Long time ago, there was a giant man named Temueng and his friend named Pengiran who first lived at Kemaloh in Kalimantan, Indonesia. According to legends, these people were believed to be the ancestors of Lun Bawang people. Benedict Sandin in his paper The Bisayah and Indigenous Peoples of Limbang, Sandin recorded the life journey […]
The Krayan Highlands in the Heart of Borneo is an enchanting place located at an altitude between 760 and 1200 meters. Unlike the lowlands of Borneo which is known for its hot and humid climate, this place offers cool weather and chilly winds, especially at night. Located in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, the highlands lie right […]
The legend of how salt springs were discovered in the Krayan Highlands according to the locals Long time ago, the whole area of Krayan Highlands was a thick forest. Then came a man who saw that there were many pigeons (burung punai) in the area. So the man took out his blowpipe and shot one […]
Located at North Kalimantan, Indonesia, Long Bawan is a small town with a small airport which has become the only gateway via air to Krayan Highlands. Looking back on its history, it was one of the combat operations sites between British Commonwealth forces and Indonesian armies during the Indonesian-Malaysian confrontation. The confrontation which started in […]
Salt plays an important role in not just Sarawakian cuisine, but in Borneo overall. Besides seasoning, every community, whether they were Iban, Bidayuh or Kadazandusun, used salt as a means to preserve their food. Here are just five ways how salt was obtained in Borneo back when there were no supermarkets: Salt is such an […]
Tales of the fountain of youth have been recounted across the world for centuries. Supposedly, it is a spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its water. Up on the valley of Krayan Highlands in North Kalimantan, Indonesia, there is a small stream which might be the local equivalent of […]
While in Sarawak we have Batang Kayan river in Lundu, in North Kalimantan they have their own Kayan river too. North Kalimantan borders the Malaysian states of Sabah to the north and Sarawak to the west, and by the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan to the south. Although they both flow on the same island […]
The mystical story of Upai Semaring (spelled as Yuvai Semaring in Indonesia) is unlike other local legends. It transcends international boundaries, from the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, to Long Pa’ Sia in Sabah and even to Brunei. However, his legend started from theKrayan Highlands in North Kalimantan, Indonesia. The legend of Upai Semaring in Krayan […]
Living near the border between Indonesia and Malaysia, the Krayan Highland communities have one famous saying among themselves: “Harimau di perut, Garuda di dada.” It means ‘tiger in my stomach, Garuda in my heart’, with the tiger referring to Malaysia, and the Garuda to Indonesia. Although they are Indonesians by citizenship, they rely heavily on […]
Long time ago, the Egyptian pyramids were built as tombs for the country’s Pharaohs and their consorts. Here in the central region of Borneo in the Krayan Highlands, the ancient Lundayeh community built perupun to bury their dead. Both ancient burial tombs have one thing in common, nobody really knows how exactly they were built. […]
