Experiencing Ngitemp: Tradition, Food Sovereignty, and Human-Nature Relations among the Dayak Benawan Indigenous Community in Indonesia

Abstract

This research employs an autoethnographic approach to examine personal experiences and the broader socio-economic and cultural factors that shape food security within the Dayak Benawan community, located in Sanggau District, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. We analysed how the Indigenous Dayak Benawan community conceptualise food sovereignty and what role Ngitemp plays as a traditional practice in food sovereignty. For this study, we employed the autoethnographic method to shape local scholarship. The first author’s positionality and identity as Dayak Benawan contextualise the local conditions. Interviews and participant observations were used to narrate our experiences. The findings highlight that food security among Dayak Benawan farmers is not merely a matter of production and consumption but is deeply intertwined with cultural traditions, customary knowledge, and ecological stewardship. Ngitemp is a traditional practice that embodies the community’s sustainable relationship with nature. Through this research experience, I gained profound insight into how Indigenous knowledge and environmental ethics inform agricultural decision-making and resource management. The practice of Ngitemp reinforces the belief that food security is more than securing a steady food supply; it is about maintaining a balanced relationship with the land, ensuring its vitality for future generations. The Dayak Benawan’s reliance on Indigenous farming methods, communal resource sharing, and spiritual connections to their land demonstrates how cultural heritage plays a vital role in sustaining livelihoods. However, modernisation, land commodification, and agrarian policy shifts pose challenges that threaten these traditional food practices. By weaving personal narratives with ethnographic insights, this study emphasises the inseparability of food security from historical, environmental, and socio-cultural dimensions. It contributes to broader discussions on Indigenous resilience, sustainable agriculture, and the need for policies that recognise and protect local knowledge systems.