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 A Dayak Tunjungshaman inWest Kutai Regency | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Approximately 76,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Indonesia (Kutai Kartanegara Regency andWest Kutai Regency,East Kalimantan) | |
| Languages | |
| Tunjung,Indonesian | |
| Religion | |
 98%Christianity (Catholicism andProtestantism) 2%IslamFolk religion (minority) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Dayak (Ot Danum branch),Kutai |
TheDayak Tunjung people, also known asTonyooi people, are anethnic group living inWest Kutai Regency (24.2%) andKutai Kartanegara Regency,East Kalimantan,Indonesia.[1]
They are distributed across several districts, including Kota Bangun, Melak, Barong Tongkok, Kembang Janggut, Kenohan, and Muara Pahu. The Tunjung are divided into subgroups: Tunjung Bubut, Tunjung Asli, Tunjung Bahau, Tunjung Hilir, Tunjung Lonokng, Tunjung Linggang, and Tunjung Berambai.[2]
The alternative nameTonyoi-Benuaq refers to theTunjung-Benuaq. These twoDayak groups are closely connected socially and culturally, although they are sometimes mentioned separately.
The relationship between the Tunjung andKutai people is comparable to the relationship between theBaduy andBantenese: the Kutai and Bantenese people are almost entirelyMuslim, whereas the Tunjung and Baduy tribes still incorporateindigenous beliefs.
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There is no written record about the origin of Dayak Tunjung.Oral tradition relates that the Tunjung descended from deities who became humans to restore a broken world, known asJaruk’ng Tempuq. Their original name,Tonyooi, reflects their ancestral hero role as protective deities. The termtunjung in theTunjung language means "going home" or "going towards the river source".
The Tunjung live alongside the Dayak Benuaq, who share historical and cultural connections. Conversion toChristianity occurred in the mid-19th century. In Kenohan and Muara Wis, most Tunjung belong to theIndonesian Bethel Church (Protestant). InWest Kutai Regency, around 53.5% are Protestant, 44.5%Roman Catholic, 1.5%Muslim, and 0.5%Kaharingan adherents.
Most Tunjung areChristian, with a minority practicingIslam. Ancestor spirits are still honored for protection and prosperity, mediated by shamans (beliatn). The influence of Islam is minimal; for example, the name of the supreme deity,Laraia, derives fromAllah (ta'ala) but is used differently in rituals.[3][unreliable source?]
The Tunjung primarily practice agriculture, often shifting cultivation, with rice as the main crop. They also grow secondary crops such as corn, cassava, sweet potato, legumes, vegetables, and perennial trees like coconut,durian,rambutan,cempedak, andlangsat. Supplementary activities include fishing with traditional traps, hunting, and harvesting forest products likerattan, resin,tengkawang wood, and bird nests.[4]
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Currently, several associations unite the sub-ethnic groups, such asSempekat Tonyoi Benuaq (STB), a member of East Kalimantan Dayak Association (PDKT). Other organizations includeSempekat Tonyooi Sekolaq andTBBR (Pasukan Merah TBBR), which focus on preservingDayak customs and culture acrossKalimantan,Sarawak, andBrunei Darussalam.
The Tunjung speak theTunjung language, with five dialects: Central Tunjung, Londong, Linggang, Berambai, and Pahu. Most are bilingual inIndonesian, and many understand theKutai,Banjar, orBenuaq languages. Tunjung belongs to theBarito-Mahakam group ofAustronesian languages.[4]
The Dayak Tunjung people inhabit the following areas:[5][unreliable source?]
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The Tunjung follow bilateral kinship principles, tracing both paternal and maternal lines. Kinship groups are organized intopurus (blood or marriage ties). Villages evolved from longhouses (luu), with social stratification historically marked ashajiiq (royalty),mantiiq (guards and subordinates),erentikaaq (commoners), andripatn (servants).
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Youth organizations include:
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Tunjung villages are genealogically unified. Traditional songs includebedoneq, sung without instruments at festivities. Dances include:tari jepen [id],jepen tali, andjepen sidabil. Musical instruments includeklenrangan, a gong-based ensemble, originally made of wood, later metal. Artistic works include small charms and large ceremonial statues up to four meters tall.