A Description of Dayak Iban’s Traditional Knowledge on Customary Forest Management in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Deforestation and land tenure conflict are two of the biggest threats happening in Borneo and Kalimantan. Dayak Iban has been affected by the negative impacts of these threats, considering they are forest dwellers dependent on forest resources as their primary living resources. This study is aimed to describe the traditional knowledge and customary law of the Iban people on managing their customary forest and its resources sustainably. This study was carried out in Sungai Utik Hamlet, where a small Iban community inhabits the Kapuas Hulu Regency with diverse ecosystems and forest resources. This study has applied an inductive approach and in-depth interviews to obtain information from three informants and the results were described qualitatively. The Iban community in Sungai Utik is demonstrated to have customary laws on managing customary forests and practicing swidden cultivation to meet their food needs. The community has a way to pass the traditional knowledge to the next generations through traditional schools. Through preserving traditional knowledge, the Iban community proved to be able to survive and adapt in this modern era. The implementation and integration of traditional and modern forest management would protect the forest from threats and improve the community’s well-being significantly.