THE UNIQUE OF BANJARMASIN

Banjarmasin is a capital city of South Kalimantan (South Borneo) where many kelotoks (river vehicle like a canoe with a machine) go along to Barito and Martapura river which ful of jukungs(like mini boat/small boat. This jukungs bring many consumptive goods to Banjarmasin’s people, So, the jukungs combine into a market but on the surface of Barito river. In Indonesia called by Pasar Apung, that mean a float market. There is unique ways if the seller will give the good which ordered by the buyer, the seller will entry that good into a plastic bag an that plastic bag are hung on a nailed stick. And that stick will be direct to the buyer.

Pasar Apung in Barito river

Pulau Kaget

There is one unique place on Banjarmasin where we have to visit it. Pulau Kaget, yeah the unique one is an island in the middle of Barito river, in geography this island called delta. We can get it,40 minutes by kelotok, 25 minutes by longboat, or 15 minutes by speed boat from the Pasar Apung. In Banjarmasin’s myth, Pulau Kaget (Indonesia = Shock Island)formed by a Dutchman’s ship that want to conquer Kalimantan when Colonial Age in Indonesia. This ship was sank on the river. By a long time, this ship gathered the mud on Barito river’s water and formed a big island in the middle of Barito river. Because may Banjarmasin’s people are shock after knowing there is an island in the middle of Barito river, this island called Pulau Kaget (Shock Island).

Pulau Kaget is a Indonesian National Park with the area is 30 hectares. Even in the edge or this island, there are many Rumbai (Somneratia) tree, this tree are used to Bekantan’s feed. We can also spend the night on this island, but with a unique ways too. There is, Tie the kelotok to atree which stick outward to the river to avoid dangerous animals on that island, example: snake, centipede, and another wild marsupials. (There are no crocodiles or the dangerous water animals in Barito river, so it is save if we want to spend the night on kelotok in the surface of Barito river)

Pulau Kaget, an island on the middle of Barito river.

Bekantan

On Banjarmasin myth, Bekantan is a creation of Dutchmans who want to conquer Kalimantan when Colonial Age in Indonesia. They came by ship which go along the edge of Barito river. Because they came with bad aim, God cursed them into Bekantan, and that ship became a island. Bekantans and Dutchmans have similarity, they have white-pinked skin, sharp noise and small eyes. Bekantan’s feeds are the leafs and fruit of Rumbai (somneratia), Bakau (Rhizophora), Beringin (Fikus),Piai (Acrostichum. This populate consist of 25-30 bekantans. They have a job share, some them be leader, bodyguard, consumption section and child guard. There are 2 types of Bekantans there are:

a. Old Branchiate type, this type have ability move tree to tree by using their arm and legs, there are 3 ways of Bekantan to move tree to tree:1

1. by walk around tree by tree with using their arms and legs.

2. by jump branch by branch with using their arms and legs.

3. by hang on branch to branch with using their arms

b. Swimming type, this type have ability swim or and dive on the river or sea.

There is one special and unique Bekantan’s life, every bekantans will consider sexy to big and fat male bekantans. Because, although with his big bodies and big stomachs, he can do anything actively, for example move place to place actively. It show us, if that bekantans different with the other bekantan that can’t do this. Bekantan have adapted with the condition of Barito river, Bekantans unafraid with many kelotoks bring many people now, provided you must to decrease the volume of your voice and your kelotoks machine, and you must see the Bekantan by a long distance.

Bekantan is a wild animal, need more time for make this animals tame. They usually get bed on big and tall tree in evening. Many differential of male Bekantan and female Bekantan. There are

MALE BEKANTAN	FEMALE BEKANTAN
Weight : + 20 kg	Weight : + 10 kg
Height : 555-650 mm	Height : 530-620 mm
Tail Length : 674-745 mm	Tail Length : 570-620 mm
Hand length : 430-500 mm	Hand length : 400-750 mm

Yusransyah, Drs. M. 2000. MENYELUSURI TEPIAN PULAU KAGET. Jakarta: Sasmita Utama

Bekantan, the Dutchman Monkey from Kalimantan, Indonesia