Rimba (Hutan Cadangan)

According to mythology, the origins of the Bulusu people come from the sky. In the belief of the Dayak Bulusu, there are figures Jadu (Grandmother) Lawang and Yaki (Grandfather) Bugang, the protective deities who reside in Muruk Lingu (heaven). They gave birth to a child named Yaki Ibo, who was sent down to earth at Dagas Sebengawang (a stretch of stone in Gong Solok, upstream of the Malinau River) using a kelangkang (basket). He was equipped with kencur, a machete, and a white chicken as symbols of strength and life. From Yaki Ibo, the Dayak Bulusu community was born.

Kencur serves as a medium of communication with ancestors, while the white chicken is used as a ward against disease. It is also said that Yaki Ibo was accompanied by a dog he called “kaka,” which is why to this day the Bulusu people do not eat dog meat as it is considered a sibling. In the early days, the Bulusu people were believed to have long lives because Jadu Lawang often brought back the spirits of their deceased. However, when the ancestors tried to play with power by deceiving Jadu Lawang through rituals to revive fish, Jadu Lawang became angry and made an oath: from that moment on, Bulusu humans would experience death like ordinary humans.

In history, the Bulusu community faced the threat of headhunting, which forced them to leave Gong Solok and move to the downstream region. They inhabited Malinau, Tana Tidung, to the Sekatak River in Bulungan. This nomadic lifestyle made them always build baloy adat (longhouses) by the riverbank. This is where the origin of the name Bulusu comes from, which is believed to derive from the word Brus, the name of the river where they first settled.

Around 1925, the Kelemangkis area was led by Bapak Ibo, a respected leader for his bravery and skill in headhunting. After his death, leadership passed to other figures such as Bapak Idong, Bapak Golong, Bapak Inai, and Bapak Yungkar, during the time when Catholicism began to enter through Pastor De Corm OMI (1952). The next generation was led by Bapak Ingi and Bapak Yagal, who moved the settlement to the Pungit area. The government then designated this area as Pungit Village during the New Order era.

Entering the 1980s, the Bulusu Pungit area began to be pressured by company expansions, starting with Kaltim Raya, followed by Sanjung Makmur, and then PT Intracawood (2017), as well as PT Adindo and Inhutani. The presence of these companies changed environmental conditions; floods receded more slowly and river water became murkier compared to previous times. In 2018, electricity entered Pungit Village through assistance from Intracawood, which provided a loan of Rp450 million for installation. Until 2024, the community still bears a remaining debt of Rp200 million. This assistance made the community feel a sense of dependency on the company.

The forest is a reserve or main supply for the local community. This jungle or reserve forest is an area used by the community for hunting and gathering. This area cannot be sold by the community, it can only be borrowed and passed down through a system of inheritance. Within the forest, there are also protected areas such as baloy patoy (graves lined with coffins made of ironwood), baloy ayit, lobong, and mato timug.

The forest area is classified as Production Forest (HP). HP is a production forest area that can be utilized more broadly for economic activities, especially timber production and other forest products. However, even though it is classified as HP, the community still has the right to protect areas believed to belong to them. Some rules and rights of the community that apply in the forest include;

• Utilization is communal and passed down through a system of inheritance
• The community is permitted to process natural food sources found in the forest
• It is prohibited to cut down trees up to about 100 meters in the forest area
• It is prohibited to excessively cut down trees

For the Bulusu Pungit community, nature, forests, rivers, and fields are an inseparable unity. Before the community engages in activities related to the environment, they must perform customary rituals or seek permission from the “inhabitants” or ancestors.

When they are about to gather wood to make boards, they must ask permission from the forest inhabitants (babang tana) so that they can work well and safely.

There are certain types of wood that cannot be cut down for any reason, such as honey trees (honeycomb trees), nunuk (fig trees), etc.

When wanting to open fields in the forest (forest front), they must inform and seek permission from the ulun tuo kampung (village elders).

If there are honey trees, then the area around about 100 meters from the tree is prohibited from being cut down. This is done as a food source for bees and a way to collect honey. The Bulusu Pungit community collects honey from the benggaris tree (menggeris/sialang) by making a natural ladder from various surrounding trees, then the honey will be smoked and collected using owoy (rattan).

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

The forest or Reserve Forest contributes to biodiversity in the mountainous forests, particularly in the Pungit village. Some important flora species found in this area include;

• Kiliw
• Palig (poison dart)
• Owoy (Rattan)
• Garu (agarwood)
• Umbud (punu’)
• Petai (patag),
• Rapiu
• Lasun (a type of wild salak)
• Lempasu (wild tamarind)
• Kuku (cocoa).

Meanwhile, the fauna living around the area includes;

• Bakas (wild boar)
• Pelanuk (mouse deer)
• Bulun (wild chicken)
• Tuwou (peacock).

In the Igom Forest in Pungit Village, there are several important points guarded by the community, including rivers such as Sungoi Iyam, Sungoi Kuwolo, Sungoi Balai, and Sungoi Pata.

There are currently no specific regulations governing the recognition of the Bulusu Pungit Forest or Reserve Forest area. However, the community has a collective commitment regarding the management of the AKKM area by the wider community. This awareness began from the community's initiative to protect their forest areas from companies, promote customary forest areas, and maintain the biodiversity present within the forest area.