Kaharingan | |
---|---|
Type | Folk religion • Indonesian folk religion |
Scripture | Panaturan |
Governance | Kaharingan Religious Council (Majelis Agama Kaharingan) |
Region | Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan |
Language | Katingan, Lawangan, Ma'anyan, Ngaju, Ot Danum, and several sub-Dayak language |
Headquarters | Central Kalimantan |
Territory | Kalimantan |
Origin | Central Kalimantan |
Recognition | Officially recognized by Indonesian government |
Members | Katingan, Lawangan, Ma'anyan, Ngaju, Ot Danum, Meratus people, Siang Murung people, and several sub-Dayak people |
Kaharingan is an indigenous monotheistic folk religion of the Dayak people such as Katingan, Lawangan, Ma'anyan, Ngaju, Ot Danum people native to the Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan region in Indonesia.[1]
The word means something like Way of the life, and this belief system includes a concept of many deities and often one supreme deity—although this may be the result of the need to conform to the idea of "One Supreme God" (Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa), which is the first principle of the Indonesian state ideology Pancasila. The influence of Hinduism can also be seen in this religion. Before 2017, the Indonesian government viewed it as a form of Folk Hinduism because the Indonesian government at that time recognized only six official religions, and Kaharingan was not one of them. However, since November 2017, the government started to formally recognize Aliran Kepercayaan, a broadly defined group of native religions which also includes Kaharingan.[1][2]
The main festival of Kaharingan is the Tiwah festival, which lasts for thirty days, and involves the sacrifice of many animals like buffaloes, cows, pigs and chickens, as offerings to the spirits and deities.[3]
The religion has ritual offerings called Yadnya, places of worship called Balai Basarah or Balai Kaharingan and a holy book called Panaturan, Talatah Basarah (group of prayers) and Tawar (a guide to seek God's help by giving rice). Ancestor worship and the belief in many supernatural beings is common.[1][4]