INTRODUCING LOCAL WISDOM THROUGH MUNAAN FESTIVAL
The rich tradition of the Dayak Tonyooi tribe that has been going on for generations was introduced to the wider community through the Munaan Linggang Melapeh Festival which took place in Linggang Melapeh Village from January 29-31, 2016. This activity was organized by the Linggang Melapeh Village Government and supported by all levels of the village community and local partners in its implementation.
Linggang Melapeh is a village assisted by WWF Indonesia for forest management activities and community-based ecotourism development in West Kutai since 2012. In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the Munaan Festival, Musiman, the Village Head, said that the Munaan Festival was intended to promote the culture and local wisdom of the Dayak tribe, especially the Tonyooi Dayak, who have descended to maintain Munaan (meaning traditional Dayak orchards) so that every year they can enjoy local fruits such as Durian, Lai, Ihau, Kapul, Langsat and many other fruits. "Through this festival, we want to introduce children and the younger generation to care more about and preserve the Munaan in Linggang Melapeh Village as well as promoting the village as an ecotourism village in West Kutai," he said. This activity will later be scheduled to be held annually so that it can become one of the tourist agendas in West Kutai.
In addition, WWF and Friends' gathering and camping at Munaan through the Calatn Lamp Munaan (Village Tourism) package involving local communities and Friends of WWF in West Kutai and Samarinda aimed at establishing intimacy between community members - Friends of WWF and synergy activities in 2016. Activities carried out in the Munaan Festival include traditional food cooking competitions made from durian from Linggang Melapeh, EduWisata Munaan for elementary school children, Drawing & Coloring Competition, FUN RUN Eno - Aco, Best Durian Competition Munaan Linggang Melapeh, and Durian Eating Competition.
According to Sri Jimmy Kustini, Senior Communication Officer of WWF Indonesia in West Kutai, the activity was attended by 16 local communities of Friends of WWF, namely KOMPAD, HBC Sendawar, Lensa Kubar, Scout Kwarcab Kubar, MADASC Kubar, BEM & IMAPA Poltek Sendawar, SendaWALK Borneo, Scoobar, N250 EBT Sendawar, Radio HoB 104.1 Sendawar FM, Trail Kubar, Pokdarwis Batu Majang, Pokdarwis Linggang Melapeh, OSIS SMA 1 Sendawar, Foto Coffee Alam Samarinda, and Kukar Team.