Central Kalimantan and Palangkaraya

Central Kalimantan is one of the biggest Provinces in Indonesia with area total 153564 km2 or one-third from total Kalimantan Island, or equal to Java and Madura Island. Most of it, is jungle (80%), swamps, rivers and agriculture land. The northern area is mountainous and difficult to reach. The central area is dense and fertile tropical forest, producing valuable commodities such as rattan, resin and the best woods. The southern area is swampy and has many rivers. The boundaries of this province are:North side: West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan Side South: Java Sea and South Kalimantan Westside: West Kalimantan
River has an important role people in Central Kalimantan. There is houseboat, but also have important meaning for people in transportation. Make a move out of one place to other place along the length of river to trade. Transportation facilities are limited much to the rough terrain. Central Kalimantan Province, cover one municipalities and five regencies: Palangkaraya Municipality, West Kotawaringin regency, East Kotawaringin regency, Kapuas regency, South Barito regency, North Barito regency, Administrative Town Kasongan, Administrative Assistant Kalingan, Administrative Assistant Seruyan, Administrative Assistant Gunung Mas, Administrative Assistant Pisau Island, Administrative Assistant Permata Intan, Administrative Assistant Sukamara.Central Kalimantan has a humid and hot climate.
Tribes

The three big Dayak tribes who inhabit this province are Ngaju, Ot Danum, and Ma'anyan Ot Siang. Ngaju, like some other tribes, moves from one region to another. They adhere to the old Kaharingan religion, which is the form of ancestor worship, mixed with animism elements. They have seen progress. Many of them live in the towns, have enjoyed an education and they are intelligent.
The Ot Danum live in longhouses, which sometimes have as many as 50 rooms. The unique longhouse is called Betang. With approximately 6,000 people, the Ot Danum is the largest among the three tribes. They are known for their skill in plaiting rattan, palm leaves, and bamboo. Made by the women, such products are sold in many cities such as Banjarmasin, Kualakapuas, and Sampit. Like other Dayaks, the men are good hunters, using simple tools. The art of Central Kalimantan clearly bears the marks of the Kaharingan religion, which is the traditional belief of the Dayaks in the hinterland of Central Kalimantan. The building styles are the elements of the Hindus, Chinese, and Hindu-Javanese. Aside from their aesthetic properties, such products are appreciated for their magic value.
The Ngaju

The Ngaju, the most known Barito Bayak, managed the creation of the province of Central Kalimantan. They speak different dialects of which the Kahayan has become the local dialect. Most Ngaju practice Kaharingan, or are converted to protestantism; only the Bakumpai Ngaju converted to islam over a century ago.
The branding longhouses of the Dayak are hard to find among the Ngaju. Their place is taken by communal rooms, in which meeting and rytes are held. The Ngaju belong to the best artists of Borneo. This reputation is shown in the ceremonial objects for the dead, like the wooden coffins, tombes, and sailboats and big statues.
The Ma'anyan

The Ma'anyan speak a language which is almost the same with that on Madagascar. There is a lot of speculation that their ancestors crossed the sea to Madagascar in the 3rd or 4th century. This would mean that the Ma'anyan lived more close to the beach than they do today.The different Ma'anyan communities hold contact with each other and with the cities along the Barito by periodical markets. Their most important product for trade - nice canoos made out of one piece - are loved among the Banjarese.
During wars the Ma'anyan lived in family houses in pillars, which could be as high as seven meters. Many Ma'anyan practiced the Kaharingan religion. They know complicated rytes in combination with agriculture and funerals, bring sacrifices for spirits and ask a sjaman when someone has fallen ill. On their graveyard, you can see that the Ma'anyan used to be very layered: the bone-houses of the nobility are placed more upstream, followed to the ones of the warriors, the normal population and the slaves, most downstream.
Before a traditional marriage, the comming husband needs to work and live with the family for five years. This period can be shortened by payments to the coming mother-in-law. This is an extra on the bridal treasure, which consists of bronze drums, beads and money.
The Ot Danum

The Ot Danum (the name means upstream area) live in the area around the rivers north of the Ngaju and south of the Schwaner- and Müller Range, as well as the Melawi-beaken of West Kalimantan, which is located north of the Schwaner Range. Their area is three hundred km wide stretch of land just south of the equator. The Ngaju see the Ot Danum as their cultural ancestors, but there are remarkable differences between the two groups. The Ot Danum live in longhouses in pillars, two to five meters above the ground. This habit is probably taken from the Kenyah or Kayan.
The same with the headhunting, the mild form of social hierarchy and the images on shields and mandau lemmets. However the religion of the Ot Danum looks like that of the Ngaju (most of them still practice kaharingan), their ritual re-burials are more simple and their woodcarvings are less detailed.

LOCAL INTEREST:
Palangkaraya

Palangkaraya is the province capital of Central Kalimantan and situated in the upstream region of the Kahayan River. In the local Dayak language, Palangkaraya means a holy container. Palangkaraya can easily reached from Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Samarinda, Balikpapan and other points of the island by air. Nowadays, the town has become the center of government, trade and education of the province. The regional Museum of Palangkaraya contains a collection of historical and cultural interest from all over Central Kalimantan. The Nature Reserve of Tangkiling lies 34 kilometers north of Palangkaraya. Small rivers flow through the reserve.
Garden Tourism Tangkiling Hill
Tangkiling Hill is a group of eight Batu hills that have beautiful scenery and very attractive to be visited. It is about 43 km from Palangkaraya and located in Banturung village admission in Batu hill region. One of way to reach there, is use land transportation about 30 minutes from Palangkaraya, there is also a lake, 27 km from Palangkaraya. The lake is hardly good for family recreation and fishing.
Culture Museum

The museum that located in Central Kalimatan, Raya Tjilik Riwut Street, 2 km Palangkaraya, is collecting many kinds of public culture. There is the equipment of traditional fieldsman named MIHING and traditional dress named BAJU SANGKAURUT and traditional weapon of Dayak tribe like Mandau, Duhung and the other traditional weapon. Besides that, it also demonstrates goods as those types: Ethnographical, Historical, Archeological, Numismatic / Heraldic foreign ceramics and others.
Arboretum

Arboretum is protection place name of forest. It located in side of Tahai Lake. There are various birch's stepped, it suitable for a research as well as place of various bird types and other animal. You can find a place in this location. Orang Utan rehabilitation that is located in side of the Arboretum, try to help to assist the local animal returned and know their annually habitat.
Taha’I Lake

It is a nature lake that accommodating the rainwater effusing and as a water recreation place, suited for fishing devotee, can circle the lake with boat that being rented. The Adrift houses, place of karaoke and some shelter to take a rest are available for visitor.
Kelinting

It is located in RTA. Milono Street, about 8 km from the downtown. This can go through landline. This is a beautiful building in china design with typical ornaments of Kalimantan Tengah.
Bangkirai Lake Kereng

It is an exquisite lake and located across Sebangau River, in Kereng Bangkirai village 12 km from Palangkaraya toward south. For towards to the location we can apply vehicle of land only 15 minutes from common cab.
Kapuas

Kualakapuas is the capital of the Kapuas regency, south of Palangkaraya, on the Kapuas River 40 kilometers from Banjarmasin. A well-known tourism attraction is ‘Telo’ Island, a fishing village and port. It is a pleasant location for recreation. For the adventurer, white water rafters and nature lovers, there is Gohong Rawai, which known for its beautiful and challenging rapids. The gold mines of Teweh and Batu Api, Rungan district, are also interesting places to be visited. In this region, gold mining is a major source of livelihood for the people, who pan for the valuable metal using the old traditional method. Gold mines are found in many places in Central Kalimantan.
Tourism Object Batu Suli and Batu Tingkes

Batu Suli is a steep hill in Khayan riverbank with natural scenery, which is originally and fascinates trees ruthless. In Batu Suli culminate; there is a boosting big stone upward with incline position called Batu Antang or Batu Tingkes. This tourism object is located in Upun Batu Teweh district.
Hamputung River

This tourism object located in North Kahayan Hulu region which is a river line that covered with trees with its ruthless in left and right side of the river, the clear water hardly suited for tourism adventure.
Kapuas Hulu River

This Kapuas Hulu river path is very compatible for tourism adventure by using rubber boat or other boat types. It is along the length of this river there are some Riam fruits with extent of its river stone in so many its forms. In left and right of the river there is the trees, which inhabited various fauna types.
Cemara Labat Beach
This beach unfolds in Java Sea coastal area with approximately length 5 km that being under the aegis of coconut trees and mangrove tree, so it has beautiful scenery and interesting. The condition of the beach is gradient and waved. This beach is located in south side of Kuala Kapuas in Cemara Labat village, Kapuas Kuala district.
Up the River of Kahayan

There are many long houses which are found at the Kahayan river mouth become an interesting scenery. The long wooden boats become the backbone of the inter-village transportation. The upstream journey by Klotok boat (long boat) along the Kahayan River has its own challenge. This river is indeed not so widely known, if compared with Kapuas River (600 kilometers) and Barito River (500 kilometers). Like the big rivers in Kalimantan, this river has been the source of subsistence of the population for thousands years, from which they would hunt, fish and collect foods and other forest products (such as bee wax, hornbills ivory, rattan cane, resin and camphor). (Courtesy By Indonesia-Tourism)