VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Enggang dance is a traditional dance of Dayak Kenyah tribe in East Kalimantan. The dance is a must to be performed in every traditional ceremony of Dayak Kenyah tribe. It describes daily life of hornbill bird.  According to the belief of Dayak Kenyah people, their ancestor came from the sky and went down to the earth like hornbill bird. Thereby, Dayak Kenyah people are very respectful and they also honor the hornbill. Nowadays, the dance is often performed to welcome the honor guests.

Enggang dance is performed by young girls of Dayak Kenyah tribe. When dancing, they wear some kinds of ornament on hornbill on their heads and also big earrings. They also hold the feathers of the bird’s horn. Their dance is being accompanied by traditional music, namely Sampe, Gendang and Gong. Sampe is Dayak’s typical string instrument.  

Enggang dance movement uses basic movement of hornbill. The movement of the dance consists of three main movements: namely Nganjat, Ngasai and Purak Barik. Nganjat is the main or typical movement of Dayak dance which looks like ivory hornbill. The movement symbolizes beautiful movement of the dancers.

Ngasai movement is like hornbill which is flying, and Purak Barik is a basic movement as the act of migration. On the progress, there is a new creation of Enggang dance, but the creation cannot be separated from its meaning and also philosophy which contains in Enggang dance.