The Dayak 'kingdom' and indigenous sovereignty in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan

Journal article

This paper examines how the Dayak people's construction of an ‘as if' kingdom of the Ulu Ai' in Ketapang regency, West Kalimantan province, Indonesia, has undergirded their development of ethnic solidarity and their claims to indigenous sovereignty. The Ulu Ai', a Dayak priest-king, appeared shortly after the fall of the Suharto authoritarian regime in 1998. Since his emergence, he has become a prominent figure in local society. First, the paper considers the background to the emergence of his ‘as if' kingdom in the context of the rise of indigenous movements and ethnic politics during Indonesia's period of democratic reform. In this context, the ‘as if' kingdom expresses the primordial sentiments of solidarity among the Dayak. Second, the paper describes the hybridity of the Ulu Ai' polity, which has incorporated various fragments of practices and ideas from outside sources. Third, it explores how the Dayak articulate the hybrid polity of the Ulu Ai' in accordance with their particular circumstances. The adaptability of the ‘as if' kingdom has served to provide a common language for the Dayak people to communicate their claims during the period of democratic reform.

Authors: Nishijima, K

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Anthropological Society of Oxford
• Journal: Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford Online
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 103-129
• Publication date: 2021-01-01
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-o0kememz4
• ISSN: 2040-1876
• Language: English
• Keywords: indigenous sovereignty; Indonesia; JASO; Dayak; kingdom; Kalimantan