Dayak Kings Among Malay Sultans
The Kingdom of Ulu Are appears to have been the only non-Islam kingdom in West Kalimatan. Although the Sultan of the kingdom lacked taxing authority, his rule was recognized by many groups in the area.
According to several elders, the King of Ulu Are was the symbolic leader as he was believed to be entrusted by the Creator(Preman Datuk Tuan Datuk Patara Guru) with the authority to maintain peace and security among the Dayak people. This authority was symbolized by the Koling Iron Staff (Bosi KolingTungkat Rakyak).
Local beliefs have it that when the Koling Staff wears away in the middle, there will be warfare, epidemics, extended drought, natural disasters or famine. These calamities are thought to be caused by the disrespect of customs and traditions and the transgressions of certain prohibitions such as adultery, pregnancy outside of marriage, abuse of authority by a leader and the burning of sacred places. If such disharmony should occur, everyone in the village must participate in a ceremony (babantan) by contributing rice, chickens, eggs, pigs goats or other items. These gifts were called pupu-caup.
The Koling Staff
The Koling Staff is stored in a special chest wrapped in yellow cloth inside a special room. No one may see it except the King himself on his coronation and even then he may look at it with only one eye. The eye that sees it becomes blind. The kings of Ulu Are were usually blind in one eye.
The piece of metal is about 20 cm long and about 1 cm broad. Oral tradition has it that at the time of Tamongong Ira Bansa the Koling Staff was broader but as more sins were committed, it became thinner and thinner. When the Koling Staff wears out, the world will come to an end.
Maruba is a celebration that lasts three days and was held every year during the full moon in July. On the first day, with his eyes closed, he would feel the Koling Staff and spread some oil mixed with spices over it. Then would meditate while fasting the whole day.
Relations of Ulu Are with Matan and Tanjung Pura
Another story about the kingdom of Ulu Are was related by the ketua adat (village elder) of Simpang Dyak tribe in Hulu District. In the 1930s, he witnessed a meeting between the then-king of Ulu Are, Patinggi Jambu, and the Sultan of Matan who were both travelling. At the longhouse of Bukan Village, the Sultan of Matan first met with a group of Dayak tribal leaders and shortly thereafter, the King of Ulu Are arrived.
After the King of Ulu have arrived, he paid homage to the Sultan of Matan. However, the Sultan of Matan swiftly stepped aside to avoid the homage. At that same instant, a main pillar of the longhouse split in two. Immediately, the Sultan of Matan paid homage to the King of Ulu Are. The Sultan said he was from a junior line and therefore was not proper to receive the homage. If he had not stepped aside, his belly would have been split in two.
The Dutch colonial authorities used the Malay Sultans as their proxies to govern the Dayak groups. The behaviour of the Malays towards the Dayak groups was less than humane. Many Dayak groups were enslaved by the Malay Sultans. Indonesian independence brought an end to the Sultan of Matan and King Ulu Are reign. It also ended the tribute paid by the Dayaks to the Malay Sultans.
Researchers have determined that the two-tiered colonial system has had a traumatizing effect on Malay youth. Before the 1950s the Dayaks changed their names to imitate Java or Batak names. Low self-esteem, usually found among oppressed people, is still reflected in the daily attitudes and behaviour of the West Kalimantan Dayak people.
Bernard Sellato The Kingdom of Ulu Are in Borneo’s History: A Comment in Borneo Research Bulletin vol 30 1999
The following commentary followed the Ulu Are Story
In the 15th century, in the influence of the Indianized Javanese kingdom of Majapahit was becoming important on Borneo’s coast. Some traders from Majapahit established trading networks among the local upriver people. This usually included a marriage between the local and Majapahit traders. This started a dynasty of Indianized Kings in Sukadana.
By 1500, Sukadana became an important part of the Majapahit trade network between the towns of Banjarmasin to the east and Brunei to the west. It also controlled the Kapuas river basin and other smaller river basins. The children of the Sultans established their own petty kingdoms, such as Tayan and Meliau on the Kapuas river.
At the demise of the Majapahit kingdom, Islam reached Sukadana(~1550) and soon thereafter, (~1600) looking for diamonds, the Dutch showed up. By the first quarter of the 17th century, the Sukadana king had converted to Islam and the name of Sukadana was changed to Tanjung Pura. By ~1825 the Tanjong Pura seat was moved to the Ketapang area.
In the hinterlands during the 1600s, remained under Dayak kings but never became Moslems. This Dayak kingdom covered a vast tract of territory on the upper Pawn and Simpang Rivers and probably across the headwaters of the Sekadau rivers. The Kingdom controlled the land route between Sanggau on the Kapuas and Sukadana which was safe from pirates operating in the Kapuas river delta. It became crucial for the gold and diamond trade after Pontianak began to bypass Sanggau.
The Kingdom of Ulu Ark lost its importance after the Dutch intervention, and all trade was directed through Pontianak. Ulu Are became an unimportant backwater, away from the centres of trade. In a sense, Ulu Are may have been the only non-Moslem kingdom.
From:
Dayak Kings Among Malay Sultans by Stephanus Djuweng translated by John C. Ryan in Pontianak 1999 Borneo Research Journal
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