An excerpt to the opening speech of JHONATAN YUDITYA PRATAMA of Duta Muda Dayak (Dayak Youth Ambassadors)
Discussing about indigenous peoples and their existence in facing the Covid 19 pandemic is not an easy matter. As we know, this pandemic has had many negative impacts on the whole world without exception for the Dayak Kanayatn Indigenous Peoples in the province of West Kalimantan – Indonesia.
Indigenous peoples are one of the most vulnerable parties to become victims of this pandemic, this is due to a lack of education, media and adequate employment opportunities for their survival. During the Covid 19 pandemic, many of the Dayak Kanayatn Indigenous people lost their job vacancies, especially for those who worked in companies. However, we are lucky as the Dayak Kanayatn indigenous peoples who have inherited extraordinary indigenous knowledge, we are still walking with local wisdom. We are also still farming and exploiting the potential of natural resources that exist in the forest to meet daily clothing and food needs.
In addition, during this pandemic, many indigenous peoples exiled their forests and chose to manage their land to improve the food security of local indigenous peoples. In terms of the economy, it is possible that the adverse effects felt by the Dayak Kanayatn indigenous peoples in Sebangki Village were not so great. However, the pandemic has also caused problems for the mental health of an individual, especially the mental health of the children of customary school students in our indigenous community.
As for the mental disturbance that is felt by the children of the customary school in Sebangki sub-district is the feeling of excessive fear of this pandemic incident so that some of them experience nightmares and spiritual disturbances from the spirits. Some of the customary school volunteers also get messages from ancestral spirits through dreams. The spirit of the ancestor told them to immediately clean up the area where indigenous peoples live (Binua) and clean the traditional building and make offerings to residents and evil spirits who want to disturb the safety of Talino (humans). If this is not done, it will cause bad luck and danger to human life and safety. Because of this, I represent the indigenous community in our area to immediately hold a discussion (Bahaump) together with traditional officials, traditional elders and the Dayak Customary Council to provide solutions to the problems that are being faced by our indigenous community. Thus, based on the results of the discussion, traditional rituals must be carried out as a form of prayer asking for forgiveness and protection from Jubata (God).
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