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Berichte und Kommentare
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Anthropos
The Development
of the Hindu Kaharingan Religion
A New Dayak Religion
in Central Kalimantan
Martin Baier
The Hindu Kaharingan religion developed among
the Ngaju-Dayak in what is today the Indonesian
Province of Central Kalimantan. The Ngaju occupy
areas along the southern Barito, the Minor Kapuas,
the Kahayan and the Katingan rivers, as well as
in parts of the Mentaya. In 1606, Dutch explorers
came to Borneo, landing in Banjarmasin, which is
in the southern Barito Delta. Only by 1817, how
ever, were they able to occupy parts of the southern
Barito, an area of the Bakumpai-Dayak, and Tanah
Laut in the Province of South Kalimantan. Why did
it take so long to establish a colony?
Although the Dutch possessed iron cannons,
they also needed motorized boats if they wanted
to control the interior. Southeast Asian Sultanates
possessed cannons, but they were cast of bronze or
brass and overheated after only a few rounds. The
Dutch could fire their iron cannons up to a hundred
times without overheating them. 1 They began to use
motorized boats in Southeast Asia early in the 19th
century. Up until then control was only possible
in coastal regions. With motors, during the rainy
season they could navigate up the Barito as far as
Muara Teweh.
By 1830 security was established to the extent
that Europeans could settle in Banjarmasin. Protes
tant missionaries took advantage of this possibil
ity. But since they had practically no chance to
make progress in Islamic areas, they proceeded
two/three days up river into the vicinity of what
is today Kuala Kapuas and established a mission
among the Ngaju-Dayak. By 1849, the missionaries
began producing reports and books describing the
culture and religion of the Ngaju. Scientists, often
German by extraction, followed close behind the
missionaries (Becker 1849; Schwaner 1853-54).
Two mountain ranges in Central Kalimantan, the
Schwaner mountain and the Müller mountain, to
this day carry the names of German pioneers.
According to early reports, the Ngaju religion
assigned cosmological and geographical features
to different deities. For instance, the uppermost
heavenly sphere was believed to be controlled by
the creator, Hatalla, who in interior areas was also
1 Pers. comm., Heeresmuseum in Leiden, 1983.
called Hatara. The name’s etymology suggests a
Hindu derivation. Mahatara, also specified as Bhat-
tara Guru stands for the Hindu God Shiva (Scharer
1946: 16; 1963: 13; Zimmermann 1969: 318, 365)-
Later, when Dutch control expanded and Mosley
influence grew, the name of the Creator God - ann
so also today the name of the one High God - ^ aS
Islamized as Hatalla.
The earth’s surface and what is underground be'
longed to the deity Kaloe, a female monster in a
shape of a one-breasted toad. 2 In the course of tim e
Kaloe was replaced by Jata, another riverine deity»
who was also female and also in charge of watet
and the underground (Perelaer 1870: 5 f.). However»
Jata also seems to have an Islamic flavor, for sacf 1 '
flee in her name may not include pork meat, only
goat meat (Zimmermann 1969:317-324). FroU
1935 until 1960 the Ngaju venerated two high an
central deities in parallel: Hatalla, the deity of №
sky and Jata, the deity of water and the “unde f '
world” (Baier 2006: 5; Scharer 1946; 22; 1963: 19)-
During the colonial era other deities were ab°
venerated, for instance Pataho, founder and prot £C '
tor of villages (Baier 2006:13). Especially duri 1 ^
head-hunting one placed oneself under his prote c
tion since Pataho was also in charge of war and
fence. Even today one may come up against trac^
of him in Central Kalimantan, in the form of m°yf
houses placed on stilts in his name. Often in sld
such a hut exotic objects can be found: for instan^»
a monkey-skull, a curiously shaped stone, or an 0 ^
ject from a shipwreck (Kiihnle-Degeler 1924; 1! i
H4).
About twenty years ago I discovered the m s - 1
replica of a cannon in such a hut. Perhaps it ^
possible, so I thought, to see if it came fron 1 ^
Portuguese or a Dutch ship. But suddenly an 0
woman stood behind me and suggested I off ef
bottle of beer to this cannon. Puzzled, I asked, ^
beer? This was an alcoholic beverage, there! ^
haram to Islam. To this she replied that the cann
was “Western”; and that it was her family’s P ata ,>
who wanted beer for it, just as any “Western
would.
There are other deities, such as Sahor, Bapa ^ jj
gumang, Indu Sangumang, and others, who ^ a f
over different aspects of human life, like healthy
wealth and well-being. Most important, h° we ve f
is the mighty Tempon Telon, who watches
the souls of the dead in the afterworld. 3 Thi s j
ity is held in higher regard than the Creator
2 Baier 2006: 3; see also the name of the town Kluwa i 11
Kalimantan.
§0^
3 Lumholtz 1920/1: 23; Schärer n. d.: 131; Ugang 1983-
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