
The information included in this article is for educational purposes only. Please carefully review the entire disclaimer located at the bottom of the article. Click here to learn more about the latest UPDATE ON INDONESIA AND THEIR PROPOSED KRATOM EXPORT BAN.
The purpose of this article is to explore the raw indigenous origins of wild kratom, and the spiritual dimensions of its community in South East Asia and in the United States of America. Learning about kratom, a tree from the same family as the coffee family (Rubiaceae), entails learning about its heritage, protectors, and ancestors, which are known as the Dayak People. The Dayak (also spelled Dyak) is a forgotten group of tribes in the beautiful island of Borneo. The Dayak is a multicultural and multi-lingual community of ethnic groups from different regions of South East Asia. They are the original beating hearts of Borneo. The Dayak People live in the treasure island right in the equator where lush kratom trees thrive in the tropical and wet climate.
There is a lot of ancestral wisdom that the Dayak People can teach us about living in a more naturally rooted and self-sustainable community. Their deep connection with the flora and the fauna can be observed in their elaborate rituals with feathers. They live among the animals of the forests and that is why they build their longhouses on top wooden logs. Some of their rituals involve dancing while dressed in ethnic costumes and making movements that resemble birds among other animals. Women tend to dance and wear colorful native costumes. The tribes are known for having tattoos and pierced earlobes as part of their culture. They tend to live in longhouses located by the banks of rivers and mountains. These are not just longhouses; they are villas. They are social communities driven by deep human emotional connection. The Dayak People are known for being friendly and hospitable, but extremely protective of their sacred forests. The forests in these communities tend to be treated as children. They are known for living in large communities and within the trees as a way to protect themselves from outsiders and intruders. They are all about sharing and building communities centered around honest family values, storytelling, rituals, and communal work. The Dayak People are known for practicing kaharingan, which is an indigenous religious practice blending animism and the worshiping of ancestors/shamanism. However, as of today many natives have become Muslims and Christians.
The Dayak People are indigenous people protectors of rainforests where kratom trees thrive in the wild lands of Borneo and other areas of South East Asia. We are talking about hard-working farmers, fishers, gatherers, grinders, and hunters that perform arduous work under the sun and who have lived in Borneo for thousands of years. They connect with the forests on a spiritual level that most people don’t know or understand due to our defragmentation and disconnection with the earth and the current traumatic and dishearten human condition. They believe that all life has a spirit. For them, trees and animals are precious. In fact, they see Mitragyna speciosa/kratom as a tree with a beautiful soul and spirit.
The Dayak People are spiritually connected to the forests and they enjoy participating in traditional costumes and ceremonial dancing while singing under the moon. They believe that dancing and singing connects them to their ancestors. The elders feel and say that younger generations are not as connected with the forests and their wonderful heritage and culture as they are. It is understandable that young ones are trying to find ways to get an education and to move to the cities. It is also vital to point out that the American way has reached Indonesia. The younger generations find the western culture appealing, and it can be reflected in the way they present themselves. But no harm here. People are simply going thru life exploring different avenues in order to thrive and to live a happy life.
For years the Dayak have been robbed and deprived of their natural resources. Borneo is rich in natural creations. Unfortunately, areas, where the Dayak live, have been targeted by evil merchants and devious plunderers. Hence, the Dayak are known for constantly patrolling their region in order to prevent further deforestation. These forests are millions of years old. Kratom trees grow wildly in the tropical dense forests. Sadly, the Dayak People are constantly being pressured by commercially driven individuals from different areas of the world interested in mining and people involved in the operation of palm oil as well as forestry companies. It is crystal clear that organizations are interested in the lands of Indonesia but not for the healthy continuation of growing and importing and exporting kratom worldwide. They want to silence kratom. They want to cut kratom’s throat. They want to silence the spirit of kratom. They went right for the throat but kratom is fighting back. We are all kratom for kratom is in our souls.
The war on kratom continues to expand. While the battle here in America is far from over, we now have another war to worry about and that is the war on kratom happening in Indonesia as we speak. This war is attacking natives who have been involved in the agriculture of Mitragyna speciosa/kratom for generations upon generations. Unfortunately, we have discovered as of June 2019 that the Trump Administration has sent representatives to Indonesia in order to propagate the lies that have been spewed by unethical USA organizations. These unethical, ignorant, inhuman, greedy individuals are secretly going against the back of the American people while utilizing US Tax dollars to lobby a ban against kratom. This is a total disgrace. This is a heinous barbarity. The environment including trees are an extension of ourselves. They are not the property of anyone. They are mother earth’s natural creations and we are all one. An attack on a single Dayak kratom tree is a direct attack on the core of humanity. An attack on a single Dayak kratom tree is a direct attack on the core of humanity This is an invasion of freedom, heritage, and solidarity. This is a war about nature vs. the big lying pharma, the whore of babylon. This is an invasion of our inherent and rightful heritage. The natural world, earth is our legacy and it is our inherent and moral right and obligation to make sure that while we live on this planet we not only take or try to silent a tree, but it is in our nature and in our DNA to protect them for the well-being and prosperity of our future families.
According to the American Kratom Association (AKA), 95% of the kratom that is imported to the United States comes straight from the evergreen jungles and forests of Indonesia, including Borneo, the land of the Dayak. Banning kratom in Indonesia will not only directly affect indigenous families dedicated to the agriculture and harvesting of kratom, but it will dramatically destroy the lives of 5 millions of Americans who purchase this natural botanical on a daily basis. As stated by the American Kratom Association (AKA), the Trump FDA has successfully convinced the Minister of Health in Indonesia to impose a ban on growing and exporting kratom. An order has been issued to have all farmers stop growing and harvesting kratom trees. Sadly, farmers have 5 years to come into compliance and after this time a total ban will be in effect unless we change things as we did back in 2016. In 2016 kratom was saved BY THE PEOPLE because kratom is and it has always been and will always be FOR THE PEOPLE. This reaction has created collective panic, and it is the latest injustice on the move. This is clearly a war on nature and a war on nature is a direct war and a direct threat to the total well-being of the global communities.
We are not alone in this fight. The American Kratom Association (AKA) has already contacted government officials and they are working to save kratom in Indonesia. Donating to the AKA is a great way to contribute to this battle. It is important to mention that the Indonesian government has been trying to ban kratom since the last decade. As of now, kratom remains banned in early all of Southeast Asia. This is serious. So what can you do to help? First, become an enlightened kratom literate activist. You can start by reading the articles available online. There is a lot of misinformation so read with an open mind and start sorting. Check out the reference of this article at the bottom. Click here to access the share drive with scientific articles about kratom. Check out the book “Kratom: A Product of use, Not a Product of Abuse,” by the Educational Botanial Alliance (BEA). Teach your friends and family members. Support the American Kratom Association (AKA), a non-profit organization dedicated to protect kratom and its community in the United States and now in Indonesia. Use your social media accounts to promote kratom and to raise awareness. Join the groups on Facebook and Reddit and other forums online. Organize a kratom rally or a kratom get together. Share your stories with you your representatives. If you have the funds, travel to Borneo and become one with the Dayak forests. Walk among the Dayak kratom trees and learn directly from the natives. Get the information straight from its indigenous Dayak source, and laugh about the scandal that has been created about kratom. Laugh about the audacity to lie to the American people. Laugh to the fake identity that has been created to withhold the truth. The Dayak are thrilled to show you the old ways. They have opened the doors of their forests to the public for eco-tourism. In this war, we need each other.
Become an ambassador, an activist of mother earth and help protect the war on kratom and the war on indigenous cultures and our inherent ancient wisdom around the world.
Click here to Donate to the Kratom Protection Fund of the American Kratom Association (AKA)
https://americankratom.salsalabs.org/facebookfundraisingaka/index.html
Alas, we feel the need to warn you about the war on Kratom in American and now in Indonesia. Please contact your local Representative & Senator. Make sure you let them know you want them to fight for your right to be able to keep purchasing this natural botanical from South East Asia. May the cosmic vibrations be with you! Sending you a rainbow of love and light.
Here you can enter your zip code and find your
Congressman or Congresswoman:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Here you can find your State Senator:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact
Click here and access the American Kratom Association Warrior Advocacy Toolkit
https://www.americankratom.org/advocacy/advocacy-toolkit.html
Find out if kratom is legal in our area.
https://www.americankratom.org/advocacy/aka-in-your-state.html
Additional Resources
https://www.kratomunited.com/
http://drtomobrien.ie/100-kratom-facts/
References
American Kratom Association. (2019, June 25. Help needed to fight the kratom crisis in Indonesia. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/notes/american-kratom-association/help-needed-to-fight-the-kratom-crisis-in-indonesia/1539255736210571/
American Kratom Association Newsletter. (Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at 7:35 AM). Retrieved from
https://americankratom.salsalabs.org/helpsavekratomjune2019?wvpId=29b668f6-b85a-4dfc-98c2-067df17e7a4b
American Kratom Association. Newsletter. (Tuesday, June 25, 2019). Update on indonesia and the proposed kratom export ban. Retrieved from https://americankratom.salsalabs.org/akalegislativeupdatereport070119?wvpId=29b668f6-b85a-4dfc-98c2-067df17e7a4b
Google Drive. (2019). Kratom: Studies, articles & press releases. Retrieved from
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_SMhCuwVcKjZ3p0amk4ZXpmSzg
Indoneo. Meet the Dayaks: (ex) headhunters of borneo. Retrieved from https://www.indoneo.com/en/travel/meet-the-dayaks-ex-headhunters-of-borneo/
Kratom Consumer and Advocacy Support. In Facebook from Admin Group Lois Gilpin. Retrieved on June 25, 2019 at 7:51 AM from
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PROACTIVE2/permalink/1080913562098038/
Kratom Support Group (Facebook Post). Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Kratom%20Support%20Group%20&epa=SEARCH_BOX
Speciosa.org. (2019). US kratom consumers reach 15 million. Retrieved from
https://speciosa.org/us-kratom-consumers-reach-15-million/
Weloveindonesia.com. Dayak people Indonesia. (Blog). Retrieved from
https://www.welove-indonesia.com/blog/dayak-people-indonesia/
Hi Matthew! I really enjoyed learning about everything you presented in the article. Have you ever been able to visit the Dayak people?
Hi Carrie, thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it. I have yet to visit the Dayak People of Borneo. This article is purely based on research and native friends and farmers from different regions of Indonesia that I have personally interviewed. My goal is to be able to visit Indonesia and every purchase is a step closer to one of my dreams so thank you immensely for your support and for helping me make my dreams come true.