The Lamin Pepas Eheng Traditional House is the traditional dwelling of the Dayak people in East Kalimantan, particularly the Dayak Benuaq tribe. The Lamin House is a longhouse designed to accommodate several extended families within a single community. The name "Pepas Eheng" comes from Pepas Eheng Village in Kutai Barat Regency, which continues to preserve this traditional house. The Lamin House reflects the Dayak community's lifestyle, emphasizing values of togetherness, mutual cooperation, and harmony with nature. It serves not only as a residence but also as a center for traditional, cultural, and social activities.
Distinctive Features
Structure:
Longhouse Design: The Lamin House can stretch up to 300 meters in length and accommodate up to 100 families, depending on the size of the community. Stilt House: Built on wooden stilts 3 to 5 meters high to protect against floods and wild animals. Materials: Constructed from ulin wood, known for its durability and longevity, with roofs made of palm leaves (nipah), rumbia, or zinc.
Room Layout:
Main Room: Divided into multiple compartments, each serving as living quarters for individual families. Central Area (Hapè): Functions as a communal gathering space, used for deliberations and traditional ceremonies. Front Area: Often used for receiving guests or hosting community social events. Underneath the House: This area is utilized for storing tools, harvested crops, or as shelter for livestock.
Ornaments:
The Lamin House is adorned with traditional Dayak carvings, featuring motifs of flora, fauna, and spiritual symbols. Bright colors such as red, white, yellow, and black dominate the decorations, symbolizing bravery, purity, grandeur, and protection.
Philosophical Meaning
The Lamin House embodies philosophical values integral to Dayak culture:
- Togetherness: The Lamin House represents unity, mutual cooperation, and harmony within the Dayak community.
- Connection with Nature: Its structure and natural materials reflect a harmonious relationship with the environment and respect for nature.
- Spirituality: The carvings and design elements symbolize the Dayak people's spiritual beliefs in ancestors and the natural forces.
- Cultural Identity: The Lamin House serves as a proud symbol of the Dayak people's cultural heritage, carefully preserved over generations.
Functions of the Lamin House in Daily Life
- Residence: Designed to house several extended families within one community.
- Center for Social and Traditional Activities: Used for community deliberations, traditional ceremonies, cultural celebrations, and social gatherings.
- Storage: The area beneath the house serves as storage for tools, crops, and daily necessities.
- Cultural Preservation: The Lamin House symbolizes the enduring cultural traditions of the Dayak people, passed down to future generations.
- Tourist Attraction: The Lamin House has become a cultural tourism icon in East Kalimantan, attracting visitors interested in Dayak traditions and way of life.
