2 TRIBES IN BANJARMASIN THAT EXTERMINATED
By: Hamly Hadi
(History Observer)
1. Malay Tribe
In 1511, when the Kingdom of Malacca was attacked by the Portuguese, Malays in Malacca fled to various regions to save themselves. Some went to Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Pattani, Perak, Riau and the Riau Islands, to the east coast of North Sumatra, to West Kalimantan, and a few went to the city of Banjarmasin to trade at the port of Bandarmasih.
In the Hikayat Banjar, the Malays in Banjarmasin are referred to as traders. They traded at the port of Bandarmasih alongside the Javanese, Bugis, Mangkasans, Arabs, and Chinese. The Malays in Banjarmasin established villages called Kampung Melayu. However, the fate of the Malays in Banjarmasin was to become extinct.
Unlike Malays in other regions, such as West Kalimantan, Riau, the Riau Islands, the East Coast of North Sumatra, Terengganu, Kelantan, Pattani, Kedah, and Perak, where the Malays influenced the local population, resulting in the Malays speaking Malay and adopting Malay culture. In Banjarmasin, the opposite is true: the Malays were influenced by the Banjarese, resulting in the Malays in the Malay villages speaking Banjarese and adopting Banjarese culture.
Unlike Arabs and Chinese, they still exist in Banjarmasin. Although they now speak Banjarese, their physical appearance is different, so they have not become extinct like the Malays.
2. Berangas Tribe
(Note: This tribe has lost its original identity and is on the verge of extinction).
The Berangas Tribe, also often referred to as the Alalak people, is a sub-tribe of the Ngaju ethnic group. They are Muslim and inhabit the lower reaches of the Barito River, centered in East Berangas, Kab. Barito Kuala, South Kalimantan Province.
The Barangas people are Biaju, similar to the Bakumpai. The difference is that the Bakumpai have maintained their native language, which is derived from the Biaju language.
The Barangas people are a Biaju group inhabiting Banjarmasin City and Barito Kuala Regency. This group lives downstream from the Bakumpai, separated by the Alalak River. Barangas communities are located in Alalak, Balandean, Tabunganen, and Sungai Teras.
The Barangas language is related to the Bakumpai language, with approximately 75 percent similarity. They inherited vocabulary from their parent language, the Ngaju Dayak language.
Today, it is very difficult to find Dayak identity within the Barangas group, as their language is nearly extinct, and the Barangas people have merged into the Banjar Kuala language.
In reality, the Barangas people speak the Barangas language, better known as Halalak, which shares characteristics with the Dayak Bakumpai language. Native Berangas speakers are believed to be extinct due to the ongoing Banjarization process (amalgamation with one of the Banjar sub-tribes, the Banjar Kuala, a Banjar people who live around Banjarmasin).
Berangas is spoken by people who are believed to have originated from the Dutch, making it closely related to Bakumpai. However, in practice, Barangas speakers can still be found in Berangas Dayak villages.
However, this language has significantly absorbed Banjarese. Therefore, the Berangas Dayak language today is a mixture of Berangas Dayak and Banjar Kuala, but its Dayak structure remains strongly audible. Areas where Berangas speakers are thought to still be present include:
– Berangas
– Belandean (Ujung Panti)
– Tabunganen
– Sungai Teras
– Sungai Tandipah
– Jelapat
– Sungai Puduk
– Sungai Takuluk
– Aluh Aluh.
In the past, they were even found in Mendawai, South Arut, West Kotawaringin, and Mendawai, Katingan, and the Seruyan River.
It seems the Berangas Dayak are experiencing the same fate as the Abal Dayak, losing their original Dayak identity. They are unable to maintain their own customs, culture, and language. The minority Berangas Dayak culture is being squeezed by the majority culture of the Banjar Kuala people, leading to their extinction and being replaced by the culture, customs, and language of the Banjar Kuala people.
In addition to the Abal and Baraki Dayak in South Kalimantan, the Sinayukng (Bakati’ Sinayukng) Dayak in Sambas (West Kalimantan) also suffered the same fate as the Barangas Dayak in South Kalimantan.
The Sinayunkng Dayak in West Kalimantan also largely accepted Islam and became Malay (Sambas Tribe). A small minority who did not accept Islam assimilated and blended with the Bakati’ Rara Dayak in Seluas (Bengkayang, West Kalimantan).
This is the fate of the Berangas Dayak, as well as that of neighboring tribes like the Abal and Baraki Dayak. Their original identity has been lost.**
Banjarmasin, January 1, 2026
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