Located in Southeast Asia, Borneo is the third largest island in the world. The island is also home to one of the largest and oldest rainforests in the world. Where the forest ends, three nations coexist on the island: Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Indonesia. All the islands share heritage that can be traced to the Indigenous Dayak people. Like many Indigenous and native populations across the world, the Dayak people are losing their traditional way of life to factors such as deforestation and industrialization.
Passing Down Crafts Practices, an episode of Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory. Video courtesy of Borneo B/YouTube.
These are one of the many reasons that Borneo Laboratory was founded. Borneo Laboratory is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to experiment, collaborate and open dialogues with Borneo-rooted aesthetics. One of their key projects has been Serumpun, an online film series that records and shares local traditional crafts. Serumpun is an Indonesian word that means ‘coming from the same roots,’ just like the peoples and traditional cultures of Borneo and its neighbouring nations that are fading today. This is why Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced Inequalities.
Innovation Upon Crafts, an episode of Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory. Video courtesy of Borneo B/YouTube.
Released in 2024, Serumpun comprises four parts: the passing down of crafts, the innovations in crafts, the changing landscapes of Borneo and the documentation of its practices. The series was filmed in 2022 during a comprehensive research trip, in which the Borneo Laboratory team visited villages where traditional arts and crafts live on, resulting in almost 5 terabytes of video, images and interview data. The project was done in collaboration with Asa Esa Films, a Sarawak-based filmmaking team.
Changing Landscapes in Borneo, an episode of Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory. Video courtesy of Borneo B/YouTube.
The team first encountered the word ‘Serumpun’ from the chief of Kampung Jagoi, a village on the Indonesian side of Borneo. The chief shared how once the area had been part of one large unified community that had to be divided due to political borders between Malaysia and Indonesia. Hence, the team believed the phrase to be a fitting title for a series that united 12 different communities across Borneo, who all shared a single heritage and were still practicing traditional crafts on the daily.
Documentation of Crafts Practices, an episode of Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory. Video courtesy of Borneo B/YouTube.
Each episode in Serumpun delves into a different aspect of today’s existence of traditional crafts in Borneo. For example, Innovation Upon Crafts takes a look at how different communities have created innovations to keep people interested in traditional crafts. This includes the introduction of new and alternative materials and the creation of engaging public events. On the other hand, Changing Landscapes in Borneo focuses on how globalization and industrialization has changed people’s way of life, which in turn has also changed people’s relationships with traditional arts and crafts.
Serumpun by Borneo Laboratory is a vital online film series aimed at preserving and sharing the traditional crafts of Borneo’s Indigenous Dayak people. In the face of globalization, deforestation and industrialization, this series documents the fading cultural heritage of communities across the island. By showcasing the transmission of crafts, their innovation and the impact of changing landscapes, Serumpun emphasizes the shared roots and rich traditions of Borneo’s people. The project helps to safeguard the island's unique heritage for future generations.
Find out more about Serumpun and other initiatives by the Borneo Laboratory on their website www.borneoartcollective.org or Instagram @borneolaboratory.