Dayak Meratus people use traditional traps and spears to hunt food

Dayak Meratus indigenous people in the Meratus Mountains of Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia, use traditional methods to hunt and gather food for their community.

Residents of Desa Juhu, such as Jina, use a system of knots called lampang to catch animals like wild chickens and porcupines. These hunters create rope knots and secure them to sturdy tree branches. The traps tighten automatically when an animal pulls on them, capturing the creature by its head, body, or legs.

To be successful, hunters study the ground and surrounding vegetation to find paths frequently used by local wildlife. They mark these locations to ensure they can find and check the traps regularly. Other community members, including Alliyudin, participate in bagarit, a method of daytime hunting. During these activities, people use traditional weapons like spears or ranju to catch animals directly.

These practices maintain the cultural heritage of the Dayak Meratus people while providing a primary source of protein for the local population.