Are we ready to face this reality? Martha Sambong (46) is now the only one in the betang clusters who could weave. She learned the skill, which used to be the requirement of teen girls prior to their wedding, at the age of above 40. In the past the Dayak Iban only wore the clothes they wove by themselves or outfit made from processed tree barks. Cheap

clothes and garments widely found in the easy-to-reach market, seems to fade the traditional values in making their own clothes.

Their colleagues, the Dayak Iban women in Kelawik Hamlet, two hours away by boat from Ngaung Keruh to the upstream area of Labian-Leboyan River, where the market is more difficult to reach, still weave.

“Here, now, weaving depends on the interest and talent,” said Martha, who started to practice weaving in a group in 2002, and then made woven cloths (tenun ikat) by herself—tying up certain parts of the threads and dyed them with a certain color before weaving it using gedogan (traditional weaving tool). She bought rolls of threads in Sintang, or Putussibau, 700 km east of Pontianak, instead of spinning the thread from cotton taken from trees the Dayak Iban grew by themselves in the past.

There are four main colors—red, black, yellow, white. Martha still relies on natural coloring which lasts long, making best of the surrounding nature. They do not fade like chemical coloring that adds the cost. The

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red is from leaves of mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia) or the salam (a kind of bayleaf) tree bark. The black is from rengat leaves or mud. The yellow is from kunyit (turmeric, Curcuma longa) and temulawak (Curcuma xanthorhiza).

If she weaves all day long—she can not rely on the electricity from generator set—and is not disturbed by her work in the field, in a month Martha can produce four pieces of cloths measuring 60 x 150cm. Weaving is fast, it takes a week to make a piece of cloth. Spinning takes much longer time, up to two months because she still has to do the routine daily work. It takes an hour to make the flower motifs. In the morning, before going to the field, and in the afternoon after working in the field, she could finish a sikilan (a span of the hand). She gets up at 05:00-06:00 am, cooking, going to the field, at 03:00 pm she returns home. It takes about 30-60 minutes walking on foot to go to the field or return home.

Martha Sambong has found a fixed market.

She receives orders of long jackets for office uniforms from Putussibau. She adjusts the motifs in accordance with the market taste and demand. For example, there is a motif of a cross in her weaving.

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ONLY THOSE WHO COULD MAKE PEACE WITH CHANGES can survive. Yosep Unjak is fully aware of this. In his house yard, there were remains of the glorious old days, the double gears of an ex-Malaysia car without any police number plate. The former timber boss of Dayak Tamambaloh from Ukit-ukit Hamlet could be approached to stop the illegal logging. There were less illegal logging activities. What's next? How could they make money to replace the lost income besides working in the field? What should they do to prevent physical fights due to the conflicts of interests between groups of people?

“I ask the people to have a discussion every Monday. Eventually we want to make a group of 10 people at the most. It is easier to say than to do. Reaching the same idea, how and what to do. I was once called tukang ngampur (a boaster). Finally I managed to establish Belekam, Look at Us, in Dayak Tamambaloh language. It means we want the outsiders to see our weakness (and lend a hand).”

group consists of 23 households from a betang. The group in Bakul Hamlet has 75 families, the one in Ukit-ukit Hamlet has three groups. In the middle of their activities, some groups gave up because they felt there was no yield. But the activities of the Pondok Kompos (Composting House) and the provision of 500 seedlings per group worked. In 2006 a cooperative to accommodate the rubber was established. WWF-Indonesia managed to find a donor from Germany. There was Rp 50 million rolling fund which should be returned in two years, which was later extended to three years upon request. But the latex sapping business was hampered by the decline of the price, which did not recover for quite a long time. The 23-member cooperative later also relied their income on the business of supplying fuel oil.

Suryadi

In 2005, they chose to open rubber plantations, an activity they used to do from generation to generation. There were 11 groups of rubber farmers from three villages. One

Mandi air selamat, is a ritual that should be undergone by Sadi and Salmah after conducting the main event in a traditional wedding ceremony in Tempurau Hamlet (right)

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ONE AFTERNOON IN Yosep Unjak's house, Ayu, Nia, Rose were busy watching the karaoke featuring Koes Ploes, and a sexy female singer accompanied with a Western man as a model, which was played repeatedly for days. The boys were playing gasing (tops) in the yard. In the kitchen, helped by his eldest son, Lorries, Yosep Unjak was not reluctant to cook pakis (edible fern) vegetables and made chili paste.

Runggah Presenting an offering consisting of sticky rice, tumpi, eggs, rendae, a small knife, cigarettes and matches, the Dayak Iban celebrates the gawai harvest festival.

The kitchen of Leo Pameang in Bakul Village has stoves with technology of three different generations. A stove with firewood, a kerosene stove to make cookies and a gas stove with 14 kg gas tube from Malaysia—which is closer and the product is cheaper than the Indonesian.

OTHER THAN THE PAMOLE BEO BIG CEREMONY between at the end of May and early in June, traditional ceremonies are held at a family scale throughout the year.

From Ukit-ukit Hamlet, we rode on a motorcycle, tracing the track of illegal logging which resulted in many logs, which now functioned as materials to harden the path which was soft and even muddy because it was not red soil—were inundated in pud-

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dles, at the left and right of the road, in the shade of resam trees, which produce the basic material to make bracelets, with grow near the thick jambu epa trees, a kind of coffee trees with sweet fruits with rough fibers, the favorites of boars and monkeys, which would come in the afternoon. We arrived at Kapar Tekalong, the downstream area of Labian-Leboyan River to watch the Sigi Lingang/Manggilingan rituals performed by bride Rosa and groom Toni from Nanga Ngaung to clarify the family histories of the two parties. It is basically to protect the health and wellbeing of the descents, preventing the children from being born handicapped due to the too close blood tie or the same blood line.

After having meals that consisted of ransom (thorny fish, in Tamambaloh language)/ roasted bawung (Iban language), sumanan pulut (roasted sticky rice in bamboo tube), vegetables, the guests were served with sweet drink (syrup), baram (water from fermented rice) and tuak enau (traditional liquor made from palm sugar). They later watched the Manyauti ceremony, in which a live chicken was waved around the bride and groom and their parents to prevent any

Yohanes Tube A series of processions must be undergone by both the bride and groom on their wedding ceremony.

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nightmare and evil spirits, which were expected to fly away with the fluttering chicken wings. It was followed by Mono Bawe Panggilingong, a pig was killed in a hope to settle any conflict. Palm leaves smeared with pig blood was swept on all of the guests so that everything bad would be gone, carried by the pig.

After the family histories were clarified, Toni and Rosa performed the Sijaratan ritual, they were tied up tali tanang, a string of beads. A symbol of a better, perfect life, inseparable except by death. This ceremony should not be held after 12:00 am—it is held between 08:00 and 11:00 am, so that everything is like the sunrise, not the sunset.

Mariatun In Semangit area, people conduct a procession in a wedding ceremony. They try to preserve tradition from their ancestors.

In Melemba Village, we were lucky as we could watch Bedara, a thanksgiving ceremony of the Dayak Iban for buying a new thing (a 15 HP boat engine). Each guest threw away tuak (traditional liquor) on the crack of the wooden floor of the stilt house. Betel leaves, areca nut, gambier, tobacco, lime, pulut/lemang (sticky glutinous rice roasted in bamboo tubes), rendai (pop rice) tompe (roasted sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves), and boiled and raw chicken eggs, were put together, served for the newly bought engine. It was not until three days later that the people were allowed to use the engine. A combination of a modern tool and a tradition.

Leo Pameang Peterson For the Catholic congregation, a holy matrimony is an inseparable relationship between human beings and God. This is one of the rituals.

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A mix of Dayak Iban and Tamambaloh tribe tradition in a wedding-ceremony held in Nanga Kantuk. An acculturation in modern era (right).

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Oktavius Performing traditional beats and dances, children get involved in the Sisialo ceremony held in the large gawai events.

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"Will culture become increasingly marginalized?

The dimmed tradition attacks the community that acts his life in harmony with the nature"

Diyonisius Ishak and his wife undergo a traditional ceremony (sijaratan) of Dayak Tamambaloh in Ukit-ukit.

People still preserve the tradition that implies meaning to have an ever-lasting marriage.

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Jackson Sigi

Angela Yasinta Jaba

Traditionally medicating, a healer in the Dayak community provides knowledge inherited from generation to generation.

Creating tools from the ecosystem resources, the Dayak people live in harmony with the nature.

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Emmanuel Eko Predicting the life and health, the pig's liver tells to people to whom Gawa' Sanuari or Bedara' are made.

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Jackson Sigi Sharing allotments of ravin, dogs in Kelawik devour it greedily.

Community use their dogs' intelligence and sense of smell acuity (left).

Elias The “Sabung Patana” Traditional Cock Fight of the Dayak Tamambaloh Tribe. Held whenever two community members have a problem that cannot be resolved, the traditional “Sabung Patana” (ceremonial cock fight) is held to end the dispute (right)

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"Adhering to traditional farming patterns, dayak communities on the edge of rainforest perform the harmony of nature"

Susiana Chatting and joking, women work on the paddy seedbed in the field. “So that we won't feel tired,� said Lilis Suryani smiling.

Erma Planting seedlings in the peat paddy field, Semalah residents own production land at the foot of of Melingkung Hill.

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Agustinus Husin Meringga mulung, a tradition held by the community of the long house in their leisure time.

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Dalmasius People prepare an offering consisting of various items to be presented for God the Almighty in Pamole’ Beo

Sodik Asmoro The procession in bedara' ladang, all offerings are put in a fenced spot.

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"Coexisting with nature has been done by dayak community since the time of their ancestors"

Rizal Nasution People interpret the river as part of their lives. The raft Langkao Empangao is carried away.

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Moses Langgong Looking for leaves in the forest as part of an offering, a Tamambaloh woman wears a complete traditional costume.

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Didi Aswandi Delivering a bamboo fish trap ordered by his customer, the Leboyan fisherman relies on the nature for his daily life (above).

Yosep Kalabet A traditional life pattern that is in harmony with the nature gives Grandma Lonty, around 85 years old. She is able to cross the Labian River to set a fish-trap (left).

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Indra Some kind of fishes caught by Leboyan community namely, toman, kelabau, biawan, palau, and bait fish. Inhabitants usually catch them by traditional fishing tools (above).

Erma The catch is preserved with salt before they are sold to a local broker (right).

Manuel Sudok No longer simple to catch along creeks in Ganti area, toalang fish are even scarce fulfilling fish trap. This is the impact of excessive-fishing (left).

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Saliah To make both ends meet, some women around the lake are making fish-crisps, salted fish and related products and market them even outside Lanjak using motorized boats.

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Donatus Langit

Ade Suparman

Various traditional fishing tools to catch fish are used by people to utilize the river resource.

Making oars from tembesuk wood, Fendi does it in his spare time.

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"The procession of younger generation also follows the tradition of ancestors. Will the community culture dim?"

A.M. Roni Mulyadi Making ijab (fish trap), M. Wasir uses antu rattan that grows on the side of Leboyan River.

Joni Adi Completing the traditional fishing tool, M. Wasir prepares a seven-meter fish trap.

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Diki Zulkanain

Mariatun Putting Abdal's legs into the water, Grandma Long Leli, a kampong midwife performs the buang pantang ritual for the child. This ceremony has a meaning that the boy is now allowed to travel through the river and the father may return to work. Abdal is also smeared with the soot from lukai wood to protect him from bad luck.

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Benedictus Jampung In Ganti, people use water from Labian River for their daily needs (left).

Elias Everyone returning from a cemetery is welcomed by residents with the sisaukan ceremony where they are sprayed with water, which is meant to purify them so that they are not followed by any spirits from the grave.

E Haryanto In certain times, people especially women living by the lake, cut tree twigs over the area passed by boats for firewood.

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Marlina Cik Minah, after working together in Pak Jintan's rubber plantation in Nanga Dua, washes herself in the river. This is just a daily habit of villagers living alongside the lake (right page)

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Emmanuel Eko Repairing a kettledrum for Gawa' Sanuari celebration, Rimau holds an ancestorsinherited musical instrument.

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Yosef Kalabet Tapping the inflorescences of palm trees, villagers process the sap into alcoholic drink and palm sugar.

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Riyong

Benedictus Jampung

A biku (wife of a village head) is preserving tradition of the ancestors in Kelawik by completing woven fabric.

Inhabitants are enjoying a betel palm trunk climbing competition, a tradition originated from outside community. Various prizes are available.

Julianty Electronic products usually embedded with urban community are side by side along being preserved traditional culture.

Jackson Sigi Pointing at tattoos on his throat, Grandpa Sabar is showing pictures depicting a constant wanderer.

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Theonila Photovoices Documentation

To build togetherness, elementary school children along DAS (watershed of) Labian practice through verbal communication.

Playing a traditional game “Mimi�, elementary school children in Tempurau try to preserve their ancestors' tradition.

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"In some corners, basic education has been available. To continue, they must leave home"

Marselina Lin Junior high school students in Batang Lupar immortalize memories for the future.

Lissa Oktavia Studying together to discuss exercises, the students are eager to absorb the basic education. They are the foundation of future.

Petrus Elementary school students practice together for better education. Any change should not erode tradition (left page).

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A.M. Roni Mulyadi The majority of Semangit's people are Islam. Fitri, a fourth grader student is learning to read Koran – Qur'an in her spare time (far left).

A.M. Roni Mulyadi Children learn to read Koran – Qur'an after schools. Religious education builds the moral of the younger generation (middle).

Jecky Built on top of the hill, the Santa Maria Church in Lanjak is still waiting for the completion of its construction due to limited fund.

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Reading the Nature’s Sign for Ecotourism “We want to develop ecotourism,” said Dayak and Malay public figures and villagers along the upstream-midstream-downstream areas of Labian-Leboyan River. A statement describing that their daily activities and the protected environment can be “sold” to earn some additional income for the people who make a living by working in the fields and gardens, and hunting and fishing.

The first thing they mentioned was the accommodation facility for the guests, a homestay. The house belonging to couple Yosep Unjak-Cecilia in Ukit-ukit Hamlet, Labian Village, is no longer typical of the local houses. It is a stone house standing on the ground, not betang, stilted longhouse the Dayak Tamambaloh have started to leave. It can accommodate 10 guests with sleeping bags or mattress on the floor. Blankets, mosquito nets and mosquito coil repellers are also provided. Bakul Village wants to develop modest houses for the guests, like those in Entikong II border area.

Clean water is abundant. What's important, there is a squat toilet in the house. You do not need to go out at night to answer the nature call. But actually, following the habit of the people who still wash themselves at the river is a new experience. It is exciting and also thrilling! In Kampong Sungai Pelaik, Meliau Hamlet, Melemba Village, when it gets dark, you can join Juliana Rendong, the wife of Yohanes A Karundeng (44) the village chief and her children who take a bath in a pool with wire nets in a raft house at the side of Labian-Leboyan River, in front of their stilted house. Both children and adults indeed have fun playing with water. How if a sinyulong crocodile's mouth could touch us from the hole of the wire net? It is too much fear.

The villagers themselves have never seen any of them, which have the instinct of avoiding human beings.

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Erma After celebrating Idul Fitri, Selimbau residents enjoy the cheerfulness of a fourday inter-kampong boat race in Terus river, the main pulse in the area.

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As for the food, there is no problem. Just have the local menu. Rice from their own fields. Vegetables like pakis (edible fern) and pumpkin leaves, cassavas/sweet potatoes and bamboo shoot grow wildly around the house and at the side of the forest. In Ukitukit, their daily meals are fried biawan fish, yellow spices (turmeric, asam kandis/a kind of tamarind, manggosteen, shallots), bilis (fresh water small fish), salai (smoked fish), bawung, lais, toman, and dukut, rather hot fermented crushed fish. Sometimes they are processed into fish cakes (empekempek). All of the fish are can be caught in the ponds. In Melemba Village, they are sold in iced containers, you can see the whole biggest fresh water fish, not those which have been cut into pieces and put in pans. Their kitchens have stoves with different technology. There are gas stoves from neighboring country Malaysia, kerosene stoves and stoves with firewood which, according to tradition, should not be abandoned so that there is always enough food in the kitchen.

Following their cutting activities, the beginning of the planting season in the field, we found full of surprises. Walking through piles of the cuttings of bushes was not easy.

There were many sharp ferns. Suddenly Marieta, who hid her hands behind her back “attacked” our faces with her hands which 92

had been smeared with soot of the burn bushes! No one should be angry, we could return it. This was a chance to get a break after working hard during the hot day.

Working together, it would take several days to finish the job. If you do it yourself, it would take you a month to clear a half hectare of land.

When we sat to sooth our tiredness, I realized that there were many tantiut (nepenthes) on the ground and among the bushes! “In the past, parents always brought home tantiut from the field. It was fun, taking the tantiut when you took a bath in the river and put water in it. In the forest, there are many kinds of tantiut. Some are big and long, some are small and grow on the ground,” recalled Hilaria (30) who took us to the field. In 2005 she had the initiative of opening the Handicraft Business Sub-unit of the Belekam Center for the Learning of Integrated Agriculture. “We used to find snacks by picking up fruits in the yard, at the road side and in the forest, unlike our children who now have snacks in packages,” she said while picking fruits, showing how to enjoy janger, jambu epa, karamunting, small fruits which are the favorites of birds, which are sweet and sour, the ripe ones are blackish red. There were still pisang batu (a kind of banana which have many seeds in its

flesh), or tapas, a kind of gingers that had fruits with flesh that looked like kiwi taken from the calyx, it tasted sweet sour.

“Kampong Kelawik, Semalah, Semangit are not known by tourists, who only know Meliau,” the villagers said. It turns out that what they mean by tourists are “experts who want to research on crocodiles, orangutan and arowana fish.” The Meliau residents themselves do not consider guests with scientific reasons as real tourists. So, they are trying to find out what the tourists want and read the signs of the nature to make tourist packages.

“The plan is to grow typical fruits on Peninjau Hill. So far, at the peak of the fruit season in December-January, there were five orangutan and their children who would eat fruits greedily. So, if there is a fruit garden, orangutan will not stay far away.

Trekking towards the waterfall while observing various types of orchids and nepenthes, looking for orangutan when the fruit season comes,” said Tamin from Maliau. Come to the pond during the dry season. Sinyulong mud-covered crocodiles sometimes lay down motionless for such a long time there. They are really land crocodiles!

Tempurau-Semalah-Semangit is known as periau, honey harvesters whose working method can be offered as a tourist attraction. Paddies with flowers invite the bees.

Paddies with the fruits are better because they stimulate pollination. If there are empangau (rice pests), just burn bee wax to call bees, the natural enemy of the pests.

In addition to their aspiration to develop microhydro power generator from its many water sources—rivers, water fall—Kelawik Hamlet is designing a trekking package for tourists to Wong Kuwap one hour and a half trip, it is not too high and there is a 10x10m pond. Wong Ntaguk is two-hour away. The Pana forest area in Wong Belawing, an hour away, is protected for orangutan habitat.

Among the Dayak Iban, there is a local wisdom not to hunt and eat orangutan.

Kelawik Hamlet, which is located at the upstream area and is relatively difficult to reach, hopes that the plan to construct a ring road, which they have requested in the past four years, will start soon. This will open the marketing for the handicrafts of beads, plaiting, weaving, songket (embroidery with bits of gold or silver thread) and mandau (traditional sword) which so far only become private consumption of the locals.

People even have started to make bracelets

from resam (the hard inner part of fern plants) for the supply when the tourists come.

Transportation remains one of the main problems for ecotourism development along Labian-Leboyan River. The challenge has begun from the 700 km distance from Pontianak to the nearest town, Putussibau, the capital of Kapuas Hulu District. It is only served by IAT (Indonesia Air Transport) with an ATR-42 aircraft, a propeller jet for 50 passengers, three times a week with the fare more expensive than JakartaPontianak route. If you do not want to fly, be prepared for a 15-hour journey in a bus or a taxi traveling on bumpy roads for an expensive fare. Fuel prices which cost more than the Pertamina gas station's have led to the unreasonable rental fees of cars, motorcycle taxis and boats.

The journey to the Heart of Borneo along Labian-Leboyan River has no competitiveness at all. But upon arrival here, you will find that the difficult journey and the expensive cost are parallel to all of the things you can experience and enjoy. Indeed, it is not that easy to reach the paradise.

Mohamad Mardano Rowing boats from every corner of the sea, people crowd the Terus Riverside in Selimbau Sub-District. They are eager to watch the boat race.

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"The life of labian-leboyan community is inseparable from the river ecosystem, veins that flow natural blessings"

Maspuri Mustafa, a father of one child, has depended on his life on resources from river ecosystem.

Sodik Asmoro Catching the river resource, mainly fish, becomes the main part in the life of lake community. The ecotourism development is in harmony with the values of tradition (right).

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Photovoices Documentation Harvesting baung fish from water-cages, Wasir and other residents rely their economy on fresh- water fishery sector.

Rodiah Drying the catch under the sun, a resident of the side of Sentarum Lake uses salt for fish-preservation. This technique has been done from generation to generation (left page).

A.M. Roni Mulyadi Batang Leboyan River gives blessings to Hayati through temilar, a traditional fish-trap (right page).

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Aprilyanti Hamdan, a Leboyan villager, shows a 5.7-kilogram belida fish, thanks to temilar (a traditional fishing tool) set in the upstream part of the river in Leboyan Village.

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Donatus Langit People in Semangit Hamlet Selimbau Sub-District make a living from fish and honey.

They depend on the sustainability of the river and tropical rainforest ecosystem.

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M. Jintan Community of Nibang Village, Selimbau Sub-District, cultivate food crops along the side of river.

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Tamin Communities living on the edge of the Kalimantan rain forest depend on dry farming system. They use traditional management.

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Maria Splitting paung (paddy seedbeds) to be planted and when the harvest time arrives, farmers prepare to keep the crops and to sell them for life.

These agricultural products can support the ecotourism development (left).

Susiana A Meliau farmer is preserving traditional way, utilizing index finger to put in rice seedlings into the cultivated land.

As a result, their index fingers often suffer from scars (right).

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"Traditional agriculture accommodates practices from generation to generation with the philosophy of in harmony with surrounding nature"

Wilson Umar The Iban community in Ngaung Keruh are farming utilizing old patterns inherited from previous generations.

They depend on ecosystem of tropical rainforest that supports land-fertility.

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"Nature provides meanings and symbols that should be solved to understand. Guests' visits must also be in harmony with natural values"

Suprianus Areca palm trees are one of important plants to the life of Dayak communities. Ways of taking and utilizing the areca palm trees are some other potencies of the rural ecosystem development (left).

A.M. Ronny Mulyadi Creating reflections in the Menyukung River, typical vegetations, like putat, kamsia, timba tawang, and embasung grow well at the side of the ecosystem. People use Menyukung River for transportation, which offers a shortcut during the high tide (right).

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Anastasia Bulau Human beings produce cultures that adapt themselves with surrounding ecosystem. These traditional tools become the main farming equipment for villagers.

Suryadi Cutting down an engkupak tree, a resident uses its trunk for household firewood. The sustainable use should be the spirit of inhabitants. (left)

Susiana The community ability manages the surrounding ecosystem products always maintain the sustainable nature capacity.

The indigenous knowledge and wisdom have been existing since the time of their ancestors. (right)

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P. Jagau People are looking for wood as temilar raw materials in Lukuk Lake in the area that they term as tunu wood (firewood).

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Marlina Drying due to prolonged drought, some parts of the Peraras Lake in Tempurau Hamlet bring another challenge: walking along the dry spot. There is no water to cross.

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Suryadi

Rostini

Rowing his boat along Semalah River, a resident of Tempurau Hamlet will check temilar in the headwaters. It is an interesting experience to be shared.

Pulling the boat, Semalah residents get ready to plant the seeds of the tree of life, tembesu, in an area that has been engulfed fire in the years of 1987 and 1997.

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Saparudin

Maria

Grandma Telun like other Semalah Jaya residents utilizes the drain of Leboyan River for various needs. The daily life of community presents a different view.

Leboyan River drains water that is needed by Inai Simah for the activities of public bath, wash place and toilet, to children the river becomes a fun place to play.

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Mariatun Observing baby kingfishers, some new inhabitants of the river ecosystem. This is a challenge for the development of the hidden ecotourism potency in the village.

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Anastasia Bulau The fruit of durian and nyekak become dessert for visitors when they visit kampongs in Labian and Leboyan.

M. Jintan Making some handicrafts, villagers have had a concept of souvenirs in the development of rural ecotourism.

Maspuri A village fisherman is selling his catch to a broker. This local resource can be an offered segment in the rural ecotourism concept.

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Donatus Langit The belah pinang ritual in the Iban wedding ceremony gives unique nuances. This tradition which is inherited from the ancestors can attract foreign tourists (above).

Robertus Tutong People in Ngaung Keruh welcome visitors from another kampong with the biao baluh-aluh ceremony before they enter the longhouse.

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"Culture becomes the identity power of a community. Labian and leboyan people make efforts to preserve the tradition that can be possibly eroded by time"

Elias Sipping beram drink from a container made from buffalo’s horn or bamboo tubes, visitors follow a series of welcoming ceremony accompanied by the sound of percussion.

Paulina Maria Herani Dayak Tamambaloh traditional wedding ceremony can become a unique attraction to draw tourists.

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F. Ronggai Tattooing body becomes a tradition.

But the choice of styles does not reflect the tradition. Will the tradition be eroded by time?

Sodik Asmoro Amids performing the tradition of buang pantang, the Meliau residents take half of the contents of Tempurau resident's fish trap in Pangelang River for their food. They always ask a permission to do so (right page)

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Hamzah Rowing along Menyukung River, Hamisah and her son, Ari, are on their way home from lifting up her temilar.

Aprilyanti The younger generation, Akhmad Dipa, in his early age, has been in touch with the traditional values around him, like the fine nets to catch fish along the river streams.

Yosep Uset Limitless recreation, children are familiar with the Labian River after school-time. Clean water attracts anyone. (left)

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Tessa Septiana The river ecosystem provides various environmental services awaiting to be developed into water tourism for community

Yosep Kalabet Parents in Labian Village have introduced the field life to young generation since their early age.

A local wisdom-based education becomes the need.

Rodiah A burst light of the sunset decorates the sky of the Leboyan Village. This beautiful natural panorama becomes one of the capitals in the ecotourism concept.

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"The natural panorama and the community’s tradition take turn to present the uniqueness that arouse the guests’ interests to visit"

Diki Zulkarnaen The panorama of Sentarum Lake as seen from a higher place. The desire to visit will be encouraged. (above)

Erma Rowing her boats in Menyukung River, Nurhayati and Rabayah are heading to the lake to enjoy the environmental service provided by the ecosystem

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"Knitting future dreams through dayak community traditional woven fabrics"

Jackson Sigi Dayak people have known the techniques of weaving cloth which is inherited from ancestors. The products of community work can be developed to be souvenirs in the development framework of rural ecotourism concept. The development of local knowledge towards the motifs weaved on the fabrics can give benefits and added values.

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Jackson Sigi Every woven fabric symbolizes a different motif. Every cloth takes a relatively long time to produce. The development and management of the fabric production involving community will support the ecotourism concept.

Riyong Wrapped in traditional clothes, kain kebat, selaya kebat and sungkit, children pose in front of puak kumbu ijak pumpung. These are the products of local community's weave (left).

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Riyong

" Woven fabrics await for a touch to be developed in the ecotourism concept"

Jackson Sigi Besides they need the production management and the marketing concept, woven fabrics need a touch of attractive documentations. The efforts of collecting meanings of symbols and motifs weaved on fabrics will facilitate the community to give complete information to anyone.

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A Tale from the Field: Changing Guns with Cameras Not only does a photograph immortalize an event. It can also settle different opinions, sharpen environmental sensitiveness, dig out self-identity, strengthens development proposals for the improvement of the people's welfare and… many more

“Ma'am, could you guess, what is it?” Oktavius (33) from Ukit-ukit Hamlet, Labian Village, at the upstream area of Labian-Leboyan, showed a postcard-sized photograph. It depicted piles of leaves… the orangutan nest.

“When I climbed (the tree) to take the picture, it still smelled the urine, the nest was still fresh.” He quickly added, as if he could read the mind of the person he was talking to, “I no longer hunted orangutan. The last time it was in 2006, I got one of 100 kg.”

Amidst his activities working in the field and tapping rubber trees, the graduate of SMA PGRI High School in Lanjak and Singkawang often spends several nights in the forest, hunting boars and deer. During the fruit season, he could do it once a week. He would directly slaughter some of his catch for his meals, and sell the rest.

Being a participant of Photovoices program with a camera lent to him, has moved his hunting spirit deeply. “I am a tough character. I like difficult challenges so that I am nicknamed the brave one! When necessary, I would take pictures from above, like when I tapped the sugar palm tree until the nira (sap) dripped, I would climb the tree.”

For the father of three children, shooting with the lens was like shooting his prey with a gun. What's difficult was how to focus, especially on moving objects like snakes, and finger-sized grasshoppers which hopped on rare tree, kangkuis (in Dayak Embaloh/Tamambaloh language), a kind of longan. “It was only after shooting more than 10 times, that I could focus. So, I am more patient now. If I don't focus, I can't get good pictures.”

Regarding orangutan, there is basic change in the attitude of Yosef Uset (36) from Bakul Hamlet, Mensiau Village in the upstream area of Labian-Leboyan. The maker of saguer (traditional liquor) from fermented palm sugar sap mixed with resak bark in 2004 shot a female orangutan which was eating with her baby

Agustinus Husin Diki Zulkarnain (left) 129

nearby. The baby was shot in the arm, and was taken to Putussibau, put in captive and named Jeblai. One day Yosef Uset was arrested when he was hunting orangutan and was brought to Putussibau where he was told about the importance of orangutan conservation. As for Jeblai, it was dying because it did not want to eat due to the infection in its arm. However, a veterinarian managed to save it and the orangutan was sent to the rehabilitation program to be released in the wilderness later.

their pictures, even after I asked for their permission. I ended up being banned from entering the ceremony site,” he said like a journalist who failed to meet the source.

Forest is his paradise. “Here, actually villagers don't need the pictures of any animal. Because we must know and see them if we often enter the forest. But I like taking pictures of any animal. I often had to wait at the top of a tree for a long time until an animal passed by or until they ate the bark fruit. Sometimes I went to the top of the hill. The landscape, the panorama of the upstream area was clearly seen. I took the picture as a proof that I have been there.”

Now, “When I became a participant of the Photovoices program, I always brought the camera to shoot trapped deer and boars, for remembrances.” According to the Dayak Iban man, after learning the photography theory and practice in Lanjak for three days and in the neighboring hamlet of Kelawik, he still could not produce good pictures—they were out of focus or unproportionally cut off. “But I remained enthusiast. We must be able to do it because we had long time, six months. I took pictures with Kodak—a film camera. Even though it is more difficult, digital camera helps us more because we can see the result right away. If it is not good, we can try again.”

When he goes hunting, Yosef Uset who has practiced since he was 17 and has regularly done it from the age of 20 for his own need, brings along a dog, sets a trap, and once a week he would check it. The size of the nylon thread knot of the trap was adjusted with the animal he wanted to get—mousedeer (kancil), now a rare species, as big as an adult male cat, or bawi (boar, in Dayak Embaloh/Tamambaloh languange), piang (deer), kidang (antelopes), which are also killed using a spear.

Cameras develop his interest and attention towards the daily life and the surrounding environment. “I took pictures of things like children who jumped into the river upon returning from school and Gawai (harvest ceremony). But when the Dayak Iban at the upstream area of Kelawik held a ceremony, they didn't want me to take

People used to shot tree animals like bekantan (longnose, proboscis monkey) and orangutan.

Now, “when there is an orangutan on a tree, upon seeing us, it will run for fear of being caught. Actually I just wanted to take their pictures. But finally, I managed to take their pictures.”

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The Photovoices activities opened their horizon. They kept shooting, but with different tool, a camera instead of a gun.

IN SEVERAL HAMLETS, at the beginning it was not certain if the public figures and villages could conduct the Photovoices activities because of several reasons. Leo Pameang (51), tamenggung (high official) of Mensiau Village which comprises of Bakul 1 and Bakul 2 hamlets, for example, was familiar with a simple film camera. He was not sure he could run the program; he thought that the introduction to digital cameras was too sophisticated. It was impossible that the villagers would be able to do it. But Saraswati from Photovoices Indonesia managed to ensure him that digital cameras would not make them awkward. This was supported by the demonstration by a facilitator, Arif. It was impossible that the villagers would not be able to do it.

Upon the guidance of Syahirsyah and Sugeng during the field practice, the stage where people could not focus was passed. “Finally I realize the importance of photography. So that the culture would not just 'disappear'. It is a reminder of an event's date, details of a ceremony passed from generation to generation.

The language of pictures is easier. So, I took pictures of the daily life in the field, hunting activities, traditional ceremonies, religious activities, education activities and the surrounding environment.”

But what impressed him the most was taking pictures of art and cultural activities. “While leading a ceremony, I stealthily took pictures.

During the training, we were told not to take pictures of the objects which posed. It must be taken stealthily, candid. For example, in a wedding of a Dayak Kantuk and a Dayak Tamambaloh couple in Nanga Kantuk, July 2008. I took pictures using the angle of a person next to me who was taking pictures with his cellphone.“ During six months, the target of taking 50 pictures was reached. “Facilitators Saras, Umi, Upay, Stefanus stayed for 4 days per month to transfer photos and discuss (any problem). The rechargeable battery, for instance, when it would be used, it was weak even though it had been recharged for half day. Luckily, after the activities were over, there was one camera which was handed over for the need of the documentation in the hamlet.”

The most difficult challenge in the introduction of the Photovoices program came from the resistance of Tamin (40), Head of the People's Welfare Affairs and Head of the School Committee of Meliau Hamlet, Kampong Sungai Pelaik, Melemba Village, Batang Lupar/Lanjak Sub-District, Labian-Leboyan downstream area. “He was really adamant about and doubted this program, recall Syahirsyah from WWF-Indonesia, West Kalimantan Program.

Syahirsyah and the Photovoices team understood the previous bad experiences of Meliau

Photovoices Documentation

residents with NGOs. Patience and the efforts to make him understand melted Tamin's heart.

The tough man, who was in charge of the provision and distribution of rice for the poor program, later became a participant of Photovoices and followed the other participants who had traveled to Malaysia.

When he was met in Putussibau, Tamin was on an official journey with Sodik Asmoro (29), head of the Village Discussion Board. His duty was, among others, accompanying the village chief in spreading information about issues and decisions of the village public figures. Both of them were receiving a regional councilor to discuss about the village development plan.

The elite pair in the village, in their daily life, is like other villagers, fishing, working in the field, hunting and tapping rubber trees.

Being familiar in using film cameras to take pictures of important events, “It is not that easy but, not that difficult, to use a digital camera,” commented Sodik. “I was assigned to

take pictures with fishery theme because I wanted to show the potency of Sentarum Lake.

Therefore I had to take pictures of the lake condition and the daily activities of the people and their method of working. After three months practicing, the results were okay.”

DID WOMEN TEND TO BE QUIET? Not really. It was a bit difficult to dig out stories from Yulianti, a second year student at SMP Batang Lupar Junior High School, who did not talk much. She was one of two students from the school who joined the Photovoices program. “I was asked to take pictures as many as I could in six months, for example, the pictures of old people wearing traditional clothes,” was her only sentence. The girl, who preferred to talk with her works, was the youngest member of the Belekam Ukit-ukit Hamlet Handicraft Group.

Even though two of the seven participants in Bakul 1 and Bakul 2 Hamlets were supposed to be women, no woman in the hamlets joined

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the Photovoices program. But in the neighboring hamlet, Kelawik, which is located in the same village, three of the seven participants were women. Riyong (40) was met in a betang (longhouse) when she returned from the field, which was 30 minutes away on foot. The mother of four children was clad in T-shirt and batik sarong, not Dayak Iban woven ikat, even though she is good at making it. “If there is another opportunity, I want to join it again,” she said firmly.

It seems that she has enjoyed a lot of benefits from the activities. Refreshing intermezzo from her routines—getting up at 05:00-06:00 am, weaving during the day because she could not rely on the power of the generator set (at night), cooking, going to the field and returning home at 03:00 pm.“Taking pictures is not difficult; if there is any problem, just ask. The most important thing is the experience, so that we know the situation in the city,” she talked about the activities that brought him to Putussibau to exhibit her works—her photographs and her woven cloths. The exhibition was also to stimulate her business instinct: she wanted to market her woven clothes so that she would be more enthusiastic in weaving. “At that time I brought three pieces of blankets—woven clothes measuring 1x2 m each— but nobody bought them. I asked for Rp 1 million. Too expensive, said the potential buyers.”

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low compared to the price if they—it took a month on average to make a piece—were put on display in the city's shopping center. But for locals, it was too expensive. So far, one or two pieces were bought by other betang residents, if they were interested. But that rarely happened because every woman here could weave.

Riyong took many pictures about traditional ceremonies, daily life activities and the surrounding environment. Among them was a mousedeer (kancil), the catch of her neighbors, which now became rare—only one got trapped in three months—and snakes. ”I am not afraid,” she said, like Anastasia Bulau, her friend who was working in Malaysia. But her favorite object was the weaving activities. She took pictures of Biku, wife of the Kelawik village chief, who was weaving, and the motifs of the woven cloths.

Here, every woman can weave at least 10 motifs. Unfortunately, she could only explain five of the 10 motifs which she photographed.

“I should ask the elderly first.” Photographs become a mediator to smoothen the intergeneration communications. “I also took pictures on local motifs and handicrafts so that the government would see and give attention.

Especially regarding the marketing,” said the woman who started to learn weaving when she was 15.

IT TURNS OUT THAT TAKING PICTURES made them more sensitive and pay more attention to

the condition of their surroundings and they could clarify things. That was what Susiana (35) from Tempurau, Malay Hamlet in LabianLeboyan downstream area, experienced.

Taking a camera with her to the field gave her a change to take pictures of the pest that attacked seeds from the government. From the report with pictures attached and discussion, the pest could be quickly overcome with the ready-for-use poison they bought.

The mother of four children—the eldest worked in Pontianak—every day works in the field, tapping the rubber trees, catching fish, weaving bemban (mats), rattan containers, tikar kulan (mats made of thorny pandanus leaves), and weaving cloths with colorful threads. Out of many people in the kampong who were interested in joining the Photovoices program, she was lucky enough to be selected.

Cameras were not new to her; once in a while she used her friend's camera. But with the digital camera, in the first two months, she had not been skillful. When she went to the field, she always brought the camera with her. Her favorite photo was Membelah Paung, the local tradition of hanging around in the field, recalling the dating time, joyful atmosphere that melted their tiredness. But she regretted none of the pictures taken when she was rowing a canoe against the current heading to her field in the upstream area came out well.

IF HE DID NOT JOIN the Photovoices program, maybe Suryadi (28) from Tempurau would not realize his great talent: good at taking picture,

patiently and seriously, with nice results. He contributed most pictures that were selected for the Putussibau exhibition, and was selected as one of the participants to represent Photovoices to join the Focus exhibition di Jakarta. In fact, before he joined the program, Suryadi had never used a camera, except the one integrated in his mobile phone, to take pictures. When Jintan, Head of the People's Welfare Affairs in Tempurau asked him to join the program, he responded, “I'll think about it because I have other things to do. The dry season is the fish season. Learning to take pictures is a waste of time, it's better to catch fish to make a lot of money,” he recalled. But the temptation to have a new experience was stronger. So Suryadi took the offer.

When he was met, Suryadi had just spent his honeymoon with Yeyet, whose mother came from Tasikmalaya. They got married in May 2009. With his big family, he spent 3 – 4 nights in a dangau—a half open bamboo stilt house to take a rest, sleep, cook and eat—in the field, an hour by motorized boat towards the direction of the upstream area from Tempurau. It was the cutting season for the new planting season. Yeyet was busy cooking with a stove in such a way so that the fire would not catch the bamboo floor and walls. The family sparked warm aura, modest and happy.

Finding it hard to understand the photography theory in class in Lanjak, Suryadi learned more about the angles to take pictures in Semalah.

The real test was in the field, when he finally

saw many interesting things. He was assigned to take pictures of various fisheries in Tempurau. But in the first 2 – 3 months he was bored taking pictures of fishermen at work. He was later suggested to take any picture he liked. Taking pictures of the flora was more interesting, fauna was more risky. “He has strong will to get good objects,” commented Syahirsyah.

Look how he talked about his pictures. “I had to climb 5 meters, waiting for an hour until the bees were focusing on sucking the putat flower (Baringtonia sp.). I waited for 30 minutes until this turtle (Cuora amboinensis) showed his head. Ha, ha, I disturbed this runtop snake (Tropidolaemus wagleri) with a wooden stick, took a safe distance, and then I took the pictures when it showed its tusk and forked tongue! This one was the most challenging: temunau (brahminy kite, Haliastur indus) in the broad day forced me to wait for an hour and a half until I could focus to take picture of the face when it was looking up. (I was) satisfied!”

He did it not just for fun. “I hope there would be an effective method to remove kutu kedebuk (a kind of pest). The parasites disturb the cultivated fish, make them skinny and hamper their development. Like people suffering from a worm disease,” he stated his mission. A camera left in the hamlet is now in his hand to take pictures for the sake of the villagers. In making proposals for improvement, for example, “In the past, we could only talk. Now we have the evidences!”

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

FIELD VISIT and interview with the people of Sei Labian-Leboyan and Danau Sentarum, 26 June – 4 July 2009 2007. Tourism Working Group, Kapuas Hulu District. Kapuas Hulu: Trip Through Heart of Borneo, Vol. II Kapuas Hulu Mid-Section Area 2009. Information Book of Sentarum Lake National Park 2009. Jimmy Syahirsyah. Kapuas Hulu: Trip Through Heart of Borneo, Vol.III – draft 2009. S. Ayu Sri Saraswati. Summary of Tradition and Culture of Labian-Leboyan River, Kapuas Hulu www.photovoicesinternational.org www.wwf.or.id

EDITORIAL TEAM

www.heartofborneo.or.id

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EDITORIAL BOARD Ann McBride Norton Hermayani Putera Hermas R. Maring Nancy Ariaini S Ayu Sri Saraswati Syahirsyah Umi Kusumawati Wisnu Rusmantoro Elisabeth Wetik

WRITER Christantiowati

CARTOGRAPHER Amri Yahya

EDITOR Bayu Dwi Mardanakusuma

ADMINISTRATION STAFF Yuwanda Fauzi

PHOTO EDITOR Tantyo Bangun Didi Kaspi Kasim

PROOFREADER Titania Febrianti Elisabeth Wetik

TRANSLATOR T Sima Gunawan M.Onny Setiawan