Bengkayang

Bengkayang

Mm.. mostly in this blog you can hear about Bengkayang, Bengkayang, and Bengkayang again. We like to tell you about our place more and more but ironically some people still don’t know about our place in detail surely; about the place, the history, the people, and so on. Honestly we feel pretty sad about this but then we realize that perhaps we it because we haven’t inform you well about us. So, come to think of it...

Well everybody, “Salamat Utuk Ka’ Ramin Kai”;
“Welcome to our home..”

Bengkayang is one of the new regencies at West Borneo. In formal treat, we were legalized at 20th April 1999 with 10 sub-districts within. But from 2006 until now, the sub-districts become wider range to be 17 sub-districts. In case that we are new, we are still in the process of development over sectors.
Our regency is located near to the International border area; with Sarawak - East Malaysia (Siding, Suti Semarang, and Jagoi Babang sub-district). In detail, we have the other borders such as Malaysia and Sambas regency in the North, Pontianak regency in the South, Natuna Sea and Singkawang city in the West, and Sanggau and Landak regency in the East.

About the preview about our land, Bengkayang are divides into two major areas those are mountainous and coastal area. The mountainous area which dominates our land consists of mostly sub-districts such as Capkala, Samalantan, Monterado, Bengkayang, Teriak, Sungai Betung, Ledo, Suti Semarang, Lumar, Sanggau Ledo, Seluas, Jagoi Babang, and Siding regency. Because our regency is dominated by mountainous area, the climate is mostly in lower temperature. Besides, the average number of rain that is about 13 days per month keeps our fresh air in the tropical forest there.

For the people who live at this land, Bengkayang always makes us remember about its river, ours, Sungai Sebalo. Our regency is mostly surrounded by this rives (includes in Sambas river flow area) so that we also familiar with the name of “Bumi Sebalo”.

Well, that is the simple description about our beloved land, Bengkayang. But then, perhaps there is something in your head that asks about why the name of this regency is Bengkayang. So, listen to me carefully..
From the senior citizen, Bengkayang was derived from Bangkai Bujang (the dead body of man) because long time ago, the Dayaknese liked to fight in order to show their authority, domination, and power in their land (it is known as kayau). Here, the dead body at the end thrown away to the river.

Well, it is a little sceary, isn’t it? But don’t worry, the other version said that long time ago Bengkayang derived from “begayo” which meant as walking around the way. Because this word was pronounced by VOC, some people liked to add some additional term, problem of voice, dialect, and so on finally could make it to be Bengkayang.

For me, whatever meaning of Bengkayang, all the things that I have in my mind is about its philosophy, exoticism, beauty, and togetherness in brotherhood. It is not possible that I feel that because I was born there, but perhaps you can tell me yours when you go there. Well, that’s it! See you then.
the source of picture is from http://mybengkayang.wordpress.com/


Written by Ratna Wulandari