The History of Dayak (13): Ancient DNA Analysis and Genetic Continuity

A definitive and foundational volume that serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding Borneo and the Dayak in their full complexity, across multiple dimensions. Exceptional.

Ancient DNA research on human remains from the Niah Cave provides compelling evidence of genetic continuity with present-day Dayak populations. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA from ancient samples in Borneo indicate that Dayak lineages have persisted for tens of thousands of years, with no clear signs of large-scale population replacement or migration from Yunnan or other regions of mainland Asia. 

The term "Dayak" itself was first recorded in 1757, used as a Dutch equivalent of "Binnenland" (inland). Recent genetic studies further reinforce the view that the Dayak are indigenous inhabitants of Borneo, sharing deep ancestral roots with other ethnic groups across the Indonesian archipelago.

DNA evidence reveals clear genetic affinities between the Dayak and other populations in Southeast Asia, particularly in present-day Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. What distinguishes the Dayak, however, is the presence of older and more distinctive genetic signatures, suggesting long-term residence in Borneo that predates the major migratory waves shaping much of the region’s population history. 

These findings imply that Dayak populations may have undergone prolonged, partly independent development on the island over thousands of years, preserving genetic characteristics that set them apart from neighboring ethnic groups. Genetic verification supports this interpretation: studies indicate that Dayak ancestry includes approximately 20–30 percent Negrito (pre-Austronesian) components, with Austronesian ancestry remaining dominant (Larena et al., 2021).

The genetic continuity identified in these studies is further supported by evidence of high genetic diversity among Dayak populations (Curnoe et al., 2016). Such extensive diversity suggests that, despite relative geographic isolation, the Dayak have experienced long-term adaptive processes in response to Borneo’s highly varied environments (Blust, 1984). 

High genetic diversity is typically associated with populations that have occupied a region over extended periods, indicating that the Dayak have not only persisted in Borneo for millennia but have also developed a distinctive genetic identity shaped by environmental and social challenges (Bellwood, 2007).

This genetic diversity does more than underscore a unique identity; it serves as a crucial indicator of long-term population stability (Matsumura et al., 2018). The limited degree of external genetic admixture suggests that Dayak communities have maintained demographic continuity in Borneo without experiencing sustained or large-scale migratory pressures from outside groups that might have significantly altered their genetic structure (Lipson et al., 2014).