WOMAN AMAN PHD TILUNG INDUNG is a Wing Organization of the Indigenous Women's Association of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago in the form of a Regional Daily Management named Tilung Indung which means "Mother's House". Formed based on the desire of Indigenous Women in Hulu Sungai Tengah to have a forum to be able to convey opinions, aspirations, and be active in the struggle for the rights of Indigenous Peoples in South Kalimantan. Consisting of 31 Indigenous Women from the Balai Batu Kambar, Balai Juhu, Balai Buhul, Balai Sumbai, Balai Paninggalan Datu Nini, Balai Kiyo, Balai Datar Batung, Balai Manta, Balai Linau, and Balai Payatnya Mula Ada communities. Before forming PHD Tilung Indung, members of PHD Tilung Indung had been active in the struggle of Indigenous Peoples in Hulu Sungai Tengah, both in pushing for various policies, demanding commitment from the Regional Government, being active in development planning at the village level, and customary institutions in each community.
After the formation of PHD Tilung Indung, these Indigenous Women have their own forum to jointly fight for the rights of Indigenous Peoples, especially women's rights, maintain the sustainability of nature as a source of life, and maintain traditional knowledge as a legacy of ancestors to be passed on to future generations. Our Indigenous Community is located in the Meratus Mountains, with limited infrastructure, both road access, services, and network availability. Farming and gardening are the main activities carried out by Indigenous Women, especially in the Hinas Kiri Village community and the Meratus Mountains in general.
Indigenous Peoples in our community still face obstacles in managing forest products, gardens, and agricultural products in our customary areas. So that the results of the customary areas cannot be maximally enjoyed by the community. Middlemen are still a challenge that we face, buying forest and garden products at prices much lower than market prices.
The increasing demands of needs with limited access, Indigenous Women must be creative in managing garden and agricultural products in order to meet family food needs or be sold independently through groups. Gardening and utilizing forest products is a hereditary tradition carried out by Indigenous Women in Meratus. This must be maintained because the forest is a source of life, if the forest is damaged then the source of life will be threatened.
Another challenge, especially faced by Indigenous Women in Hinas Kiri Village, is having very limited access to education. This is due to cost factors and women's obligations to take care of the household. The facilities provided by educational institutions, both government and private, have not yet reached and are not a priority for women. In addition to these factors, there is still a sense of inferiority for Indigenous Women, especially those who are married, to get access to education, such as government package schools. However, Indigenous Women expressed that they do have a desire to be able to recognize letters. Reading is a window of knowledge and science, this is felt by Indigenous Women to be quite important to know various information about the environment and their customary areas. No longer just listening, but being able to read the information conveyed. About land grabbing, discrimination against women and Indigenous Peoples, policies in Indigenous Peoples' areas, and Indigenous Women are no longer embarrassed to attend meetings at the village, sub-district or district level because they can write their own names in filling out the attendance list and so on. Seeing the enthusiasm of Indigenous Women to be able to read and write, PHD Tilung Indung proposed the program. We are very grateful to the Nusantara Fund Solidarity Foundation, through the Nusantara Fund program, which has resulted in changes that there are no boundaries for education in terms of age or gender.
The existence of this program can show other indigenous women and young people to maintain the tradition of gardening and the importance of education. The results of this program are expected to be support for indigenous women as an effort to improve the economy but still protect their ancestral land from various threats.