The downstream part of the Mahakam, between the villages of Tenggarong and Long Iram, can be reached easily from the sea. Here you can meet the islamic past of Kaltim as well as the traditional way of life of the Dayak.
Tenggarong, the former capical of the sultanate of Kutai, is the governmental center of the district (
kabupaten) Kutai. The biggest attraction of the city is the Mulawarman Museum, located on the former spot of the royal palace. Interested people can spend a few hours here, it's quite interesting.
The museum was built in 1936, after the nice wooden palace burned down. The neoclassic building was designed by a Dutch architect in a style which has little to do with local traditions, but tells much more about the Dutch thought would fit housing for a rich royalty. At the end of the 19th century the sultan of Kutai was the richest man of the island, especially due to findings of oil and coal in Eastern Borneo.
Palace full with pomp and circumstances
The enormous palace with a view on the Mahakam made a big impression on foreign visitors. The inside was a collection of the best and most luxury products which were available: porcelain from China and Japan, thick carpets from Belguim and a shining iron-wooden floor. W.O. Krohn told about the palace, decorated by the Pander Firm from Amsterdam, as following: "The veranda ends up in the main throne room, an impressive hall of 60 x 120 meters. On a stage are the thrones of the sultan and sultana. The ceiling is decorated with big chandeliers and on the floor are dozens of tiger skins".
Besides the harem and a private jaught, the sultan owned several precious technological objects: an ice-machine, a generator and three cars. The treasury of Tenggarong contained more than 3 milion Guilders in 1924. The almost unlimited generousity of the royalty made the eye-whithess to compare him with the legendaric rich king Croesus of Lyudia: "On the climax of his power, he never displayed his wealth as much as the nowadays sultans".
The Mulawarman Museum
The collection of the Mulawarman Museum is not what it used to be. A big number of nice objects has been replaced to the Museum Nasional in Jakarta. Another part has been given to high political leaders. Still, the museum has several things to offer. An example is the high, nicely decorated Dayak totem (
belawang) near the entrance, with on top a rhinoceros-bird. The museum contains regalia from the former sultan, among that
gamelan-instruments, sacred
kris (knives) and nice pieces of clothing. The objects with beads in the royal sleeping room is very special, as well as the chairs made from deer-horn, with images of mythological animals.
Furthermore interesting things are the oldest known writings in Indonesia. The texts were written in
Pallawan. They tell good about king Mulawarmans generosity during a ritual sacrifice. You should know that the tablets on display are made from paper-mache. The stone originals from the 4th century are in the basement.
The museum contains several examples of Dayak handworks, but best Dayak art is located in a hard-to-find location along the outskirts of the city. There you can also see nice woodcarvings, especially related with the burial-culture of the Benuaq and Tunjung. Behind the garden of the museum is the royal funeral site of the sultans of Kutai. Because islam forbids display of humans and animals, the scene is decorated with flower patterns as well as geometrical patterns and calligraphed quran-texts.
The Mulawarman Museum is opened daily from 10 to 14, but closed on Mondays (as is common in Indonesia). If it is closed during normal times, you can ask for information at the tourist office (office hours) along Jl. Diponegoro 2. A fee will open up the museum for you, also on Mondays.
The beautifull collection porcelain from the former sultan - estimated at US$450,000 in 1910 and inhertited by the museum - can only be seen on Sundays. On other days, the guard can open up for you as long as you pay him to do so. In the main room of the museum, dances can be performed on Sundays. A show can be arranged when paid for, and arranged a few days in advance.
Passenger boats which stop in Tenggarong, will not stop long enough to bring a visit to the museum. Who wants to have a decent look will have to break the trip. With complete packages, a visit is included.
Upstream to Kota Bangun
Several hours past Tenggarong, all boats upstream have a break near the floating slatts of Senoni. The next stop is Muara Enim, once capital of the Hinduist principalty of Mulawarman, and starting pint for trips over the northern and western siderivers.
Again several hours later the city of Kota Bangun, with about 100,000 residents, is reached. This is the point where the downstream part of the river starts. Swampy area, shallow lakes - Semayang, Melintang and Jempang - are brand to this region. Muara Muntai is the regional trade- and communication center.
Via the Sri Bangun Lodge in Kota Bangun, wildlife tours are organized. With a little luck David Boyce - an Australian who fell in love with the area - is in the neighborhoord. He lived here for many years and a book about the history of Kutai. He - or someone else from the Lodge - can bring you a boat for those who want to see fresh water dolphins, nose-apes and birds which live here. Don't think you will actually see them, outside the birds, because they are very shy. The best time for a wildlife tour is the early morning or the late afternoon. The trips have to be appointed. Only when the boat is not already hired it's possible to arrange a tour, or ask the guide for the next leg on the Mahakam River - to Tanjung Isuy - in the form of a wildlife tour.
Tanjung Isuy
On the way to Tanjung Isuy, there is a big chance you will see brightly colored birds, especially early in the morning. On less than one hour by boat from Muara Muntai is the village of Jantur, just before Danau Jempang. River traffic goes through the 'main street' of Jantur, passing the mosque and colorfull wooden houses. From Jantur it's only one and a half hour to Tanjung Isuy, across Danau Jempang.
At your arrival it's possible to arrange a ritual welcome dance by the
camat(head of the district) or
kepala desa (village head). It's not cheap, and payments depend on the number of dancers and dances as well. Tanjung Isuy is the most visited Dayak village and the dances have suffered under that as well, they have lost much of their traditional value. You must not expect a clean ritual ceremony.
Still a visit it worth while, if it were only because of the very nice costumes and ease to photograph them. For those who are not bound for the hinterlands, Tanjung Isuy is the place to go. By the way, even in the hinterlands it's hard to find authentical costumes like this. Above all, all participants of that probably wear western cloths.
Tanjung Isuy is one of the last places on Borneo where fibres are made from trees and plants. The traditional weaving techniques are maintained with an eye on tourism, and are even shown and explained to tourists.
It is possible to spend the night in Tanjung Isuy in a so-called
peninapan (lit. 'place of stay'), like in a longhouse, which is used as communal house by the villagers, since they all have their own house. Visitors who want to spend the night have to report with the police and show their passport (or a vopy). Normally it's nothing more than a formality.
In the neighboring village of Mancong, the longhouse is rebuilt with financial support of the local government. Travellers which turn around after Tanjung Isuy are told to take a look. Who intents to visit the hinterlands, the house is not very special, because somewhere else is another one.
Mancong is nine kilometers from Tanjung Isuy and is to be reached in three hours on foot. It's smart to bring a hat and something to drink on this hot trip. A second possibility is to take a seat at a motor cycle. For a small fee they will bring you to Mancong, over a bad road. Then there also is the
ces, a small, motorized canoo, which takes about three hours for the trip; meanwhile birds and monkeys will certainly distract you from the trip itself.
Through to Melak
The city of Muara Paho lies upstream from Muara Muntai, the location where the Mahakam and Pahu meet eachother. Lastnamed river gives water to the southern Tunjung Plateau. Along this little-travelled water-system are several villages where the kaharingan religion still is practiced. It's possible to make a trip to the Barito with a guide, and to follow that to Banjarmasin in Kalsel.
The next stop after Muara Pahu is Melak. From here, a road leads to Tering. Another number of roads, created for the woodchop, leads south, to the catchment area of the Barito River. Melak has several
penginapan,
losmen (guided from 'logement') and warungs where you can get an easy meal.
On 16 kilometers from Melak is the Kersik Luwai Orchid Reserve. It can be reached by rented jeep or at the back of a motorcycle. About 112 kinds of orchids were already logged here, among them the famous 'black orchid'. The biggest number of them usually flowers in April.
About 18 kilometers inland is Barong Tongkok, the capital of the district with the same name, connected with Melak with an unpaved, but well-maintained road. However the population looks kind of western, many of them still practice the with Dayak traditions funded kaharingantradition. Information about practiced rytes is available at the office of the
camat in Barong Tongkok. The most impressive kaharingan rytes are the funerals, when
karbau are sacrificed. At least as fascinating are weddings, sjamanist seances and rytes related to agriculture. The area has many longhouses, decorated with woodcarvings to protect it from bad spirits. Some funeralsites also have woodcarvings.
Things that are done often in the region is making baskets and ironworks. The ironworkers use a manual machine for heating of iron-scrapnel, which is made into knives, agricultural tools and household products.
Mengimai, Eheng, Papas and Engkuni are traditional villages, which can be reached by jeep or motorcycle from Barong Tongkok and Melak. There is a very primitive
losmen in Barong Tongkok, the Wisma Tamu Anggrek. Staying in a house is also possible, but local policies demands you to ask permission from the
kepala desa. It's only a few Euro's for a nights stay, breakfast included. Special meals are more expensife of course.
From Barong Tongkok its a six hour walk to Tering. Hich-hiking is also possible. Another possibility is travelling back to Melak, where you can take the boat downstream.
