Panatau Utus: Gaya Hidup Dayak Kalteng (oleh Nila Riwut)

Tulisan diambil dari arsip Kalteng.net (27-12-2008)

Kepada yth

Para Tamu dan Pendatang
di Bumi Tambun Bungai
( Propinsi Kalimantan Tengah )

Tidak kenal maka tidak cinta. Untuk dikenal, dipahami lalu dicinta, tidak salah apabila kami mengenalkan Etos budaya kami. Maksudnya budaya Dayak khususnya di daerah Kalimantan Tengah.
Tentu saja tidak ada maksud mengkotak-kotakkan diri atau menonjolkan kesukuan. Harapan yang dituju, dengan saling mengenal dan memahami, diharapkan relasi harmonis dalam kebersamaan selalu terjalin antara penduduk asli dengan para tamu dan pendatang yang berkarya dibumi Tambun Bungai.
Mamut Menteng Ureh Mameh adalah ciri khas watak orang Dayak, entah laki-laki maupun perempuan Dayak sama saja
Mamut Menteng berarti gagah perkasa.
Ureh artinya ceria. Selalu berupaya membawa keceriaan dimanapun dia berada. Arti lain giat. Demikian menurut kami, walau tidak sedikit tudingan yang menyatakan kami malas, karena dimanja alam. Biarkan saja tudingan tersebut. Pertanyaannya : Mungkinkah pemalas mampu bertahan hidup dalam keganasan hutan rimba belantara ?. Maksudnya dimasa lalu para leluhur kamilah yang hidup dalam keganasan hutan rimba belantara, dan kami adalah para ahli waris.
Mameh, (bodoh atau terlihat seperti bodoh) hal ini identik dengan ketulusan menolong, membela tanpa pamrih, tanpa maksud jadi pahlawan, Agar tidak salah memahami, saya berikan suatu contoh. Misalnya dalam sikap. Pada umumnya orang Dayak berusaha untuk selalu mengalah dengan cara menghindar. Mundur selangkah, mengalah lagi, menghindar lagi, mundur lagi dua langkah, dan karena mengalah berulang-ulang, mundur berulang-ulang, pada akhirnya sampai di ujung jurang. Bila mundur lagi selangkah, akan jatuh kedalam jurang lalu . . . demi bertahan hidup, apa boleh buat, maju dan menyerang. Maksudnya titik jenuh telah dicapai. Hati terluka habis, emosi menjadi sulit terkendali.

Makna janji bagi orang Dayak. Janji adalah segalanya. Ingkar janji tanpa alasan yang kuat dan tepat beresiko tinggi. Bisa jadi seorang yang pernah ingkar janji akan kehilangan legitimasi di lingkungannya dan akan dipandang hanya dengan sebelah mata. Hal ini berlaku selama hayat di kandung badan. Oleh karena itu, hindari berjanji dengan orang Dayak apa bila dirasa pasti. Kalau toh telah terlanjur berjanji, lakukan komunikasi untuk menetralisir janji tersebut.

Isen Mulang artinya pantang menyerah maksudnya pantang pulang tanpa membawa hasil atau apabila tujuan belum tercapai. Merupakan motto kehidupan warisan leluhur yang telah menyatu dalam kehidupan kami.

Bagi para pendatang yang bertugas dan berkarya di Kalimantan Tengah, khususnya para pemberi keputusan, pengusaha dan investor, demi menghindari terjadinya kesalah pahaman, sangat diharapkan memahami Etos Budaya masyarakat setempat.
Apabila terjadi orang Dayak telah maju dan menyerang, itu berarti luka demi luka telah tersimpan dihati hingga tak ada lagi tempat tersedia untuk menyimpan luka lainnya.
Mungkin saja di bumi Tambun Bungai ini, tidak sedikit keunikan ditemukan, namun demikianlah adanya. Dengan mencoba memahami, segalanya jadi jelas dan lancer, sehingga salah paham dapat dihindari.
Etos budaya yang dimiliki masyarakat setempat, Mamut Menteng, Ureh, mameh, mengalah . . . mundur, dilengkapi dengan makna janji dan Isen Mulang sebagai motto kehidupan, menurut saya unik. Belum lagi dilengkapi dengan prinsip berani mati demi membela sesuatu yang dianggap benar.

Pernah seorang cendikiawan bertanya kepada saya : “ Kapan orang Dayak akan berubah ?“. Pertanyaan tersebut saya jawab tanpa kata, hanya mata terbelalak.
Bukankah lain ladang, lain belalang, lain lubuk lain ikannya. Demikian pula dengan budaya masing-masing suku di Nusantara memiliki khas dan cara sendiri. Bhineka Tunggal Ika, berbeda tetapi tetap satu, Indonesia.

Selamat berkarya, sejahtera dalam kebersamaan.

Salam,
Nila Riwut.

English Version:

PANATAU UTUS
The lifestyle of Dayaknese in Kalteng
Attention to
The outsiders of Dayaknese tribe
Of Tambun Bungai Land
(Central Kalimantan Province)
You do not know then you completely will not care. This article is aiming to introduce the cultural ethics of Dayak tribe in order to be known, understood and loved. This exploration is focusing on Dayak culture particularly in Central Kalimantan region.

There is no attention to bring out any tribe exclusiveness toward this article but it tries to bring about the sense of understanding and acquaintance of each other. It is expected that the article could bring good interaction between the native tribes and the visitors in hand in hand cooperation to put forward Tambun Bungai.

Mamut Menteng Ureh Mameh is the characteristic of Dayaknese people for both male and female.

Mamut Menteng means strong.
Ureh means happy. Always brings happiness wherever he is. Also means energetic. That is the character talks about though some people think that the Dayaknese are idled people due to indulge by the nature. Let the accusation be that! The question is: Does it make sense for those idlers to survive on the wildness of the thick jungle? Meaning that in the past life our ancestors lived together with the wildness of the thick jungle and now we are the heirs.
Mameh, (stupid or looks like stupid) this word is identical with a willingness to help in honest, defending with no means, without a desire to be a hero. To avoid any misunderstanding so here is the illustration about the attitude. In general Dayaknese always try to make concessions through avoiding. For instance one step backward, making concessions, avoiding, then two steps backward, and due to repeating of the concessions time to time therefore the steps backward are also repeated into the edge of a canyon. If the last backward step is continued, he definitely would fall into the canyon. To survive of this condition so there is no other way for Dayaknese to take the step forward and defend their pride. The excessive point has reached to the highest level, the grief has too deep so that it leads to the uncontrolled emotion condition.

Commitment for the Dayaknese is significant. Breaking commitment without any realistic excuses will result into high risk situation. Those who have ever broken down the commitment will loose legitimacy around the neighborhood where they live and will no longer be trusted. This judgment is valid until those have departed from this world. Consequently, people should try to avoid making commitment to Dayaknese unless they have sure about it. If it has already committed thus it is suggested to them to build good communication among each other in order to neutralize any misconception of the commitment.
Isen Mulang means never giving up, no backing home without a success or if the goal is not in hand. It is the Dayaknese motto which has already dissolved into the blood of Dayaknese heirs.
The outsiders who have professional profession and business in Central Kalimantan especially those who have authority to make decisions, the entrepreneurs and the investors are expected to understand this local cultural ethics in order to avoid any misunderstanding and conflict.

If the Dayaknese have decided to defend and make movement toward bad interaction condition with the outsiders, it can be concluded that they could not stand any longer of that and there is also no more space for them to keep the grief deep inside their heart.

There are lots of uniqueness characters of Tambun Bungai Land but it is the way to be. The awareness of the outsiders to adjust and adapt to the character of native people will facilitate those parties to have clear and smooth partnership so that any conflict among them could be avoided.

In my opinion, cultural ethics of native community, Mamut Menteng, Ureh, mameh, make concession. . . step backward in which also supported by commitment connotation and Isen Mulang as existence motto of Dayaknese, is unique. Not to mention other basic principals of Dayaknese to sacrifice themselves of defending something right for them.

An intellectual actor has ever asked me a question: “When will the Dayaknese people transform?” I answered no words to that question just opened wider my eyes balls.
Different filed will give different corps. So it does with each tribe in Indonesia whereas it has it is own uniqueness. “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”, Unity in Diversity, many varieties but it is still on the same union, Indonesia.

All the best for working, much prosperity in togetherness.

Best wishes,

Nila Riwut.
Translated by:
Yudith Mariaran Tresnowati

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