Living in a big city often traps us in a web of individualism. Sometimes, we don’t even know the neighbors who live just next door. Taking a vacation becomes an effort to escape from the monotony of daily routines. And if the purpose is to break away from the loneliness that stems from this individualistic syndrome, then visiting a rumah panjai—a traditional longhouse—in West Kalimantan is one of the best options.
Human beings are not solitary creatures by nature. We are destined to live together, to form groups, and to support one another in facing life’s challenges. Yet in the city, with all its social phenomena and rapid changes, our instinct for togetherness seems buried deep beneath the demands of independence. Others are treated as strangers—irrelevant, distant, even invisible.
Longhouse
But the experience is entirely different once you step into the traditional Utik longhouse in Kapuas Hulu Regency. The Dayak Iban community who lives there exists almost like a single soul. Within a 150-meter-long house divided into 38 bilek (family chambers), 245 people embody the purest sense of togetherness.
After only a few days inside, it becomes clear that cooperation and solidarity are not ideals but everyday reality. From the very first step, you are welcomed by warm smiles, as if your arrival is not a burden but a blessing.
Perhaps this atmosphere of unity exists because of their way of life. Groups of people can be seen chatting openly in front of their bilek—spaces that are still part of the longhouse interior. Built entirely of wood, the Utik longhouse stands on ironwood stilts about two meters above the ground, reaching a height of nearly 15 meters. Its six-step-wide veranda is where men often gather to converse and share stories.
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Social Spaces
Inside each bilek, three main rooms stretch to the back. The front room serves as a guest area, usually with mats, folded mattresses, jars, musical instruments, family photos, cabinets, and heirlooms. Here, a small connecting door links one bilek to another. According to Pak Janggut, the community elder, these small doors are practical for helping sick neighbors. “In the past,” he adds, “they also served as secret escape routes during enemy attacks.”
The second room is typically more private, while the third, at the back, functions as the kitchen. Above, the attic may be used for storing rice or hosting overnight guests.
Outside, groups of women cook and wash together. Clothes hang neatly on lines strung across the open veranda. Laughter fills the air as they prepare meals for visiting guests. Their daily rhythm revolves around waiting for moments of togetherness—moments they genuinely cherish.
To reach Utik, you must first travel from Pontianak to Putussibau, then continue for two more hours by car, with part of the road made of stone. But the journey is worth every bump. For in this longhouse, far from the isolating patterns of urban life, you will rediscover what it means to belong, to share, and to breathe the essence of community once again. (Sulung Prasetyo)
