Ethnic Dayak tribesmen no longer `primitive`

Pontianak, Indonesia - Ethnic Dayak tribesmen are longer "primitive" so that people from outside West Kalimantan can now visit the province without fear, the region`s governor said.

"We, Dayak people, must keep high our image because we are no longer primitive as we used to be called in the past," West Kalimantan Governor Cornelis, an indigenous Dayak himself, said on the sidelines of the 25th Silver Gawai Dayak Week in Pontianak on Thursday.

Cornelis said the primitive label that was once attached to Dayak tribes had slowly worn off with the passage of time.

"Many Dayak people now are educated and have even reached high positions in society like me who has become governor," he said.

Cornelis also urged Dayak people to control themselves after they had consumed alcohol.

"When you get drunk, don`t make trouble but go to sleep," he said.

Dayaks must maintain their ethnic cultural characteristics that are easily recognized by the public, such as their dances, typical cuisine, and handicraft articles.

"It is enough to promote just one of our cultural characteristics to attract tourists," he said.

Meanwhile, a Dayak community leader, Adrinus Gidot Asia, said there were about 350 Dayak sub-tribes in West Kalimantan province and a spirit of togetherness needed to be cultivated among them to preserve their ethnic identity amid the progress of time.

"The traditions of our ancestors has already begun to fade by time. Therefore, let`s maintain our traditional ancestry and culture," he said.

On the matter of Dayak culture that was beginning to fade away, Governor Cornelis said "We are obliged to preserve our ethnic culture for future generations."

He said, in Indonesia today, no ethnic or traditional culture could ever be marginalized again as in the past. (T.A050/HAJM/A014/P003)

Source: http://www.antaranews.com
Picture: http://borneosafari.wordpress.com

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