Banjar People

The Banjar or Banjarese () are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Banjar regions (notably Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, Banjar Regency, etc.) in the southeastern Kalimantan regions of Indonesia. Nowadays, Banjarese diaspora can be found in neighbouring Banjar regions as well; including Kotabaru Regency, the southeastern regions of Central Kalimantan, southernmost regions of East Kalimantan, and some provinces of Indonesia in general. The Banjarese diaspora community also can be found in neighbouring countries of Indonesia, such as Brunei, Malaysia (notably in Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Johor with significant minorities in Sabah), and Singapore.

Etymology

Etymologically, the word ''Banjar'' is derived from terminology in the Janyawai dialect of Ma'anyan language, which rooted from Old Javanese language. It is initially used to identified the Ma'anyan, Meratus Dayak, and Ngaju people who are already "Javanized" when the Javanese people arrived in the southeastern Kalimantan regions to established their civilization. The term (ꦧꦚ꧀ꦗꦂ) itself in Javanese language is a short form of a verb (ꦩ꧀ꦧꦚ꧀ꦗꦂꦏꦺ), which means "to separate and rearrange" literally. It is 'common knowledge' within the communities of South Kalimantan that the Banjarese people were formerly part of larger Dayak community.

History

Austronesian people migrated to Borneo around 2500 BC. Later circa 400 AD, Sumatran brought their culture to Borneo. This cultural fusion led to the birth of the Upper Banjar language (Bahasa Banjar Hulu). In 520 AD, Sumatran immigrants formed the Buddhist Kingdom of Tanjungpuri in the present-day region of Tanjung, Tabalong.

In 14th century, Empu Jatmika migrating from Keling, Kediri built the Hindu Kingdom of Negara Dipa by the river of Tapin. Which later came to be ruled under Majapahit's Rajasa dynasty. This was the start of the Javanese-style courts in South Kalimantan. This Hindu era in South Kalimantan remained influential period in South Kalimantan's history. Negara Dipa was succeeded by the Hindu Kingdom of Negara Daha in 15th century.

According to history, Prince Samudera, the rightful heir to the kingdom of Negara Daha, was forced to flee the court of because of his uncle's revolt against him. He was accepted by the people of Bandar Masih (Bandar: port, Masih: Malay people). Supported by the Sultanate of Demak in Java, he formed a new Islamic Banjar Kingdom in 1526 with Bandar Masih as its capital. The name of Bandar Masih was later changed to its present name Banjarmasin.

Since the 19th century, migration of the Banjarese people went as far as the east coast of Sumatra and Malaysia. In Malaysia and Singapore, Banjarnese people are classified as part of the Ethnic Malay.

Sub-ethnicities

The Banjar people can be divided into three ethnicities based on the locations of the assimilation between the Malays, the local Dayaks ( Dayak Bukit, Dayak Ma'anyan, Dayak Lawangan, Dayak Ngaju, Dayak Barangas, and Bakumpai), and the Javanese people.

# The Banjarnese Pahuluan, who live in the valleys by the upriver of Meratus mountain ranges.
# The Banjar Batang Banyu, who live in the valleys by the river of Negara.
# The Banjar Kuala, who live in Banjarmasin and Martapura.

Language

The native language of Banjarese people is Banjarese language (; ), it is an Austronesian language of the Malayic branch predominantly spoken in the southeastern Kalimantan regions. The Banjarese language is the lingua franca for various indigenous community especially in South Kalimantan, as well as Central Kalimantan (notably in Seruyan Regency and Sukamara Regency) and East Kalimantan in general.

Sample text

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The following texts are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Banjarese language along with the original declaration in English.

Simple conversation

Here are examples of simple conversation in Banjarese language:

Religion

Most Banjarese are adherents of Islam. Islam first arrived in the South Kalimantan region around the 15th century.

Cuisine

Culture

Generally, Banjar cultural customs are rooted in the Kaharingan religious rituals, which, after mass conversion to Islam, were modified to align with their new faith, Islam.

One example is the ''baayun anak'' tradition, which in the past was a child-blessing ritual for Kaharingan followers involving the recitation of Balian mantras. Today, in the Islamic Banjar tradition, ''baayun anak'' no longer uses Balian mantras but instead involves the recitation of Quranic verses and salawat for the Prophet Muhammad.

The Banjar have a cultural practice of putting infants to sleep in an upright sling made of tied fabric. The practice is called "bapukung."

Banjar House

Banjar house refers to the traditional house of the Banjar people. Traditional Banjar architecture is characterized by symbolic elements, emphasis on the roof, ornamental and decorative designs, the use of ulin wood as the primary building material, and a symmetrical layout.

Banjar traditional houses have distinct styles and carvings that began to develop before 1871 and continued until 1935. Among the various types of Banjar houses, the '' Bubungan Tinggi'' type holds the highest status and is the most well-known, as it was once the residence of the king. Today, ''Bubungan Tinggi'' remains the iconic traditional house of the Banjar people.

Oral traditions

The oral traditions of the Banjar people are significantly influenced by Malay, Arabic, and Chinese cultures. Banjar oral traditions, which later evolved into art forms, began to develop around the 18th century, including ''Madihin'' and ''Lamut''.

''Madihin'' is derived from the Arabic word ''madah'' (ﻤﺪﺡ), meaning praise. It is an anonymous folk poetry form that serves as entertainment, delivered orally or in written form in the Banjar language, adhering to specific physical and mental structures according to the conventions of Banjar folklore in South Kalimantan. Meanwhile, ''Lamut'' is a storytelling tradition that conveys messages and values related to Banjar religion, society, and culture. ''Lamut'' originated in China and was initially performed in the Chinese language. However, after being introduced to the Banjar region by Chinese traders, the language was adapted to the Banjar language.

Folk theatre

The only traditional theatrical art that developed on the island of Kalimantan is ''mamanda''. Mamanda is a traditional theater art originating from South Kalimantan. Compared to other performing arts, Mamanda is more similar to '' lenong'' in terms of the interaction between the actors and the audience. This interaction encourages the audience to actively share funny comments, which helps make the atmosphere more lively.

The difference is that ''lenong'' has evolved with the times, whereas ''mamanda'' tends to follow a monotonous storyline centered around a royal court. In m''amanda'', the characters are fixed, such as the ''Raja, Perdana Menteri, Mangkubumi, Wazir, Panglima Perang, Harapan Pertama , Harapan Kedua, Khadam (Clown/Adjutant), Permaisuri,'' and ''Sandut (Putri)''. These characters must appear in every performance. To keep things fresh, additional characters are often introduced, such as the ''Raja dari Negeri Seberang, Perompak, Jin, Kompeni'', and other supporting characters to enrich the story.

It is believed that the term ''mamanda'' was used because, in the play, the characters such as the ''Wazir,'' ''Menteri,'' and ''Mangkubumi'' are addressed by the ''Raja'' as ''pamanda'' or ''mamanda''. ''Mamanda'' etymologically comes from the word "mama" (''mamarina''), meaning uncle in the Banjar language, and “nda”, which means ''honorable''. Therefore, ''mamanda'' refers to an ''honorable uncle'', a respectful term used for a family member in the kinship system.

Music

One of the traditional music arts of the Banjar people is ''Musik Panting''. This music is called ''panting'' because it is dominated by the instrument known as ''panting'', a type of gambus (lute) that uses strings (panting), hence the name ''musik panting''.

Originally, Musik Panting comes from the Tapin region in South Kalimantan. The ''panting'' itself is a plucked string instrument that resembles the Arabic gambus, but it is smaller in size. In the past, ''musik panting'' was played solo, with only one person performing. As time progressed and musical tastes evolved, it was found that ''musik panting'' could be more captivating when played along with other instruments. Today, it is commonly accompanied by instruments such as the ''babun'' ( gendang), ''agung'' (gong), and ''piul'' (violin), with several musicians performing together. The person who first gave it the name ''musik panting'' was A. Sarbaini. To this day, this music remains a well-known traditional music form originating from South Kalimantan.

In addition, there is another traditional music art of the Banjar people called ''Musik Kentung''. This music originates from the Banjar Regency, specifically from Sungai Alat village in Astambul and Bincau village in Martapura. Today, ''Musik Kentung'' is becoming increasingly rare. In the past, the instruments were used in competitions. These competitions were not only judged by the sound but also involved magical elements, such as whether the opponent’s instrument would break or fail to produce sound during the contest.

Dances

Banjar dance art is divided into two types: dances developed in the royal palace (keraton) and dances developed by the Banjar people.

Palace dance is characterized by the term ''baksa'', derived from the Javanese word ''beksan'', which signifies the refinement of movements in the choreography. These dances have existed for hundreds of years since the Hindu era, but their movements and costumes have been adjusted to fit the present-day context. For example, certain movements considered inappropriate according to Islamic customs have been slightly modified.

Relations with Dayaks

The relationship between the Banjar people and the neighboring Dayaks have always been good. Some Dayaks who had converted to Islam have also assimilated into the Banjar culture and call themselves Banjar. The Dayaks also think of the Banjars as their brothers and sisters. This is further strengthened by the fact there are many inter-marriages between the Banjars and the Dayaks, even among the members of the royalty. For example, Biang Lawai, a wife of a Banjar king, was of Dayak Ngaju ethnicity. This means that the Banjarese kings and queens have Dayak lineage in their blood.

According to Meratus Dayak legends, Banjarese and Meratus are descendants of related brothers of Datung Ayuh or Sandayuhan who was the ancestor of Meratus Dayak, while Bambang Basiwara or Intingan who was the ancestors of Bajarese. In the legends, Sandayuhan is strong and good at fighting, while Intingan has weaker physique but greater intelligence. This relationship grew strong when both ethnicities faced colonization by the Dutch in the 18th century. Some of the warriors involved in Banjar War are of Dayak ethnicity or have Dayak lineage in their blood.

Gallery

File:Peserta Baayun Maulid.jpg, The ''Baayun Anak'' tradition of the Banjar people
File:Kesenian Madihin.jpg, ''Madihin'' Islamic music performance
File:Mamanda Panji Berseri 141109002.jpg, A traditional theater performance called ''Mamanda''
File:Musik Panting.jpg, A Banjar man playing the ''panting'' musical instrument
File:Musik Pengiring Tari Japin Sigam.ogg, Banjarese music accompanies the Japin Sigam dance, which originates from Pulau Laut
File:WikiNusantara 2023, Banjarmasin, 20 Mei 2023 (005).jpg, Three Banjar dancers performing the movements of the Baksa Kembang dance
File:Bingka.jpg, Bingka, a traditional cake of the Banjar people

See also

* Banjar Malaysians
* Banjar Singaporeans
* Banjarese language
* Banjarese architecture
* Banjarmasin
* South Kalimantan

Notelist

References

Further reading

# de Bruyn, W.K.H.F.; (), 19--.
# Broersma, R.;Handel en Bedrijf in Zuiz Oost Borneo, S'Gravenhage, G. Naeff, 1927.
# Eisenberger, J.; Kroniek de Zuider en Ooster Afdeeling van Borneo, Bandjermasin, Drukkerij Lim Hwat Sing, 1936.
# Bondan, A.H.K.; Suluh Sedjarah Kalimantan, Padjar, Banjarmasin, 1953.
# Ras, J.J.; Hikajat Bandjar, A study in Malay Histiography, N.V. de Ned. Boeken, Steen Drukkerij van het H.L. Smits S'Graven hage, 1968.
# Heekeren, C. van.; Helen, Hazen en Honden Zuid Borneo 1942, Den Haag, 1969.
# Riwut, Tjilik; Kalimantan Memanggil, Penerbit Endang, Djakarta.
# Saleh, Idwar; Sejarah Daerah Tematis Zaman Kebangkitan Nasional (1900–1942) di Kalimantan Selatan, Depdikbud, Jakarta, 1986.

External links

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Ethnic groups in Indonesia
Ethnic groups in Malaysia
South Kalimantan
Muslim communities of Indonesia
Ethnic groups in Singapore
Sultanate of Banjar