Talk on Lebbo’s cosmology at Paris EURASEAA 2024 meeting

On July, 8, 2024, Antonio Guerreiro gave a presentation at the “European Roundtable on Southeast Asian Archaeology: Current Research and Perspectives”held at the Institut national d’histoire de l’art in Paris (France). Based on fieldwork in carried out in the Berau region from 2011 to 2014, and revisited in 2018, he addressed Lebbo’s cosmology and shamanism.

Cosmology, burials and social representations among the austronesian Lebbo’ in Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

The peoples of the Karstic range of East Kalimantan comprises several sub-groups, namely the Lebbo’ and Ulun Darat. They affirm that they are the first inhabitants of the inland area and its surroundings, this large region showing a rugged terrain forms a reserve of forest products, especially bird nests. In short, the Lebbo’ people are one section of the former Basap hunters-gatherers – a derogatory exonym made up of combined Malay words – living in the Lesan River basin in Berau who have settled down at the turn of last century (circa 1890-1910). There are about six localized groups belonging to the same ethno-linguistic complex of peoples (Baram Rejang) spread accross Eastern Kutai and Berau Regencies in Kaltim (Guerreiro 2013 ; 2014 ; 2015). The Baram-Rejang speakers are established from coast to coast in Borneo, from Sarawak to East Kalimantan. In the process of settling down, the Lebbo’ (lit. ‘house’) developed the swidden cultivation of padi and other activities, under both Dayak and Malay influence. The Lesan River Lebbo’ had exchanges with their Dayak neighbours as well as the Berau Malays with whom they have traded forest products for a long time in the border areas between the two Sultanates. They had a ritual tradition based on shamanism and it was expressed by the Tuak Harvest Festival besides the Nobèt curing and purification rituals carried out by shamans/adat leaders. However, their cosmology and eschatological beliefs differ sharply from those of the neighbouring Dayak peoples (Kayanic, Kenyahic) as well as former Punan foragers (Punan Kelai). The Lebbo’ traditionally practiced cave burials, however in the second half of the 20^th century they evolved different burial modes. The paper provides an outline of Lebbo’ beliefs, myths and social representations.

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