Nusantara, the new Indonesian capital, said to be a hub of black magic, ignites fear among people

The announcement of Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, is making people anxious about their well-being. One government officer said the proposal for the relocation is causing her sleepless nights for a very strange reason: the fear of black magic affecting her life.

In a recent discussion with the Nusantara Capital Authority in Jakarta, an anonymous representative of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency put forward a peculiar concern about the relocation. She announced that she is petrified of a traditional Indonesian practice called santet.

Santet is an ancient art of black magic practiced by Indonesians. She even claimed that her husband had experienced the horror and terror of these dark supernatural forces while deployed to the west Kalimantan.

Alimuddin, the Nusantara Authority Deputy Head for Socials, Culture, and Community Empowerment, supported the woman’s claims of santet, saying East Kalimantan is certainly the hub of santet. It also has its influence in Banyuwangi and Banten. He even added that he had previously fallen victim to Santet.

Alimuddin was quoted by local outlet Detik: "So, it depends on us. When we’re just being indifferent, we will not be victims [to black magic], and today I can relax.”

The deputy also stated that the Indonesian side of Borneo Island has a history of mystical culture, which includes the once-famous headhunting rituals of the indigenous Dayak tribes. The Dayaks are spread all over the region, with almost 300,000 population, including more than 200 ethnic sub-groups, according to the 2010 census. The region has an elaborate past of supernatural forces.

“Kalimantan is not like what you imagine, not like what we imagined in the past when we were afraid to visit it,” Alimuddin insisted.

To fight the dark supernatural forces

Roedy Haryo Widjono, known as a cultural observer of the Dayak tribes, asserted that the practice of black magic is still prominent among the future capital of Indonesia.

The Balik and Parser tribes, who live in the Sepaku district and are core community members of Nusantara’s government, belong to the Dayak Regan Tatau tribal group community and still follow witchcraft. Many Dayaks converted to Islam and Christianity under government pressure in the 1990s.

The leaders of Jakarta are fully aware of the cultural beliefs of their people about the new capital site of Indonesia. In 2022, before construction began, President Joko Widodo performed the ritual Kendi Nusantara, or “A Jug of Nusantara,” where people were advised to bring soil and water from their homes.

Widodo is well-known as a superstitious person. The Widodo government hired the services of Ilham Triadi Nagora, a famous rain shaman from the black magic hub of Banyuwangi, to ensure that this Saturday’s Independence Day event remains dry.

Be mindful of local customs

The local native people have surrounded the Nusantara project site, launching their attack against the supernatural, rejecting the government plans “as they know they cannot fight physically against soldiers” who guard the project, cultural observer Roedy told This Week in Asia.

“[Some] have rejected Jokowi’s A Jug of Nusantara ritual, as it did not represent the local Dayak ancestral symbols. They saw this as a ‘call to war’ because local ancestors were not embraced,” Roedy said.

Historian Muhammad Sarip said the fear concerning black magic is overhyped, stating Kalimantan is not some primitive zone.

Sarip strongly suggested any government officer relocating there should be mindful of local customs. “In Kalimantan, if people smile at you, you must smile back. Don’t be ignorant, don’t be arrogant, and don’t be patronizing,” he said. “If you are offered food, even though you are already full, you need to taste it a little. Just take a pinch, don’t refuse. If you refuse it, you will offend local people,” Sarip said.