Nanga Sepuak
A stone object called the Kalbut stone
was found in Nanga Sepuak, Kalbut being the headdress commonly won by local
Moslems. The stone is also called the Ekamuka Shiva Lingga stone because one of
the reliefs represents Shiva. A statue of Shiva was also found in the village
of Temiang Ampakan, in the upstream region of Sepuak river, Sintang regency. Hinduism
presumably first came to the area in about 977. At that time, traders coming to
West Kalimantan brought the religion as well as merchandise to the area.
The prevalence of Buddhism in West
Kalimantan is indicated by the finding of the curved stone, stone monument
bearing inscriptions in the ancient Palawa script, near the village Pakit,
Nanga Mahap district, Sanggau regency dating from fifth century. Other finds
seem to support the theory of the existence of an early Hindu civilization in
the area. The Chinese influence was established early in West Kalimantan, as
proven by ceramics found in the province. In the sixth century, Admiral Cheng
Ho arrived in the area to establish relations. Relics in the form of ceramics
found several areas show that the Chinese influence prevailed in West
Kalimantan quite a number of centuries ago.
The advent of Islam in West Kalimantan
occurred in about the 15th century, at about the same time as the rise of the
first Islamic kingdom in Aceh. Islam arrived in West Kalimantan from the region
of Palembang, South Sumatera, and via North Kalimantan especially Brunei.
Several small kingdoms which at the first embraced the Hindu faith, soon
adopted the new religion.
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