Selako people

Like any other indigenous Dayak groups, the Selako people embraced the Kaharingan religion, but many Selakos diaspora tend to have Christians (mostly adhered to West Kalimantan Christian Church, Bornean Evangelicals, and Anglicans) and Roman Catholics faiths after the mass conversion by missionaries in the 19th century.

The traditional processions within the Salako Gajekng group should involves the panglima (commander), pamane (expert), and pabanci (people who are famous for being good at custom, intelligent, powerful, and authoritative).

Meanwhile, in Sangkuku’ Selako group, the procession is carried out by the common people whose gonna act as the traditional implementers or customary actors.

Selako people are originally the inhabitants of the Nyirih riverbank, located in Selakau district of Sambas Regency.

The Ngabayotn traditional ceremony is held after the rice harvest which means that the local community will restart the agricultural year by opening new fields which are usually marked by the Sam-sam ritual.

Tropenmuseum collection photo of Nyirih River in Selakau district, Sambas Regency , West Kalimantan