It is a ritual performed by Dayak Kenyah people in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, before commencing rice cultivation. This tradition aims to ask for guidance to The Creator in selecting the perfect time to cultivate rice. It begins with prayer offering by adat head. The perfect time is usually determined by the shape of the sun’s certain coordinate observed by the adat head. Later, the ritual proceeds with some dances portraying people’s agrarian life, such as Pangpagaq, Udoq Aban and Anyam Tali dance. Pangpagaq is a dance depicting the effort to catch the animal which trespasses into the farming area. People perform it by hopping between woods on a regular stamping as if setting up trap for the animal. Udoq Aban or masquerade dance aims to expel the evil spirit and get rid of the rice pests prior to the harvesting season. The dance series is closed by Anyam Tali dance which symbolizes the unity of people.

(WL/ensi/78/7-07)

Translation by Apri Widiastuti (trns/17/02-10)