Panglima Burung Dayak (Dayak Bird Commander)

In Dayak society, it believes that there is some kind of exalted, sacred, and knightly creature among them. It was told that he inhabit the mountain inland the thick forest of Borneo, bridging between world and magical realm. Is the Dayak bird commander or called “Pangkalima” by inland dayak people. He is the spiritual leader and war commander of dayak society.

There is many version of story about “who is the highest commander in dayak society ?, or what is dayak bird commander ?”. particularly after the tragedy of Sampit and Sambas. Some people says, he live near the border between western borneo and central borneo since hundreds years ago. While other people says, dayak bird commander is magical creatures who can turn himself into male or female form depends on the situations. Other story said, Dayak bird commander was the dayak fallen chieftain, although he was died but his spirit still communicate through dayak ritual. There also story that said, dayak bird commander is manifestation of a hornbill (hornbill is sacred and holy bird in dayak society).

Be sides the stories above, there is also many peoples claim himself as dayak bird commander from many regions in Borneo, such as Tarakan, Sampit, Pontianak etc.. but all of them have still not authentic proofs to proven themselves as real Dayak bird commander.

But I think there is one version of story appropriate to describe “what or who is the dayak bird commander?”. Dayak bird commander is symbolized the common Dayak people from his attitude, characteristics, and everything about him.

So, how is the appearance of dayak bird commander? And how he could symbolized Dayak people?

Be sides having the supernatural powers and invulnerability, Dayak bird commander is calm, peace-loving person as well as the Dayak people’s characteristics who is friendly and full of patience, even the dayak known as mousy people. And that reality on the field deny all of the stereotype concerning the cruel and savage dayak people. In social life, dayak people known as mousy and humble people, they accept and welcome the foreigner and keep their ancestral religion, tradition, as well as rituals. Even inland dayak people don’t care with money values. Foreigner can easily bartering their goods like coffee, salt, or cigarette.

Like the quietly, patience dayak bird commander occupying the inland borneo forest, dayak people also giving their way to the foreign miner and lumberjack when they enter dayak land. Although the dayak tenaciously keeping their ancestral religion, but they never had any conflict when one or more dayak people change their religion to the religions bring by foreigners.

Although honored as high chieftain, dayak bird commander is not life in palace or other special place. He dwelled deep in the forest or cave and be one with nature. He also very seldom to show himself to public. As well as dayak people who don’t like show off their power. Dayak people never carrying their weapons when enter the city. Their weapon usually used only for hunting and their Mandau (dayak blade) never leaves its sheath.

So, where is the famous ferocious dayak which always be topic in Borneo ?

There is one cause that make the dayak bird commander will leave his realm. He is indeed a very patience person, but when he finally losing his patience he will change from the kind and quiet person to the furious warrior. Its also reflecting the peace-loving dayak people that change into savage warrior when their patience is no longer with them. If this happen The furious bird commander will then gather his army. In western Borneo, this ritual called “Mangkuk-merah” or “red-bowl” in English. This ritual is for gathering all dayak warriors from every corners of Borneo. War dance cheering the night, their Mandau are ready to kill. These once peace-loving people is now become terrifying. Smile on their face is now change with vicious stare and fury expression like being hypnotize. 

They ready to war, to beheading, to carrying their enemy heads. This is what happened in Sampit city several years ago when decapitation happened in every corner of the city.

Although the dayak bird commander is now in fury, but he and his warriors still hold on to their rules. They not spoiled the religious buildings (mosques, churchs, temples.. etc). and they not killing people inside that religious buildings because in dayak society, violence is the last option when they losing their patience or the amicable settlement is not working. In their one’s heart of hearts, Killing and beheading is wrong. But they forced to choose the last option to keep their society survived.

Dayak people always identical with mythical powers, the ferocious stereotype of dayak people still adhering since the tragedy. Because violence that whatever it’s motives and background is still intolerated. real or not the rumors spread, but to me the dayak bird commander is person which can symbolized the dayak people.

Amun ikam kada maulah sual awan ulun, ulun gen kada handak jua bahual lawan pian malah ulun maangkat dingsanak awan pian,

That’s the Borneo people say to describe the attitude and characteristics of dayak people.

Indonesian mythical creatures

Here is some Indonesian mythical creatures, they maybe not as famous as Europeans mythical creatures. Some of the Indonesian mythical creatures is similar or linked with several mythical creatures from neighboring country in southeast asia such as Malaysia and Thailand. In Indonesia, these mythical creatures is often called “Ghosts”.

 

      1.       Kuntilanak

Kuntilanak is one of the famous mythical creatures known within Indonesia folklores and stories. The appearance of kuntilanak is describe as black-long haired female wore white long dress with pale skin. In Indonesia, they known as the baby-hunter and baby-eater. Many stories says, kuntilanaks like to waiting for the pregnant mothers and then hunt for their babies. The sign of the kuntilanak is their creepy laughter.

       2.       Genderuwo

Genderuwo is creature originally from Javanese folklore, this creature describe as tall, smells, with black-hair cover it’s body and face just like bigfoot. Genderuwo can disguise themselves like normal men (but they still smells). In some story, genderuwo loved to disguise themselves as husband to do sex relation with the wife when the real husband is not home. Genderuwo lives in the silent-corner of the forest, ancient building, or in the big trees. According to the legend, this creature origin is from  jati forest (now in danalaya nature conservation) in slogohimo village about 60 km east of wonogiri. And in lemah putih region, purwosari, girimulyo- kulon progo, about 60 km to the west Yogyakarta.

 

      3.       Onggo-inggi

These evil creatures lives in watery area, such as lake or big river. they known as human-eater. Onggo inggi appearance describe as bodiless human head with very long hair, they like to wandering underwater and hunt for people swims in their territory. Onggo-inggi uses their long-hair to pull down swimmer to the depth. Once pulled in, victim will then disappear. Even when the river or lake is ran dry, the body of the victim (as well as the Onggo inggi) is never founded.

4.       Uwel

Uwel is similar to onggo-inggi. the difference is, uwel has no appearance. This creature loved to hunt, not only humans but also animals. When attacking victim, uwel will transformed in to whirlpool and pull the victim to the depth.  The victims hunted by uwel is not disappear, the body will floated on the surface of the river or lake with hole on it’s head because uwel only suck the victim’s brain and blood.

       5.       Gundul pringis

gundul pringis is Javanese word for “grimace-bald head”. It was named according the gundul pringis appearances (a bald-bodyless head with grin face ). Gundul pringis only came out at night, they usually annoys people who travels alone. First, the gundul pringis fall from tree (like coconut or other fruits) near people. When picked up, the gundul pringis will show his creepy-grin face.

      6.       Pocong

Originally, pocong is the word used to call the dead peoples covered with white clothes. (in Indonesia, moslem peoples did’nt  use coffin, but they shroud the dead body with white clothes). Some story says they who died with their incomplete business or promises in this world, will came back and ask for forgiveness to their relations because they did’nt complete it. Or at least they wandering the night until their business (or debt perhaps) is completed.

      7.       Wewe gombel

This creature describe as fat woman with big breasts, long-claws, and creepy face. They also known as the childseeker. In Javanese villages, kids is not allowed to go out alone after dark. They believed the wewe gombel will kidnapped them. With some tradition, Javanese people could bring back the child kidnapped by wewe gombel, but the child will lose their memory and intelligence.

 

      8.       Engklek-Engklek

Is one of the most feared creature in java-land from long time ago. They have slim-tall body with terrifying face. They usually wandering on the graveyard in the nights carrying corpses. Some say, the corpses he carried is the body he stole from the graveyard. Engklek-Engklek have loudly-strange voice “klek… klek… klek…” in the silent night when they appear. Nowadays, this creature is not as popular as other mythical creatures in Javanese folklore.

  

      9.       Tuyul

In Indonesian mythology, especially in java, tuyul is mythical creature that look like boy or dwarf with bald-head and voice like a chick. In many stories, tuyul can work as thief for their (human) master. To avoid being stolen by tuyul, people putting crabs in several corner of their house. Javanese people believe that tuyul loves crab, so they will forget about the mission given by their master.

     10.   Babi ngepet

Babi ngepet can roughly translated as “filthy pig”. Originally, babi ngepet is human being who using the dark ritual to turn himself into form of a pig. Through this, performer of the ritual will be able to steal money by wandering the village in the night and fiddling it’s body near the house he want to steal. Before transformed, the performer must firstly wear the black coat, after then he cast the spell and thus, he transformed. This ritual requires 2 mens, one for the performer (which transformed as pig) and other one for the candle-keeper. If the light of the candle is louring or unstable, it’s mean the performer is being detected and in danger. The candle-keeper must put out the fire of candle, by then the performer will transform back in human form.

  

     11.   Jenglot

Technically, jenglot is small fuman-figure (about 10-17 cm) with dark skin, long claws and rough texture like mummy. Jenglot have creepy face like undead or skull with fangs on it’s mouth and long hair. They can be found in many sites in Indonesia like java, borneo, and bali. People believe that jenglot have magical power and drink human blood. People also believe that jenglot can bring bad omen if (after found and picked up by human) they needs is not fully satisfy. Medically, jenglot is defined as not life beings after been researched by forensic team of Cipto Mangun Kusumo Hospital, Jakarta. Through rontgenogram, the team did’nt found any skeletons. But  from DNA examination which taken from jenglot’s abraded skin it’s found that the DNA is similar to primates or human. But the medical research about jenglot is stopped because the owner of the jenglot not allowed the research team to cutting open the jenglot.

      12.   Balinese Leak (pronounced : le-ak)

In Balinese mythology, leak is dark sorcerer, or evil sorcerer. “Le” is mean sorcerer and “ak” means evil. Leak can only be seen in night by leak-hunter shamans. In daylight, leak looks like common people, but when night come they search for human organs for their magical potions. Those potions used by leak to turn himself/herself in to form of a tiger, monkey, boar, fireball, etc. but the original form of leak is flying bodiless head with organs attached to it’s neck, they have very long tongue and sharp teeth.

Leak also hunt for human being organs if necessary.

It was told that leak wandering in the night looking for pregnant women to drink the blood of the unborn child. Balinese believes that leak is common people practicing the dark magic which require blood and embryo to survive. Some says, that leak rituals can only worked in island of Bali, that’s why leak can be found only in Bali. If someone stabs the leak’s neck from the bottom to the top when the head separated from it’s body, leak will ununifiable with the body. If leak’s head separated with the body too long, the leak will dead.

 

      13.   Sundel Bolong

Sundel bolong known as female ghost with beautiful face, long-black hair, and wore long white gown. But sundel bolong have hole on her back showing her organs and skeleton. Many people had a hunch that sundel bolong and kuntilanak are similar or linked caused by similarity of their appearances (but kuntilanak does’nt have hole on her back). Sundel bolong also known in Malaysia after this folklore’s been told by Indonesian travelers.

 

      14.   Barong

Originally, barong is character in Balinese mythology. He is the king of the wraiths and spirits and symbol of kindness. He also the nemesis of Rangda in Balinese mythology. Barong often describe that he have the lion-like appearance.

      15.   Jatayu

Jatayu is the protagonist character from wiracarita Ramayana, son of Aruna and nephew of the Garuda in hindu mythology. Jatayu is the bird who have seen how Dewi sita been kidnapped by Rahwana. He tried to face him but he lose the fight and flew to report it to the Sri Rama before he died.

      16.    Makara

In hindu mythology, makara is the creature with elephant-headed fish. As it was describe and carved in many hindu shrines in Indonesia, especially in java and bali. Balinese call makara as “gajahmina” which literally means elephant fish. Sometimes, makara is describe as half goat-and half fish just like Capricornus.

 

      17.   Buto Ijo

Buto ijo is giant creature with green skin, gnarly teeth, and sharp fangs. He likes to abduct kids or babies and make them as slaves, toys, or foods. Some says, to prevent the buto ijo arrival, people used yellow bamboos and stringing up like necklace.

There’s many more mythical creatures, I will add soon..thanks for reading and sorry if my English is not too good J

Learn Indonesian language.

Indonesia is the country with many races and natives, every native has it's own tradition and culture as well as language. "Bahasa Indonesia" is the language (formal) for the peoples of Indonesia to communicate with the other peoples in many regions in Indonesia. In Indonesia, Bahasa Indonesia acts like english, the language use for bridge between different tongues in native lands of Indonesia.

Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of Indonesia. It is a standardized register of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries.

Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation in the world. Of its large population, the number of people who speak Indonesian fluently is fast approaching 100%, making Indonesian, and thus Malay, one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

Most Indonesians, aside from speaking the national language, are often fluent in another regional language (examples include Javanese, Sundanese and Madurese) which are commonly used at home and within the local community. Most formal education, as well as nearly all national media and other forms of communication, are conducted in Indonesian. In East Timor, which was an Indonesian province from 1975 to 1999, Indonesian is recognised by the constitution as one of the two working languages (the other being English), alongside the official languages of Tetum and Portuguese.

The Indonesian name for the language is Bahasa Indonesia (literally "the language of Indonesia"). This term is occasionally found in English. Indonesian is sometimes called "Bahasa" by English speakers, though this literally just means "language".

Alphabet

Bahasa Indonesia use latin-font alphabet just like english, but it's have different pronounciation with english. here is the 26 letters used in Bahasa Indonesia :

A

letter 'A', pronounced like letter 'alif' in arabic or letter 'A' in russian letter. it's pronounced like a in word "adzerbaijan"

B

letter 'Be', pronounced like letter 'Б' in russian letter. it's pronounced like 'be' in word "bed"

C

letter 'ce', it's not c like in english, it's pronounced like 'ce' in word "cechnya, or cheese"

D

letter 'de'. it's pronounced like letter 'Д' in russian letter, it's also pronounced like 'de' in word "delete"

E

letter 'e'. it's pronounced same as letter 'Э' in russian letter, pronounced like 'e' in word "bed". but, in several words, 'e' in bahasa indonesia pronounced like 'e' in word "le" in french

F

letter 'ef' it's pronounced like letter 'fa' in arabic or normal ' f ' in english letter. it's pronounced like ' f ' in word "father"

H

letter 'ha' is different with english 'H' . it's pronounced like arabic 'ha'. or 'ha' in word "hard"
I
letter 'i' pronounced like letter 'И' in russian letter, or 'i' in word "it"
J
letter 'je' pronounced like normal 'j' in english letter or 'j' in word "john"
K
letter 'ka' is pronounced like letter 'К' in russian letter, or 'k' in word "kiss"
L
letter 'el' pronounced like letter 'Л' in russian letter, or 'lam' in arabic. or pronounced like 'L' in word "lamp"
M
letter 'em' pronounced like normal english 'm' or 'm' in word "mother"
N
letter 'en' pronounced like normal english 'n'. or 'n' in word "naughty"
O
letter 'o' is same as english 'o'. or like 'o' in word "octopus"
P
letter 'pe' is pronounced like russian 'П' or english 'p'. or pronounced like 'p' in word "potrait"
Q
letter 'kyu' is pronounced like arabic 'qa'. or like 'Q' in word "Qublai"
R
letter 'err' is pronounced strongly like russian letter 'Р'. or like arabic 'ra'. this letter is not pronounced like french or deutch 'r'. this letter pronounced like 'r' in word "Roma"
S
letter 'es' pronounced like normal english 's'. or 's' in word "sausage"
T
letter 'te' is pronounced like russian letter ' Т '. or 't' in word "tester"
U
letter 'u' is pronounced like russian letter 'У' . (not like english 'u'). it's sounds like 'oo' in word "boom"
V
letter 've' is pronounced like ' v ' in word "venezuela"
W
letter 'we' is pronounced like ' w ' in word "will"
X
letter 'eks'. is same as normal 'x' in english. or sounds like 'x' in word "extra"
Y
letter 'ye' is sounds like russian letter 'Е'. or pronounced like 'y' in word "yes"
Z
letter 'zet' is sounds like english 'z'. or 'z' in word "zombie".