Prof. Birute Galdikas has Wedding Party for her son
By: Choirul Fuadi)*
CIDISS – Prof Birute Galdikas and husband, Bohap is familiar for anyone who has visited Tanjung Puting National Park in Kotawaringin Barat regency, Central Kalimantan Province. They are citizen of Canada who has conducted research about Orang Utan in Tanjung Puting National Park since 1970. Then it made them love the nature of Indonesia and local custom also.
Happy news and unique is come from family of them. Their son, Federick has married to Darlene Rabena (27), a lady from Philippines. Even they are not from Dayak race, but their wedding party is done by using Dayak Tomun Kaharingan custom in Village of Pasir Panjang, Arut Selatan district, last Saturday, (23/7/2016).
A thousand of people and 54 guest from family attended in the wedding party which started at 10 am WIB. The wedding party is started by Potong Pantan Adat Kaharingan procession custom. After that it continued with entertainment from Sahaluan studio and performed Pedalaman dance, then bedaun (eat a food special of dayak lomang and penganan).
At 3 pm, the couple who marry is walking from home to public hall custom, which is Rumah Betang Pasir Panjang (Pasir Panjang long house). They were walking surrounding the building for three times before enter to the house.
Birute Galdikas a primatologist said that local custom must be maintenance; in order the custom will not be lost.
The main ceremony in the wedding party is Arakan (telling others people that there someone has married). The ceremony is closed in the night by ikat tongan (tied a bracelet as accepted the bride in family). After that, wedding party continued by enjoys the food and Tuak (fermented palm wine, esp. of sugar or coconut palm).