Muruk Mpawan (Gunung)

The Tulou Bulusu Pentian Indigenous Community is part of the Bulusu Dayak Tribe whose ancestors originated from Gong Solok, an area in the Upper Malinau River. Currently, they reside in a settlement located along the Pentian River, which has become an important part of their identity. In Bulusu's mythological beliefs, their ancestors are Yadu (Grandmother) Lawang and Yaki (Grandfather) Bugang, protective deities who reside in Muruk Lingu, a place believed to be akin to heaven, who gave birth to a child named Yaki Ibuk. He was sent down to earth at Dagas Sebengawang with provisions of kencur, a machete, and a white chicken as symbols of strength and life. From Yaki Ibuk, the Bulusu Dayak community was born. However, their journey has not always been peaceful; the threat of headhunting forced them to leave Gong Solok and migrate downstream and to the coast, eventually settling in the Malinau, Tana Tidung, and Sekatak River areas in Bulungan. In each new settlement, they built baloy (longhouses) along the river as centers of life, while continuing their traditions of gardening, hunting, and fishing.

The name Pentian comes from the Pentian River that flows through their settlement. This river is an important identity for the Pentian Indigenous Community, as each baloy is built along the tributaries in the customary area. Each tributary is managed by the community groups living in the baloy, and they rely on nature to meet their daily needs. In addition to gardening and hunting, livestock farming has also become an important part of their lives. Since the time of their ancestors, the Bulusu Pentian community has raised pigs and chickens as their main livestock. However, in 2016, the community began to recognize cattle farming, which provided an additional source of income and became part of their economic development.

The leadership of Bulusu Pentian was initially held by the Village Head, with the first leader being Yaki Yotoi (1874–1896) in Baloy Panagar. Since the enactment of the Village Law in the 1980s, this title has changed to Village Head, coinciding with government programs that centralized communities from scattered baloys to permanent settlements through the construction of affordable housing. Although they now reside permanently, the spirit of togetherness and close relationship with nature is still inherited from their ancestors in Gong Solok.

Muruk Mpawan is an area in the form of a mountain that is protected by the community because it contains water source reserves; furthermore, the rivers within Muruk Mpawan can be utilized for fishing. Muruk Mpawan has been considered important for a long time as it serves as a guardian of the springs that support the community's life. Awareness of this ecological function has led the Bulusu indigenous community to designate the mountain as a prohibited area that must be protected from any form of damage.

Currently, Muruk Mpawan is managed communally by the indigenous community with customary rules that have been passed down orally through generations. These rules are unwritten but are adhered to by all community members. The main principle is to protect the water sources and maintain the sustainability of the forests around the mountain. The applicable customary rules include:

• Prohibition on cutting down trees and clearing land in the forest area.
• Prohibition on damaging the river ecosystem and its surrounding area.

These rules must be obeyed by both the indigenous community and newcomers entering the Muruk Mpawan area; violations will result in penalties in the form of warnings, but if the violations are severe, such as those that could damage the forest ecosystem, a customary court will be held. The outcome of the customary court is the determination of fines in the form of Tempayan/money. The customary court is conducted by gathering at the Baloy Adat, the place for community discussions to determine conflict resolution agreements with customary leaders.

Muruk Mpawan serves as the main source of clean water for the Bulusu Pentian community. Additionally, this area contributes to the biodiversity of the mountain forests. Some important flora found in this area include;

• Owoiria (red rattan)
• Owoijalun (rattan)
• Tagas (ironwood)
• Togolom
• Gaharu
• Ipah
• Lasun
• Kiliu
• Tabar
• Bakag Kelawid (bajakah root)
• Silad

Meanwhile, the fauna living around the area includes;

• Bakas (pig)
• Tambang
• Pelanuk (mouse deer)
• Payau (deer)
• Paus (deer)
• Abang
• Pelaju
• Berangu (fish)
• Pipi
• Sapang
• Kosop
• Tuntul

In Muruk Mpawan, the Bulusu Pentian community has important points that they protect as a form of their guardianship, in the form of a spring called mato timu.

Internally, Muruk Mpawan has long been recognized as part of the customary territory of the Bulusu Pentian community. Its management is under the authority of the customary institution with the Customary Chief as the highest leader, assisted by representatives and other customary officials. All decisions regarding the management of the area are made through deliberations at the Baloy, which serves as the center for community discussions and decision-making.

However, externally, Muruk Mpawan is still classified as APL (Other Use Area). The Bulusu Pentian community is now committed to advocating for the official recognition of Muruk Mpawan as Customary Forest, so that its protection is legally stronger and not threatened by external interests, including company concessions in the surrounding customary area.