Ulak Pamali: Dayak Kalis Tradition, Solution for Natural Resource Conservation

The Dayak Kalis Nanga Danau Indigenous Community in the Kapuas Hulu region, West Kalimantan, has a very close relationship with nature in its customary territory. Forests, land, and rivers are not only sources of daily life, but also part of the beliefs and traditions inherited from their ancestors. As an Indigenous Community that has been officially recognized through the Decree of the Regent of Kapuas Hulu, de jure, the Dayak Kalis Nanga Danau Indigenous Community ensures the right to manage their customary territory independently.

This community believes in the existence of “GANA,” a spiritual being believed to maintain the balance of the river ecosystem. This belief strengthens the Dayak Kalis Indigenous Community to further protect the river from over-exploitation. In line with these customary values, the community has established Ulak Pamali or Lubuk Larangan as a customary-based ecosystem preservation step, to maintain the sustainability of the river as a source of livelihood for the community.

The Ulak Pamali activity carried out by the Dayak Kalis Indigenous Community supported by the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding, focuses on protecting rivers in the Ulak Pamali prohibition zone or the forbidden pool of the Lawan Luk Ijabangi river area covering 3,68 hectares in the Dayak Kalis Nanga Danau customary area. In this area there is a pool location that is believed to have supernatural powers. Here the Dayak Kalis Nanga Danau indigenous community performs a ritual to ward off disaster against enemies, infectious diseases, or epidemics. In this pool there are also types of fish endemic to the Kalis river such as kamunsi, balin bunga batu, tangarak, and tongoh as well as other fish that are no longer found in other rivers.

Ulak Pamali includes: prohibited from catching fish with any tools; prohibited from cutting down surrounding trees; prohibited from mining gold without permission; prohibited from taking stone, sand, or soil materials for the purpose of buying and selling; prohibited from carrying out activities that damage the environment.

If anyone violates the prohibition, the first and second violations will be warned, for the third violation will be subject to customary sanctions of one Balanga or Rp1.5 million per person. Ulak Pamali also binds the community's commitment, where they agree that the taking of natural products in this area is only allowed once every three years in limited quantities, and only for customary interests.

Lubuk Pamali serves as a sanctuary for the life cycle of native species, providing space and time for them to reproduce naturally without the interference of destructive human activities. The ultimate goal is to preserve the habitat of endangered fish, including the economically valuable semah fish, as well as river snails and mussels. 

The first activity in this program is the socialization of customary regulations on Ulak Pamali to community members, which is held through customary deliberation. In this deliberation, community members, including customary leaders, gather to discuss the importance of the Lubuk Larangan regulations and agree on the rules that will be implemented. Deliberation participants are given an understanding of the importance of Ulak Pamali in maintaining the survival of rare fish and river ecosystems so that its benefits can be felt sustainably.

After socialization, a field survey was conducted to determine the clear boundaries of Lubuk Pamali. This survey involved taking coordinate points to map the area accurately and ensure the boundaries of the prohibition zone to be implemented. This survey was conducted using GPS equipment, and guided by mapping experts from AMAN and technical personnel from LBBT Lanting Borneo. This stage is carried out to strengthen the customary legal basis that supports Lubuk Larangan and facilitate regional supervision so that there is no exploitation that violates customary regulations.

Discussions, meetings, and workshops for making rules were held on March 22-23, 2024. The determination of Ulak Pamali was carried out on April 22, 2024, which began with a traditional ritual offering by traditional leaders as a form of respect for the land and rivers which are believed to have protective spiritual beings. Continued with the determination procession which was attended by guests including representatives AMAN, several civil society organizations, and UI students, the West Kalimantan Governor's expert staff for social affairs and the staff of the Head of the Sekadau District Civil Service Police Unit, while the Kapuas Hulu Regent was represented by the Head of the Environment, Land, Settlement and Public Housing Service.

The results of the program include the determination of the Ulak Pamali – Lawan Luk Ijabangi area of ​​3,68 hectares as a prohibited zone, thus binding the commitment of the entire community. This success has an impact on 561 members of the Dayak Kalis Nanga Danau community, consisting of 268 women and 293 men. The quality of river water is better maintained, the living space of rare fish and other species in this area is also more spacious.

Lubuk Larangan in Dayak Kalis is an example of how traditional conservation practices can be part of the solution in maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem, especially in facing the challenges of aggressive exploitation of natural resources. By limiting the taking of fish and other resources in Lubuk Pamali, the community also maintains the balance of the ecosystem.

Through the practice of Lubuk Larangan, the Dayak Kalis Indigenous Community has developed an environmental management model that not only maintains but also strengthens river health. Lubuk Larangan functions as a natural “buffer zone” for vulnerable species, as well as a means of maintaining water quality and the sustainability of the river as a source of life for the community. On a larger scale, this action contributes to conservation efforts in the face of environmental crises, including climate change and the loss of natural habitats that threaten biodiversity.

Amidst the threat of destructive exploitative extractive practices, Ulak Pamali is an example of how local wisdom has been alive long before the principles of sustainable conservation for environmental protection were implemented. In other parts of the world, there must still be many local versions of Ulak Pamali, the names may be different but the essence is the same. Let's take a break for a moment to give mother earth time to regenerate.