Potential Conflict between the Malay and the Dayak Ethnic Groups in the Hinterland Region of West Kalimantan

Abstract

This research was conducted in two villages in the hinterland region of West Kalimantan. The two villages are separated only by a small stream, and they are inhabited by two different ethnic groups. Seen from the upstream of the river, the left side of the riverbank is where the Dayak lived, while at the right side of the riverbank is where the Malay ethnic resided. The Malay, as Muslims, led their live according to Islamic teaching, while the Dayak is oblivious to their neighbor's Islamic way of life. This in turn had fostered seeds of tensions with a potential for a conflict in the social relation between the two groups. Fortunately, the potential for conflict has not erupted into an open confrontation between them. The objective of this study is to find out the background issues that breed the potency of conflict between these two ethnic groups, the Malay and the Dayak, and why it never erupted into an open confrontation. AbstrakPenelitian ini dilakukan pada dua desa di Pedalaman Kalimantan Barat. Kedua desa tersebut hanya dipisahkan oleh sungai kecil, namun dihuni oleh dua kelompok etnis yang berbeda. Jika dilihat dari arah hulu, sepanjang sisi sungai sebelah kiri dihuni oleh kelompok etnis Dayak, sementara sisi sungai sebelah kanan dihuni oleh kelompok etnis Melayu. Kelompok Melayu hidup dengan cara Islam, dan Dayak tidak mengenal hukum Islam. Hal ini memunculkan ketegangan yang berpotensi konflik dalam hubungan sosial kedua kelompok tersebut. Akan tetapi, potensi konflik tersebut tidak pernah berkembang menjadi konflik terbuka. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui permasalahan apa yang melatarbelakangi kemunculan potensi konflik yang terjadi antara kelompok etnis Melayu dan Dayak, dan mengapa potensi konflik tersebut tidak pernah berkembang menjadi konflik terbuka.

Islam and Traditional Fabrics: Symbolic Da’wah in Sambas Malay Weaving Motifs, West Kalimantan

“…The supremacy of plant motifs is not only influenced by the natural conditions in which the Sambas Malays live but also by the beliefs held by the Sambas Malays to Islamic doctrine. This reality is in line with Alfath's (2015) view that there is a mutual identification relationship between Islam and the cultural identity of Malay society. Departing from Alfath's perspective, the Islamic teachings behind the dominance of plant motifs in Malay Sambas weaving motifs show that the feasibility of culture in Sambas Malay is measured based on Islamic teachings.…”

“…At this level, Islam is a religion adhered to by Malay society and a differentiator between Malays and non-Malays (Collins, 2005;Din, 2011;Junaidi, 2014;Solihin, 2017). The prominence of their Islam is reflected in a famous phrase in Sambas, namely the entry of someone (Dayak and Chinese) into Islam is called Masuk Melayu (entering Malay) or turun Melayu (descending Malay) (Alfath, 2015;Chua, 2007;Mualimin et al, 2018;Mualimin, 2020;Wahab, 2017;Wu, 2015).…”