A Dayak Kitchen: Local Farming, Chickens, Pineapples, and Corn

The Dayak village of Pasir Panjang in Central Borneo is a hubbub of activity. If villagers aren’t working formal jobs, they will often be tending to chickens, growing vegetables in their back garden, or looking for wild fruits in the surrounding forest. Mr Henson, who works at the OFI Care Center and Quarantine in Pasir Panjang, is no exception. Every day after work, Mr Henson drives to his little chicken farm to feed and clean approximately 300 chickens. Carrying a lanjung packed with cassava roots on his back (lanjung is the Dayak name for a basket carried around the head with a rope), Mr Henson certainly looks the part of a Dayak horticulturist as he heads towards a quaint, wooden enclosure which houses his ayam kampong, or village chickens. We head inside. The verdant enclosure is rich with palms, buckling cempedak (a type of jackfruit) trees, and pineapple plants, bursting with fat fruits. Mr Henson wastes little time, and calls the chickens with a soft cooing sound, before cutting the cassava roots with a parang (the Dayak version of a machete). Tiny flecks of white cassava spray into the air and as they hit the ground, the chickens flock at high speed to peck the food and each other. Cassava is useful in chicken farming; even the enclosure is made from wood of the cassava tree.

The lanjung (basket) is normally used to carry rice, but Mr Henson uses it to carry pineapples and cassava roots. Lanjung baskets are also commonly used in traditional ceremonies. Lanjungs are sometimes filled with rice and put into a river overnight, then in the morning the rice is ground to make rice flour for sweets (penganan in Dayak) for traditional ceremonies such as weddings.

This species of chicken is known as ayam lokal (Indonesian), or manuk lalang (Dayak), which translates simply to “local chicken.” These chickens are kept for eggs, but are also occasionally sold for meat. One kilogram of chickens can cost up to 30,000 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) (approximately 3.50 US dollars), and locals will often buy 10 or 20 kilos at a time. However, Mr Henson and his family also keep a large quantity of boiler chickens which are kept in larger, roofed enclosures. Boiler chickens are only bred for meat and one kilogram costs approximately 20,000 IDR. This kind of chicken is usually bought in bulk, up to 200 or 300 kilos at a time, by people in the city for consumption and/or re-sale.

We leave the idyllic enclosure to visit Mr. Hensen’s pineapple field but my attention is suddenly drawn by a pack of growling dogs that seem unsure about my presence at the farm. One in particular gets very close and snarls menacingly. I use my bag as a shield around my legs and the dog eventually leaves after Mr Henson issues some warnings. Yet these dogs are important for a farm. The enclosure for Mr Henson’s village chickens doesn’t have a roof and there are many snakes and musang (civet cats) in the surrounding forest. The dogs provide protection against these chicken predators, as well as against any person with dishonest intentions. As we walk towards the pineapples, we pass chicken manure, drying in the sun. It is an old tradition to dry the manure in order to remove any bad odors; it is then stored in sacks and sold for around 20,000 IDR per sack. The manure is sold to people who use it to fertilize their vegetable gardens.

Two of many dogs, playing at the farm

When we eventually reach the pineapple field, I’m surprised; it wasn’t what I expected. Instead of being a mono-cultural, non-diverse plantation, it’s full of life. Tall trees tower over the pineapple plants, shrubs grow in between. The air buzzes with insects and life. This is how farming should be. Embracing the native wildlife and plants, rather than trying to control or eradicate them. Mr Henson and his family never use pesticides on their produce; they believe that insects are an important part of the agricultural process for pollination. Mr Henson does admit that there are also plenty of “bad” insects which can eat his plants. From time to time, any foliage surrounding the pineapples will be cut back by Mr Henson’s father, Pak Awak, to allow more light to reach the plants. Ripe pineapples are usually collected once a week and large ones can sell for 5,000 IDR, smaller ones for 3,000 IDR.

Pak Awak, Mr Henson’s father is cutting down grass to open up the area for more pineapples. The grass he is cutting is called sendaas (Dayak) and this grass is popularly used to weave baskets and mats. Pak Awak is holding a parang (Dayak), a type of machete. The pineapple plant can be seen in the foreground on the right.

Top view of a pineapple fruit: almost ripe and ready to be picked

As we leave, Mr Henson remembers that he needs to check his corn field. We pass through a small area of forest which is being logged by the people who own this stretch of land. Deforestation is the source of many conflicts between people and nature. As Kalimantan’s population increases, there is insurmountable pressure to convert forested land to agricultural land, plantations, or perhaps to clear space in which to build houses. Mr Henson explains that the trees cut down here will probably be sold as plywood for construction. Often the land is logged and the wood is sold before crops such as palm oil are grown. Sadly, palm oil is a growing presence in Pasir Panjang, as small, private plantations are beginning to appear around the village. Another common way of clearing the land is slash and burn, by using fire to burn down the foliage; sometimes the charcoal will then be collected and sold. Many palm oil companies have been accused of using this method to illegally clear land. We finally arrive at Mr Henson’s corn field. Corn (jagung in Indonesian and Dayak) can reach 3,500 IDR for one kilo. The corn is also considered a good chicken feed.

Small-scale logging to provide wood for construction and/ or firewood. The cut planks can be seen in the far right on the ground and also at the back.

Sadly, nearby farms have used the slash and burn method to clear the land of forest, evidenced by the burned tree stumps that can be seen poking out of the ground.

This day has been an interesting and informative one. I feel as if I’ve delved into a hidden world, a secret garden, full of food. This small-scale, farming lifestyle seems idyllic; however, it requires dedication and hard work. Yet there is something very appealing about producing your own food and then eating outdoors. For the local Dayak people of Pasir Panjang, small-scale farming is a way to improve their standard of living, to enrich their diets, and to provide tranquility. It gets people outside, into nature. In many small farms, like Mr Henson’s, nature and farming seem to go hand-in-hand.

A secret garden: The idyllic chicken coop, made from cassava wood, and surrounded by palms.

Unyuk, IMAX star from Camp Leakey

You may have already met adult female Unyuk, and her infant Ursula. They briefly feature in the recent film Born to be Wild IMAX 3D which was partially filmed at Camp Leakey, Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Borneo. A historic but still active research and conservation site, Camp Leakey is where Dr Biruté Mary Galdikas and OFI (Orangutan Foundation International) rangers have been conducting wild orangutan research for the last forty years. In fact, Unyuk is one of the original orangutans that Dr Galdikas raised and released into the adjacent forest during the early years when Camp Leakey still functioned as a release site. Although a middle-aged female, Unyuk has a young infant, Ursula. Unyuak and Ursula are briefly featured in the IMAX film when Unyuk returns to Dr. Galdikas’ house at Camp Leakey and eyes the cup of coffee that the good doctor is drinking.

Unyuk consumes fruit in the forest while Ursula watches

Unyuk is a supermom. Or superaunt! Not only is she nursing Ursula but she also allows young adolescent Percy to follow her and interact closely with her. This little unit of three orangutans is unusual; Unyuk enjoys mothering older immatures, such as Percy, who are no longer nurtured by their birth mothers. Yet, Unyuk is a role-model with a difference. She observes and imitates the rangers around her to develop ways of supplementing her family’s jungle diet with food sourced within the camp.

In Borneo, orangutan mothers encourage their grown up offspring to leave the family unit and seek independence, beginning from six to eight years of age. By age ten orangutans are considered adolescents and Percy falls into this bracket. Adolescence is the most active stage of an orangutan’s life in terms of socialization. By observing and interacting with other individuals, adolescents learn about the subtleties of orangutan behavior and become better prepared for adult life. Unyuk seems to enjoy supporting these fledgling juveniles and adolescents as they venture into the world on their own. In the past she has “looked after” Siswi’s then-juvenile, Sampson, and now she enjoys aunting Princess’s son Percy.

Unyuk relaxes in Camp Leakey.

Percy has chosen his new mentor wisely. Like Percy’s own mother Princess, Unyuk is one of the most intelligent individuals at the camp and uses this intelligence to find extra food. As the world’s largest arboreal mammals, orangutans find travel energetically costly. Thus, they must spend much time foraging for food. However, some orangutans have developed other ways of sourcing food: by carefully observing and learning by imitation. Some orangutans have even been seen imitating local fishermen in Borneo. Imitative behavior is recorded in all great apes and is considered to be a sign of intelligence. Here are a few of Unyuk’s techniques for obtaining extra food which she, presumably, developed by observing and imitating the rangers in Camp Leakey.

One morning the rangers awoke to find their kitchen ransacked and devoid of potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes. The culprit, long gone, must have used a key, since the kitchen door had been locked in the evening. Only two orangutans are capable of opening the locked door, Princess and Unyuk. Both have been seen observing the rangers as they hang up the key, waiting for an opportune moment to take it. Yet on this particular occasion, the rangers assumed it was Unyuk since she was in the area that day and was later seen in the afternoon easing open the kitchen door. To distract her from the kitchen, Camp Leakey manager, Pak Faisal, told Unyuk to go to jalan Toges or Toges trail for food, which she immediately understood – Pak Faisal gave her some bananas along the way.

Infant Ursula looks for some ketiyau flowers to eat.

On another occasion, a ranger spotted Unyuk positioned under the window of the store-room, looking as if she was scouting the area, keeping guard. Unyuk’s baby, Ursula, was seated on the window ledge, passing down ripe bananas to Unyuk. As the ranger approached, Ursula quickly descended and disappeared with her mother into the forest with the fruit. Although still small, the precocious Ursula has learnt quickly from her mother. She has shown signs of intelligence by helping formulate strategies to take bananas out of the store-room, unnoticed.

Resting in the sun, with Percy in the background on the bridge to the river

Unyuk often lingers around the klotoks (the long boats used to transport tourists through Tanjung Puting National Park), waiting for a golden opportunity to access the kitchen or store-room. Sometimes she relaxes in the foliage beside the harbor with her baby Urusla, and quietly observes the boat-crew. Sometimes their new companion, Percy, joins them. He seems to be grasping more and more of Unyuk’s techniques for locating food. Often Percy can be seen eating ketiyau flowers with Unyuk and Ursula when ketiyau trees flower by the river’s edge, as well as reed stems in shallow water.

Competition for food is a strong disincentive for socialization, particularly for adult orangutans. It is often argued that orangutans can only risk lengthy social interactions when there is an abundance of food. Perhaps because Unyuk has few problems supplementing her jungle diet with extra food, she does not mind Percy’s additional company.

Percy walks along the boardwalk with Unyuk behind him

Often, like Unyuk and Princess, his own clever mother, Percy observes the rangers or tour guides, then reaches into their pockets when they least expect it. It seems that this nimble little ape is learning quickly from both his role-models. Unyuk, Ursula, Percy and other orangutans feature in the IMAX Born to be Wild trailer which can be viewed for free on Youtube. Here Percy can be seen briefly begging for food from his mother’s mouth (but it looks like a kiss!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv2Af-H7ZnI

For more video clips of Unyuk, Ursula and Percy, please visit OFI’s official Youtube channel:

Orangutan Percy, son of Princess, with Unyuk at Camp Leakey, featured in Born to be Wild

Orangutan Unyuk, star of the IMAX Born to be Wild film, is wary of the Wild Pigs

Releasing Orangutans back to the Wild: a Complex Procedure

Not every orangutan release goes as planned. In April 2010 Congo, an eleven year old male, was released at a forest camp located in a secure patch of forest stewarded by OFI and used as a release site for rehabilitated orangutans. Unfortunately, in August he had to return to the Care Center in the village of Pasir Panjang. Congo had sustained injuries across his entire body, including a large wound on his right foreleg and a cut in his gum which exposed his jaw bone. OFI veterinarians and staff believe a larger male had attacked him. It seemed that Congo had barely escaped with his life.

The dynamics of releasing orangutans back into the wild are complicated. Those released must be carefully monitored to ensure that they are adapting to their new environment, socially and physically. Luckily, due to the thorough post-release care and procedures enacted by OFI, Congo was quickly spotted after his fight and brought back to the OFI Care Center for medical treatment.

Congo when he first arrived at the OFI Care Center in 2004

Congo had first arrived at the OFI Care Center in 2004 after being confiscated by Indonesian government wildlife authorities. He was very thin when he arrived, weighing only 12.5 kg. We estimate that he was around 5 years old. At the OFI Care Center, Congo was regularly taken into the forest with other orangutans by dedicated caregivers where he learned important skills such as nest construction and foraging for food. Eventually, Congo’s rambunctious nature became difficult for the assistants to manage, an indication that he no longer needed their daily care. He was clearly ready to return to the wild. He was released in April 2010 along with his sleeping enclosure companion, Ochel, as well as two other semi-wild orangutans that were being held in quarantine.

Choosing the right Orangutan for Release

Prioritizing orangutans for release is very challenging. Often, recently captured young, semi-wild orangutans are the first in line, but rehabilitated orangutans with good forest skills are also considered. Usually, orangutans are released in pairs, to provide a social unit in their new location. Before the release happens, though, the site must be properly assessed and the population dynamics of any nearby orangutans analyzed. Sufficient food resources at the forest site also need to be ascertained. With this information in mind, Dr Galdikas, along with the Care Center’s veterinarians, creates a short-list of orangutans according to age, weight, and forest skills. This information is collected by asking the caregivers which orangutans are travelling independently throughout the forest and which are foraging successfully. When orangutans become more solitary – disappearing on their own for extended periods of time in the forest – it is considered a promising sign for release. Once Dr Galdikas approves the list, the release plan is crafted by the Supervisor of Releases, Pak Sehat.

Congo is lifted to the transit vehicle by Supervisor of Releases, Pak Sehat

Both Congo and Ochel were of suitable age and weight, had bonded well, and thus, were considered perfect candidates for release together. Once orangutans are released into the forest, they are monitored by Pak Sehat and OFI rangers until the releasees construct their nests in the evening. When I asked Pak Sehat if there were any differences between how rehabilitated orangutans react when they are released, compared to recently captured semi-wild orangutans, he laughed and said wild orangutans just run! Congo took his time, and Pak Sehat was able to watch him closely until he made his nest.

Post-release monitoring

Post-release monitoring is essential, to ensure that released orangutans are adjusting successfully to their new environment. At the release site, a team of four OFI rangers monitor orangutans such as Congo and supplement their diet with extra fruit. For one week every month the rangers also conduct research by tracking the orangutans daily, from the moment the orangutans wake up until they make their nests in the evening. A key part of the assessment is to monitor socialization and interactions. Rehabilitated orangutans must learn to socialize appropriately with other orangutans living nearby. Problems sometimes occur when released subadult males are attacked and wounded by resident males. In order to fully adapt, rehabilitated orangutans must learn the intricacies of free-ranging orangutan behavior and interactions.
After Congo was wounded, veterinarians from the OFI Care Cente and Quarantine quickly arrived at the release site, and Congo was returned to the Center for medical care.

In recent months other released orangutans have been brought to the Care Center for attention. First, Stephen was brought back. Another two who were ill were brought back: Frangki suffered from a cough and Saut was secreting mucus. Three others, Enon and her baby, along with her adopted son, Owi, were brought back because they kept venturing to a neighboring palm oil plantation five miles away and raiding the kitchen, completely oblivious to the dangers involved. Unfortunately, these are the kind of modern-day realities that OFI must contend with, sometimes daily. Palm oil plantations and other human activities constantly pose a threat to the success of orangutan releases. As more and more palm oil plantations are established across Borneo, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable release sites away from human interference.

Saut, a playful character, recovers back at the OFI Care Center

Stephen sojourns on his back at the center as he enjoys his enrichment toy, a burlap sack

Back at the Care Center, the veterinarians treat the orangutans and check for other injuries or signs of illness, such as diarrhea. They also check their weight before they are considered for re-release. Congo was treated for his wounds and was also fed 200ml of thick milk twice a day. When he arrived in August 2010 he weighed 29 kg; by March 2011 his weight had increased considerably and he had recovered from his wounds. The veterinarians agreed that he was ready to be released back to the wild.

Frangki and Saut made swift recoveries, and it was decided that they should be released along with Congo and Stephen. Unfortunately, a tough decision had to be made concerning Enon and her baby. Since she kept raiding a nearby local palm oil plantation, (with Owi in tow) it was decided that a new release site should be found for her. Stephen was released with Congo, Frangki, and Saut. In early March 2011, almost a year after Congo was originally released, the four orangutans were again released back to the wild. As of now, all four are doing well, living healthy back in the forest.

The vehicle is packed with fruit for the journey and the transit cage is loaded with leafy branches as Dr Galdikas (far left) and Pak Sehat (fourth from right) supervise the move