TAHURA Sultan Adem Forest Park is a vast conservation area near Banjarmasin in Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia. Aside from wilder and furrier inhabitants, 10,000 human inhabitants have been living on these river banks since the 1800's (at least) - some of them descended from the Keharingan Dayak / Meratus tribes that once ruled the forests and rivers. Here we will be recording their stories for the
next few months. My own history as a North American is repeating itself here as I watch the Muslim children doing imitation of the tribes - much like cowboys and Indians. And from this situation - in the middle of the forest - many themes arise: When daily life is man vs. nature, how can these people conceive of the forest as benevolent and precious? If the people are given rights to use the forest as they please, will it not just become palm oil plantations - in exchange for a quick profit? Animism is in direct conflict with globalization here (a different kind of animism all together, my friend suggests) - though the first step is Javanisation. Some of our colleagues are struggling to steer this all in the right direction.
