Who are the Berau?

The Berau live in Berau Regency, East Kalimantan Province and especially in the districts of Tanjungredeb, Gunung Tabur, Sembaliung and Babanir. The Berau speak their own language. This language differentiates them from other people groups in East Kalimantan. According to a linguist, there are not more than 45,000 people speaking the Berau language.

What are their lives like?

The Berau mainly make their living as either farmers or fishermen. The farmers grow sweet potatoes, cassava, lentils, fruits, and vegetables. Like other Kalimantan people groups in general, the Berau practice migratory agriculture (shifting from one field to another), mainly because they cannot maintain the soil’s fertility. New farmland is opened by cutting down trees and burning the underbrush. The initial clearing of a field is accomplished with the help of a large group of neighbors. This farming method is often accused of being the main cause of forest fires in Kalimantan. However, even though their actions do cause some damage, it is not comparable to the destruction done by businessmen who hold "Forest Enterprise Rights" from the government. Some Berau living in cities work for government or private businesses. Others work as craftsmen or day laborers.

The Berau people also produce a handicraft of specially woven fabric. This has become a source of income as they sell it to outsiders. A new form of income that has developed recently is the presenting of their traditional ancestral ceremonies as a tourist attraction.

Most of the Berau follow the patrilineal kinship system (tracing descent from the father). Male primacy is very important and is dominant in every aspect of life. The men determine issues concerning marriages, and inheritance.

The Berau do not have a social stratification system. Today, however, wealth and formal education are factors determining one’s social status. The richer a person is or the higher a person’s formal education, the higher their position and social standing in the eyes of the Berau community.

What do they believe?

Today most Berau identify themselves as Muslims. However, many Berau people still believe in animism, which is the belief that spirits are in all places and influence mankind. Thus, their traditional ceremonies are focused upon seeking protection through magic, by either appeasing or controlling both good and bad spirits. A spiritual leader called a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) plays an important role in their society, and is often asked to heal sicknesses with spells.

What are their needs?

Since the Berau are nomadic, most of them do not have opportunities for a formal education from public schools. Typically, only those who are settled receive a formal education.""The areas where the Berau live are rich in mining resources, such as gold, coal, lead, zinc, petroleum and natural gas. The areas also have forestry products like rattan, resin, and wood. Unfortunately, the abundant natural resources have not been managed optimally, so they do not provide the Berau with a better life. For this reason, better management efforts are needed to improve their human resources and help them become self-reliant.