Tana' Ulen Apau Ping

According to oral tradition, all Dayak Kenyah tribes originally lived together in the Apo Da’a highlands between the Iwan and Lurah rivers. As the population grew due to limited agricultural land, the Kenyah tribe began to scatter in different directions, with Kenyah Leppo Ke’ moving from the upper Lurah river (Long Bena, Long Apan) through the mountains to the Beraha river. From there they moved to the Ngiam river (Long Pengayan, Long Lat) and the upper part of the Bahau River (Ka Buang, Apau Ping). Meanwhile, the Nyibun tribe's settlements were usually not far from the Leppo Ke’ settlements. If there was a threat from enemies, they would unite into one settlement. Kenyah Leppo Maut moved upstream Bahau from the Lurah River through the upper Nggeng River and Beraha River.

During the Dutch colonial period, the upper Bahau River area was known as “Tanah Leppo Maut”. The first Dutch expedition to the upper Bahau River was in the early 20th century. At that time, Nyibun was a strong sub-tribe, whereas now it has diminished and mixed with other groups. In the past, trade flows from Upper Bahau tended toward the Sarawak region, which was then colonized by the British. The Sa’ban tribe living in the Berau watershed, a right tributary of the Bahau River, believed that the upper Bahau region was part of Sarawak, as all their livestock were brought from the Baram river in Sarawak. The Sa’ban tribe claims to originate from this area between Upper Bahau and Upper Krayan.

Tana Ulen must not be opened and managed as agricultural land, plantations, and rice fields. Tana’ Ulen is entirely located in the large customary territory of Upper Bahau. In terms of ownership, Tana’Ulen is a customary right in each village with specific regulations to ensure that the area remains protected. The management of Tana’ Ulen is regulated by the customary chief and supported by the village head. The customary institution is regulated by the Great Indigenous Institution of Upper Bahau, which includes the following structure:

• • Great Customary Chief
  • Village Customary Chair

Tana Ulen is important to be protected by the Great Indigenous Community of Upper Bahau because they are highly dependent on forest areas. For them, the forest is a heritage from their ancestors that must be preserved and protected. The forest is a place for shifting cultivation, gardening, harvesting traditional medicinal plants, hunting, fruits, etc. The forest is everything for indigenous people; without the forest, they would suffer because other livelihoods have not yet been developed apart from relying on the forest.

Tana Ulen’ is one of the local wisdoms of the Great Indigenous Community of Upper Bahau related to forest management and natural resource management that has been carried out for generations. With management and regulations that have been applied in a limited and non-exploitative manner, it is hoped that Tana Ulen’ will be an area that is utilized and functioned sustainably so that the descendants of the Great Indigenous Community of Upper Bahau can still enjoy the natural resources available in Tana Ulen.

• Protected Fauna

• • Temengngang / Hornbill
  • Teba’un / Ivory-billed Hornbill
  • Bertalang / Stone Robin
  • Blekotau / Rawa Cicok
  • Manok Elang / Kutilang
  • Payau / Deer
  • Setong / Porcupine
  • Buang / Bear
  • All types of Tiger
  • Lutung / Bangat
  • Wa’wa’ / Kelabet
  • Dok Talun / Shy Malu-malu
  • Aem / Pangolin
  • Atok / Fish

• Protected Building Materials

• • Ulin Wood
  • Bele’en Merang Wood
  • Meranti Kapur
  • Nyelawai
  • Laran Babui’ Rutan Sega’ Rotan
  • Semule

The Great Indigenous Community of Upper Bahau has a legal basis for recognition and protection of customary law communities through Regional Regulation Malinau Number 10 of 2012. The Great Indigenous Community of Upper Bahau has received recognition and protection of rights through the Regent's Decree No. 189.1/k.335/2019—which establishes and recognizes the Dayak Kenyah tribe (Lepo’ Mau’ut, Lepo’ Ke, Uma’ Lung, Lepo’ Ndang, Nyibun), Dayak Sa’ben, and Dayak Punan who inhabit Apau Ping Village, Long Berini Village, Long Kemuat Village, Long Alango Village, Long Tebulo Village, and Long Uli Village in the Bahau Hulu District of Malinau Regency as Customary Law Communities in Malinau Regency. It is also recorded that 70% of the Tana Ulen’ area of Apau Ping Village is included in the Kayan Mentarang National Park area.