The Banjarese (, Jawi script: çÃÂñàèÃÂìñ; ) or simply Banjar, are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Banjar regions (notably Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, Banjar Regency, etc.) in the southeastern Kalimantan regions of Indonesia. Nowadays, Banjarese diaspora can be found in neighbouring Banjar regions as well; including Kotabaru Regency, the southeastern regions of Central Kalimantan, southernmost regions of East Kalimantan, and some provinces of Indonesia in general. The Banjarese diaspora community also can be found in neighbouring countries of Indonesia, such as Brunei, Malaysia (notably in Perak, Selangor, Kedah, and Johor, with significant minorities in Sabah), and Singapore.
The word Banjar is believed to have originated from the word Banjarmasih, which was once a village for Malay ethnic groups located at the mouth of the Kuwin River, a tributary of the Barito River. Banjar carries the meaning of "village" while Masih is the name of a Malay tribal chief or PatihâÂÂthe Ngaju Dayak people refer to this Malay tribal chief of "Patih Masih" as "Oloh Masih". Another version states that the word means "rows", which turns into a row of houses, villages, hamlets, or water villages along the South Kalimantan riverbank. The word Banjarmasih gradually changed to its current pronunciation of Bandjermasin (Banjarmasin) due to the Dutch pronunciation. Based on the Malay-English dictionary written by British colonial administrator and historian Richard James Wilkinson in 1908, banjar carries the meaning of row, which is also an Old Javanese language. The word is also derived from terminology in the Janyawai dialect of the Ma'anyan language, which is also rooted in Old Javanese. It is initially used to identified the Ma'anyan, Meratus Dayak, and Ngaju people who are already "Javanised" when the Javanese people arrived in the southeastern Kalimantan regions to establish their civilisation. The term (ꦧê¦Âê§Âê¦Âê¦Â) itself in Javanese language is a short form of a verb (ꦩê§Âꦧê¦Âê§Âê¦Âê¦Âê¦Âꦺ), which means "to separate and rearrange" literally. It is 'common knowledge' within the communities of South Kalimantan that the Banjarese people were formerly part of larger Dayak community.
Around 2500 BC, the Austronesian people began to migrate into Borneo from an area in South China through Taiwan and the Philippines archipelago. Later, in 400 AD, the Indianised cultural influences, rather than a direct mass migration solely from Sumatra, were spread to Borneo, as evidenced by the Yà «pa inscriptions found in Kutai, East Kalimantan. In 520 AD, Sumatran immigrants further formed the Buddhist Kingdom of Tanjungpuri in the present-day region of Tanjung, Tabalong. This cultural fusion led to the birth of the Upper Banjar language (Bahasa Banjar Hulu). The what would be known as the Banjar people have inhabited several areas in Central and East Kalimantan since ancient times, particularly the lowlands and downstream areas of the region's rivers. This ethnic group are made up of the Bukit, Ma'anyan, Lawangan, and Ngaju tribes, which are heavily influenced by Malay and Javanese, which resulted in the Banjar people's origins as a mixture of several tribes, with Dayak becoming the dominant group.
In the 14th century, Empu Jatmika migrating from Keling, Kediri built the Hindu Kingdom of Negara Dipa by the river of Tapin. It later came to be ruled under Majapahit's Rajasa dynasty and became the start of the Javanese-style courts in South Kalimantan. This Hindu era in South Kalimantan remained influential period in South Kalimantan's history with Negara Dipa was succeeded by the Hindu Kingdom of Negara Daha in the 15th century. According to history, Prince Samudera, the rightful heir to the kingdom of Negara Daha, was forced to flee the court of because of his uncle's, Prince Tumenggung revolt against him. He was then accepted by the people of Bandar Masih (Bandar: port; Masih: Malay people) in 1525. Supported by the Sultanate of Demak in Java, he formed a new Islamic kingdom for the Banjar in 1526 with Bandar Masih as its capital. The conversion of the Banjar Kingdom into the Sultanate of Banjar was led by himself, who later became Sultan Surianshah of Banjar after embracing Islam following successful military assistance from the Sultanate of Demak to defeat his rival uncle. The conversion was a precondition given by the Demak Sultanate when Sultan Surianshah sought help in the battle against Prince Tumenggung.
The story of the early Banjarese kingdom is featured on the Hikayat Banjar (Tale of the Banjar), beginning from the 16th century, which underwent strong Javanese influence. In 1687, a Theatine missionary named was commissioned by Pope Innocent XI to preach Christianity in Borneo. On 16 January 1688, Ventimiglia arrived in Bandar Masih from Portuguese Macau after the Portuguese were given permission by Sultan (Sultan Adipati Anom) to bring a pastor and given land as part of their trade relations agreement. However, the Portuguese missionaries' journey to the island was not smooth since the first attempt by the missionaries into the interior jungles of Borneo to preach the Gospel among the indigenous pagan Dayaks resulted in the killings of several missionaries, with the British having received the same fate earlier in 1707.
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) had their presence since 1603, occasionally trading with the Banjarese until hostility grew against Dutch shipping. Several further expeditions were sent by the Dutch in 1606 and 1612 to conquer the sultanate, although this did not become fruitful. Following the death of Sultan Hamidullah (Sultan Kuning) in 1734 and the subsequent power struggle among the Banjarese, conflict with the Dutch escalated into the Banjarmasin War, which resulted in subsequent Dutch rule in the South Kalimantan region. The name of Bandar Masih was later changed to its present name of Bandjermasin (Banjarmasin) throughout the Dutch colonial rule. Since the 19th century, coupled with labour migration agreements for economical purposes throughout colonial rule between the Dutch and the British, migration of the Banjarese people went as far as the east coast of Sumatra and Malaysia. In Malaysia and Singapore, Banjarese people are classified as part of the ethnic Malays. The Banjarese in Singapore mostly reside within Kampong Glam, which is the melting pot between other ethnic groups, and they were categorised as part of the Malay Singaporeans. Based on the latest research and genetic studies in 2016, the Banjar are found to be the close ancestors of both the Malagasy of Madagascar and Comorians of the Comoros islands within southeast Africa.
The Banjar people can be divided into three ethnicities based on the locations of the assimilation between the Malays, the local Dayaks (Dayak Bukit, Dayak Ma'anyan, Dayak Lawangan, Dayak Ngaju, Dayak Barangas, and Bakumpai), and the Javanese people.
Banjar culture features a mixture of indigenous Dayak, Malay, and Javanese as well as influence from traders of Arab, Persian, Indian, and Chinese culture since the Banjar tribe itself comes from a mixture of several tribes. Banjar people really value good manners, respect for others, and maintaining good relationships between different kinds, such as the custom of accepting food or drink offered, which is a sign of respect for the giver, where these customs are rooted in their traditional beliefs on kapuhunan/kepuhunan (luck/fate). Their cultural customs are also rooted in the Kaharingan religious rituals, which, after mass conversion to Islam, following the establishment of the Sultanate of Banjar, were modified to align with their new faith of Sunni Islam. Since their conversion, the Banjar people's culture also has great respect for religious people wherein in the Banjar society not all their Islamic religious leaders have the authority to wear the turban. Their community have certain greetings among family members and respective individuals which are part of their custom of respecting others that are preserved and maintained to this day.
Within Malaysia, the Banjar ethnic group is one of the tribes found within the Malay community since their migration to the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, although their community presence is less known than their Javanese counterpart. Their cultural customs are preserved by a non-governmental organisation, namely the Malaysian Banjar Association, which provides information about Banjar customs and has become the gathering place for Banjar communities throughout Malaysia. Among the Banjarese in Indonesia as well as Malaysia, the tradition of baayun anak (swaddling/swinging child) was a child-blessing ritual for Kaharingan followers involving the recitation of balian mantras. In present-day Banjar society, the baayun anak no longer uses balian mantras but instead involves the recitation of Quranic verses and salawat for the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The Banjar have a traditional cultural practice of putting infants to sleep in an upright sling made of tied fabric with such practice is called "bapukung". This tradition from the Banjar has experienced diffusion outside their ethnicity but remains alive and thriving within the Banjar overseas community, which has lived for generations in areas outside their native homeland.
The oral traditions of the Banjar people are influenced by Malay, Arabic, and Chinese cultures. Banjar oral traditions, which later evolved into art forms, began to develop around the 18th century, consisting of ' and '. Madihin is derived from the Arabic word () and carries the meaning of "praise". It is a form of mouth-to-mouth expression, the result of oral culture in traditional societies, the content of which can be compared to written literature in modern society that serves as entertainment, delivered orally in the Banjar language, adhering to specific physical and mental structures according to the conventions of Banjar folklore in South Kalimantan. The madihin had existed since the end of the 18th century until the 19th century, when Sheikh , a Sunni Shafi'i cleric and royal member of the Banjar Sultanate, returned to the Banjar homeland after studying in the Islamic holy land of Mecca. Meanwhile, Lamut is a storytelling tradition that conveys messages and values related to Banjar religion, society, and culture where it originated in China and was initially performed in the Chinese language before being adapted into the Banjar language when it was introduced to the Banjarese by Chinese traders.
The only traditional theatrical art that developed on the island of Kalimantan is ', which is a traditional theatre art developed in South Kalimantan with Malay origin. Compared to other performing arts, it is more similar to lenong of Betawi in terms of the interaction between the actors and the audience, although mamanda is usually performed in an arena, while lenong is not, with tables and chairs more commonly used as important properties. This interaction encourages the audience to actively share funny comments, which helps make the atmosphere more lively. The difference is that lenong has evolved with the times, whereas mamanda tends to follow a monotonous storyline centred around a royal court.
In mamanda, the characters are fixed, such as the Raja (king), Perdana Menteri (prime minister), Mangkubumi (vizier), Wazir (high-ranking official), Panglima Perang (warlord), Harapan Pertama (first adviser), Harapan Kedua (second adviser), Khadam (clown/adjutant), Permaisuri (queen), and Sandut (princess) where all the characters must appear in every performance. The performers' dress uses the common dress by the society at the time, although Western fashion also influenced the fashion and makeup styles. Additional characters are often introduced, such as the Raja dari Negeri Seberang, Perompak, Jin, Kompeni, and other supporting characters to enrich the story. It is believed that the term mamanda was used because, in the play, the characters such as the Wazir, Menteri, and Mangkubumi are addressed by the Raja as pamanda or mamanda. Mamanda etymologically comes from the word "mama" (mamarina), meaning uncle in the Banjar language, and "nda", which means "honourable". Therefore, mamanda refers to an "honourable uncle", a respectful term used for a family member in the kinship system.
The Banjarese were also known for their unique ' (Banjarese leather puppet shadow theatre), a syncretic Hindu-Buddhist-Animist musical theatre form accompanied by gamelan music from Java with a blend of Javanese structural influences with distinct local Banjarese stories, characters, and language which has been around since the 14th century. It serves as both entertainment and a moral guide, often performed at weddings and traditional ceremonies and to fulfil vows. The form of Banjar shadow puppets is generally smaller than their Javanese counterpart, with the material used in the making usually from cow's or goat's hide. Various initiatives are being conducted by the South Kalimantan Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud) through the South Kalimantan Cultural Park on the preservation of Banjarese leather puppet shadow theatre, especially by attracting the interests of the younger Banjarese generation.
Banjar dance art is divided into two types, the first involving dances developed in the royal palace (keraton) and dances developed by the Banjar people. Palace dance is characterised by the term "baksa", derived from the Javanese word "beksan", which signifies the refinement of movements in the choreography where it is performed within the Banjarese kingdom to welcome honoured guests and the royal family. These dances have existed for hundreds of years since the Hindu era, but their movements and costumes have been adjusted to fit the present-day context. For example, certain movements considered inappropriate according to Islamic customs have been slightly modified. The dance which is known as baksa kembang was not only a traditional dance but also the symbol of hospitality and refined manners of the people of South Kalimantan, where it further gave rise to several versions, such as lagureh, tapung tali, kijik, and jumanang. In present days, the dance is occasionally performed in public events such as weddings and has become a folk dance for the Banjars.
The Radap Rahayu is a ritual dance performed by the Banjar ethnic group, especially in the Gambut District, Banjar Regency which is used for the ethnic traditional rituals, such as weddings, bathing, and the erection of new buildings.
One of the traditional music arts of the Banjar people is ', which is dominated by a chordophone musical instrument derived from the Dayak kecapi (zither) and later influenced by the Malay gambus (resembles the Arabic qanbà «s, although smaller in size), with the instrument being called panting. The music originated from the Tapin region in South Kalimantan. In the past, it was played solo with only one person performing but as time progressed and musical tastes evolved, it was found that the music could be more captivating when played along with other instruments, and it is now commonly accompanied by other musical instruments such as the babun (gendang), agung (gong), and piul (violin), with several musicians performing together. The person who first gave it the name musik panting was A.W. Syarbaini, and until the present, the music remains a well-known traditional music form originating from the region and has become an inseparable part of the Banjarese cultural identity.
Another traditional music art of the Banjar people is called ' which originates from the Banjar Regency, specifically from Sungai Alat village in Astambul and Bincau village in Martapura. This form of musical art is, however, becoming increasingly rare due to modernisation, and in the past, it was especially played for rituals asking for rain. The musical art was also used in competitions in the past, with the result not only judged by the sound but also involving magical elements, such as whether the opponent's instrument would break or fail to produce sound during the contest.
The early ancestors of the present-day Banjar ethnic group followed either Buddhism or Hinduism. Since the Islamisation of the Banjarese kingdom in the 16th century, the majority of Banjarese are adherents of Islam, despite a minority of Banjarese also following Christianity.
Banjar house refers to the traditional house of the Banjar people. Traditional Banjar architecture is characterised by symbolic elements, emphasis on the roof, ornamental and decorative designs, the use of ulin wood as the primary building material, and a symmetrical layout.
Banjar traditional houses have distinct styles and carvings that began to develop before 1871 and continued until 1935. Among the various types of Banjar houses, the Bubungan Tinggi type holds the highest status and is the most well-known, as it was once the residence of the king. Today, Bubungan Tinggi remains the iconic traditional house of the Banjar people.
The native language of Banjarese people is Banjarese language (; ), it is an Austronesian language of the Malayic branch predominantly spoken in the southeastern Kalimantan regions. The Banjarese language is the lingua franca for various indigenous community especially in South Kalimantan, as well as Central Kalimantan (notably in Seruyan Regency and Sukamara Regency) and East Kalimantan in general.
The language of the Banjar people in Kutai of East Kalimantan is said to share more than 90% of the vocabulary with the Brunei Malay/Kedayan languages of northern Borneo, with the Banjarese separated from both the Brunei Malay and Kedayan for 400 years with similar adherence to Islam. Both the Kedayans and the Banjarese are related, to a certain extent, because of the similarities in their languages. The vocabulary of the Malagasy language also largely originated from the Ma'anyan, of whom 90% are found to be closely related, and from whom the Banjar are also descended.
The following texts are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Banjarese language along with the original declaration in English:
The relationship between the Banjar people and the indigenous Dayaks are closely related. Some Dayaks who had converted to Islam or migrated to coastal areas without converting their religion have also assimilated into the Banjar culture and call themselves Banjar. Both the Banjars and the Dayaks also think of themselves as brothers and sisters, despite the fact that the Dayaks are majority Christians while the Banjars are mostly Muslims. This is further strengthened by the fact there are many intermarriages between the Banjars and the Dayaks, even among the members of the royalty. For example, Biang Lawai, a wife of a Banjar king, was of Dayak Ngaju ethnicity, which subsequently resulted in some Banjarese kings and queens having Dayak lineage in their blood.
Based on the Meratus Dayak legends, Meratus and Banjarese are descendants of related brothers of Datung Ayuh or Sandayuhan, who was the ancestor of the Meratus Dayak, and Bambang Basiwara or Intingan, who was the ancestor of the Banjarese. In the legends, Sandayuhan is strong and good at fighting, while Intingan has a weaker physique but greater intelligence. Through the close relationship, this also reflects the recognition of Banjar authority among the Meratus Dayaks. This relationship grew strong when both ethnicities were affected by some policies throughout the colonisation by the Dutch in the 18th century. Some of the warriors involved in the Banjar War are of Dayak ethnicity or have Dayak lineage in their blood, with many of the Dayaks who adhere to Kaharingan (animism) siding with the Banjarese, although other Christian Dayaks also sided with the Dutch.