User:Nyanardsan/sandbox/Tumbang Anoi Agreement

Tumbang Anoi Agreement (Indonesian: Perjanjian Tumbang Anoi), sometimes referred as Tumbang Anoi Peacemaking Agreement (Indonesian: Perjanjian Damai Tumbang Anoi) was an agreement between delegations of major Dayak tribes in Dutch Borneo to officially end and outlawing pracitce of headhunting. The agreement was signed on 1894 in the village of Tumbang Anoi, in today's Central Kalimantan. The agreement consist of 96 chapters and was mediated by Dutch colonial officials. The agreement officially ended the practice of headhunting between Dayak tribes and often marked as the birth of modern Dayak political movements. The agreement, while in the past often praised as "dawn of civilization" and credited for uniting Dayak tribes, has mixed or often negative legacy especially among Dayak scholars and intelllectuals in today's Indonesia. Today, it is often seen as a symbol of colonial submission of major Dayak tribes to the Dutch East Indies and insult to Dayaks fighting against European powers. The agreement itself and modern views on it also shaped contrast between Dayak political movements in Indonesia and those of Malaysia.

Background
Dayak is an umbrella term used to describe interior tribes of Borneo. Practice of headhunting in Dayak cultures, refered as Ngayau, has been disputed and often misunderstood. Stereotype of Dayaks as headhunters were popularized by European travellers and explorers such as on a book published in United Kingdom, The Headhunters of Borneo (1881), and Black Borneo (1942). Ngayau as a word come from kayau which means "enemy". The origin of Ngayau itself is disputed, but generally seen as means of self-defense, revenge, and not a spontant act, instead need a deliberation and discussion between members of tribe before commenced. Ngayau is often commenced during inter-tribe conflicts and an important feature to endemic warfare that happened in the interior of the island.

As of early 18th and 19th centuries, European powers have expanded to Indonesian archipelago including the interior of Borneo. Expansion of European colonies as well as Christian missionaries sought to end this practice of headhunting including the Dutch East Indies portion of Borneo. As the result, the colonial government arranged a meeting between Dayak chiefs and delegations from major tribes which would take place on village of Tumbang Anoi between 22 May to 24 June 1894.

Meeting and agreement
The meeting was prepared around three years prior to the agreement due to logistical hurdle and potential frictions between tribe delegations. There were around 600 people of total tribe delegations, which in total made around 1,000 people including other officials and observers in the village attending the meeting. The meeting took place for about three months from 22 May to 24 June 1894. Delegations come from 152 tribes and resulted in 96 chapters, among them is to end practice of Ngayau and ending tribal warfare between Dayak tribes.

Other than ending tribal warfares and practice of headhunting, it also ended semi-nomadic lifestyle of several tribes and standarized tribal laws among various tribes across the region. It is also noted that all Dayak tribes would cease all of its hostilities to Dutch East Indies government and would help the colonial government in maintaning stability on the region.

Impact and legacy
The agreement effectively ended the practice of headhunting, although occasional practice happened during Dayak Desa War, Kalimantan Physical Revolution, and Sampit conflict. The agreement was lauded as "uniting Dayak people" and "dawn of civilization", especially by European officials and missionaries. The agreement was also expected to improve Dayak's lives and helped spread of Christianity among the interior population.

Today, it has mixed legacy especially among Dayak scholars and figures in Kalimantan. Tjilik Riwut, a prominent Dayak figure and Indonesian nationalist wrote that instead of improving Dayak's lives, the agreement made it worse.