Dayak Deah Community Holds 'Belian' Ritual in East Kalimantan to Seek Justice

In the Muara Kate Hamlet, Muara Langon Village, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, the Dayak Deah community held the traditional 'Belian Bawo' ritual. This ceremony is performed to offer prayers to ancestors, ward off evil spirits, and seek prosperity and just judgment. Under the night sky, accompanied by the rhythms of drums and gamelan, four bare-chested men danced around a structure adorned with palm leaves. Rohani (56 years old), a central figure in the ritual, is one of the leaders known as 'mulung,' who attempt to communicate with ancestors through this ceremony. He applied a mantra-infused oil called 'lio sagan' to the forehead of each participant, performing a ritual for protection and village purification. The ceremony lasted for three days and concluded at dawn. The Muara Kate Hamlet, once a busy area with truck traffic, was enveloped in silence that night, as residents quietly observed the ritual. They view this traditional ceremony not merely as a religious event, but as a crucial means to strengthen community bonds and pray for stability and a just society. For the Dayak Deah people, the Belian ritual symbolizes harmony with nature, respect for ancestors, and community prosperity. The aspect of seeking just judgment, in particular, can also be seen as reflecting a desire for the rule of law and social justice in contemporary society.