The Dayak Trisila: A Philosophy Rooted in Nature and Community
Beneath the expansive skies of Kalimantan, where hornbills soar over diminishing rainforests, the Dayak people have woven a simple yet profound philosophy of life: the Trisila. These three pillars—Adil Ka’ Talino (justice among fellow humans), Bacuramin Ka’ Saruga (reflecting truth to heaven), and Basengat Ka’ Jubata (the divine breath)—are more than customary laws; they are ethical guides that unify humans with their community, nature, and the cosmos. In a modern world grappling with climate crises, social inequality, and spiritual disconnection, how can this Trisila serve as a model for the future, offering harmony amidst fragmentation?
Adil Ka’ Talino: Justice Through Sharing
Imagine a night in an Iban longhouse, where a hunter distributes venison equally among families, regardless of who contributed most. Adil Ka’ Talino, as noted by Victor King, embodies a principle of justice that prioritizes communal harmony over individual ownership. Contrasting with Western concepts like John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism, which measures good by the greatest happiness, the Dayak view justice as the act of sharing to maintain social balance. During abundant rice harvests, grains are set aside for birds and the earth—a practice Bernard Sellato describes as "ecological solidarity."
This principle is pertinent in an era of global inequality, where 1% of the population controls half the wealth. Adil Ka’ Talino offers an alternative: a sharing economy ensuring no one goes hungry while others have plenty. For instance, Ngaju communities in Palangkaraya during the 2020s utilized customary cooperatives to distribute agricultural yields, as reported by the Jakarta Post. Unlike capitalism, which promotes accumulation, the Dayak teach that true justice honors the breath of all beings—human, animal, and even the land. In a world fractured by greed, this pillar calls us back to the communal table.
Bacuramin Ka’ Saruga: Restorative Justice
While Adil Ka’ Talino unites humans, Bacuramin Ka’ Saruga connects them to the heavens. This principle, meaning "reflecting truth to heaven," embodies restorative justice that heals cosmic harmony after transgressions. Anna Tsing documented a case in the Meratus Mountains where a Dayak Bukit farmer who felled a sacred tree was asked to perform a land-healing ritual and donate cloth for ceremonies, rather than face punishment. Unlike Western retributive justice systems, such as Roman law emphasizing sanctions, the Dayak ask: how do we mend broken relationships?
Bacuramin Ka’ Saruga is especially relevant amid social conflicts. As political polarization divides societies—with 60% of Americans feeling ideologically separated in 2024, according to Pew Research—the Dayak approach offers solutions. Their consensus-building involves all parties until harmony is achieved, akin to modern mediation but with a spiritual dimension: every decision must reflect balance with Jubata. In Kalimantan, Kayan communities applied this principle to resolve land disputes with corporations, opting for collective negotiation over litigation, as reported by Mongabay in 2021. In a world craving retribution, this pillar teaches that true justice lies not in victory, but in restoring bonds.
Basengat Ka’ Jubata: The Breath That Sustains
At the heart of the Trisila is Basengat Ka’ Jubata—the divine breath flowing through humans, nature, and spirits. For the Dayak, forests are not mere resources but living entities breathing alongside them. In the 1840s, Carl Schwaner observed that the Ngaju Dayak cultivated just enough rice, leaving land for wildlife—a form of ecological ethics maintaining balance. Contrasting with Western views like John Locke's, which regard nature as property to be dominated, the Dayak see it as a cosmic partner to be respected.
Amid the climate crisis, with carbon emissions rising 50% since 1990, Basengat Ka’ Jubata serves as an urgent call. The Dayak's shifting cultivation system, allowing land to regenerate, has inspired modern regenerative agriculture, as promoted by the FAO in 2023. The Dayak's refusal to exploit nature underscores a philosophy where the divine breath sustains all life, urging humanity to live in harmony with the environment.
