The Dayak or Dyak or Dayuh are one of the native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central and southern interior of Borneo, each with its own dialect, customs, laws, territory, and culture, although common distinguishing traits are readily identifiable. Dayak languages are categorised as part of the Austronesian languages. The Dayak were animist in belief; however, since the 19th century there has been mass conversion to Christianity as well as Islam due to the spreading of Abrahamic religions.
West Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five Indonesian provinces comprising Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city is Pontianak. The province has an area of 147,307 km2, and had a population of 4,395,983 at the 2010 Census and 5,414,390 at the 2020 Census. Ethnic groups include the Dayak, Malay, Chinese, Javanese, Bugis, and Madurese. The borders of West Kalimantan roughly trace the mountain ranges surrounding the vast watershed of the Kapuas River, which drains most of the province. The province shares land borders with Central Kalimantan to the southeast, East Kalimantan to the east, and the Malaysian territory of Sarawak to the north.
South Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is the smallest province in Kalimantan, the Indonesian territory of Borneo. The provincial capital was Banjarmasin until 15 February 2022 when it was legally moved to Banjarbaru. The population of South Kalimantan was recorded at just over 3.625 million people at the 2010 Census, and at 4.07 million at the 2020 Census. One of the five Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan, it is bordered by the Makassar Strait in the east, Central Kalimantan in the west and north, the Java Sea in the south, and East Kalimantan in the north. The province also includes the island of Laut, located off the eastern coast of Kalimantan. The province is divided into 11 regencies and 2 cities. South Kalimantan is the traditional homeland of the Banjar people, although some parts of East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan are also included in this criteria. Nevertheless, South Kalimantan, especially the former capital city Banjarmasin has always been the cultural capital of Banjarese culture. Many Banjarese have migrated to other parts of Indonesia, as well as neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. In addition, other ethnic groups also inhabit the province, such as several groups of the Dayaks, who mostly live in the interior part of the province, as well as the Javanese, who mostly migrated from Java due to the Transmigration program which dated from the Dutch colonial era.
Central Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is one of five provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangka Raya and in 2010 its population was over 2.2 million, while the 2015 Intermediate Census showed a rise to 2.49 million and the 2020 Census showed a total of 2.67 million.
Banjarmasin is a city in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. It was the capital of the province until 15 February 2022. The city is located on a delta island near the junction of the Barito and Martapura rivers. Historically the centre of the Banjarese culture and the capital of the Sultanate of Banjar, it is the biggest city in South Kalimantan and one of main cities of Kalimantan. The city covers an area of 98.46 km2 (38.02 sq mi) and had population of 657,663 in 2020. Greater Banjarmasin, also known as Banjarbakula, is an urban agglomeration of around two million people covering an area of 8,136 km2 (3,141 sq mi), which includes Banjarbaru, parts of Banjar Regency, Barito Kuala Regency, and Tanah Laut Regency and accounts for almost half of the province's population. It is the third most populous city on the island of Borneo.
Pontianak or Khuntien is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, founded first as a trading port on the island of Borneo, occupying an area of 118.31 km2 in the delta of the Kapuas River at a point where it is joined by its major tributary, the Landak River. The city is on the equator, hence it is widely known as Kota Khatulistiwa. The city center is less than 3 kilometres (2 mi) south of the equator. Pontianak is the 26th most populous city in Indonesia, and the fourth most populous city on the island of Borneo (Kalimantan) after Samarinda, Balikpapan, and Banjarmasin. It had a population of 658,685 at the 2020 Census within the city limits, with significant suburbs outside those limits.
Palangka Raya is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan. The city is situated between the Kahayan and the Sabangau rivers on the island of Borneo. As of the 2020 census, the city has a population of 293,500. Palangka Raya is the largest city by land area in Indonesia. Most of the area is forested. It also has the highest Human Development Index rating of any city in Kalimantan.
The Banjar or Banjarese are an indigenous ethnic group native to the Banjar regions in the southeastern Kalimantan hemisphere of Indonesia. Nowadays, Banjarese diaspora can be found in neigbouring Banjar regions as well; including Kotabaru Regency, the southeastern regions of Central Kalimantan, southernmost regions of East Kalimantan, and some provinces of Indonesia in general. The Banjarese diaspora community also can be found in neighbouring countries of Indonesia, such as Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Bakumpai or Baraki are indigenous people of Borneo and are considered as a sub-ethnic group of the Dayak Ngaju people group with Islamic background. The Bakumpai people first occupy along the Barito riverbanks in South Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, from Marabahan to Puruk Cahu, Murung Raya Regency. The Bakumpai people first appeared as a newly recognized people group in census 2000 and were made up of 7.51% of Central Kalimantan population, which before this the Bakumpai people were considered as part of the Dayak people in a 1930 census.
Kendayan, or Salako (Selako), is a Malayic Dayak language of Borneo. The exact number of speakers remains unknown, but is estimated to be around 350,000.
A. A. Hamidhan, is the popular name of Anang Abdul Hamidhan, an Indonesian freedom fighter and journalist from South Kalimantan. He established the daily Soeara Kalimantan in 1930. It was he who brought news of Indonesia's unilateral declaration of independence to Borneo.
Anakletus Tjilik Riwut, more commonly referred to simply as Tjilik Riwut, was an Indonesian journalist, military officer, and politician, who served as the second Governor of Central Kalimantan from 1958 until 1967, as an Independent. He was also a major figure in the Indonesian National Revolution, becoming one of the leaders of the Kalimantan Physical Revolution in Dutch Borneo after the end of World War II, along with Idham Chalid, Hasan Basry, Mohammad Noor, and a number of other decentralized leaders.
The Holy Family Cathedral is a religious building of the Catholic Church in Banjarmasin in the province of South Kalimantan, Indonesia. It was designed by architect Roestenhurg in a neo-Gothic style.
Jukung tambangan is a traditional boat made by the Banjar people of South Kalimantan. They are mainly used for riverine transportation. It is already present at least since mid-18th century. They were not seen anymore in Banjarmasin ca. 1950s and around the 1970s on the Nagara River, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency.
The Kalimantan Physical Revolution was an armed conflict between Indonesian nationalists in and pro-Dutch forces in Dutch Borneo following the end of the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies and the 1945 Proclamation of Indonesian Independence by Sukarno and which lasted until the Dutch withdrew from most of Indonesia in 1949. It can be considered a regional conflict in the larger Indonesian National Revolution. After the surrender of the Japanese at the end of World War II, allied forces took control of the Dutch East Indies, including Dutch Borneo. The return of Dutch authorities however, was rejected by majority of native population, including in Borneo, resulting in various regional armed conflicts between Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and Indonesian nationalist forces. Allied military forces in Borneo were in a strong position after an early conflict in August 1945, and were able to pacify local nationalist uprisings and impose a blockade to prevent military aid and exchange in personnel from nationalist strongholds in Java and Sumatra. Later, nationalists with connections to Borneo were able to breach the military blockade to provide information of revolutionary events in Java and Sumatra, declaring Kalimantan as inseparable part of the new Indonesian republic.
Mandau Talawang Pancasila is a paramilitary organization, based mostly within the Indonesian provinces of Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan.
The Dayak Desa War or Majang Desa War was an armed uprising by the Dayak Desa tribe, and later Indonesian nationalists, in West Kalimantan against the Japanese Empire and the Dutch East Indies during World War II. The war was initially caused by the local population's opposition against the rōmusha system and disappointment with Japanese occupation. In the initial phase of Japanese occupation, several Japanese companies entered the region to gain natural resources in order to support the Japanese war effort in the Pacific. Occupying Japanese forced locals to work for free for these companies, mainly in coal mining and timber production. After that, a Japanese foreman working in a company wanted to marry the daughter of Pang Linggan, a respected Dayak chief in the region, which caused more tension between locals and the Japanese. Dayak tribes in the region initiated mangkuk merah ritual, as a sign to mobilise men from villages and prepare for war. The Japanese were driven out of the Borneo interior in June 1945, but returned on 17 July and continued until 31 August 1945 when Japanese forces there surrendered and left the region, replaced by Allied forces including the Dutch, who would later be opposed again until recognition of Indonesian independence in 1949.
Hausman Baboe was a colonial head of the district of Kuala Kapuas in the Dutch East Indies, early Dayak journalist, and an Indonesian nationalist. Born from an aristocrat family of Dayak Ngaju, he served as head of the district of Kuala Kapuas under the Dutch colonial government before being fired due to his anti-colonial remarks. He became a prominent Dayak political figure, and was accused of being a communist several times due to his close association with Sarekat Rakjat. At the same time, he wa also close to Sarekat Islam, due to his Indonesian nationalist ideals, despite being a Christian himself.
West Borneo Special Region was a component entity of the United States of Indonesia in western part of Borneo. It was established on 12 May 1947 with capital at Pontianak. West Borneo was dissolved on 22 April 1950 and became part of Kalimantan Province which was formed on 14 August 1950 with its capital at Banjarmasin. Following the division of Kalimantan Province, the former territory of West Borneo was assigned to West Kalimantan in 1956 where it remains today.
East Borneo Region, was a component entity of the United States of Indonesia in eastern part of Borneo. It was established on 12 May 1947 with capital at Samarinda. East Borneo was dissolved on 24 March 1950 and became part of Kalimantan Province which was formed on 14 August 1950 with its capital at Banjarmasin. Following the division of Kalimantan Province, the former territory of East Borneo was assigned to East Kalimantan in 1956.
