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Genetic continuity identified in this study is further supported by evidence of high genetic diversity among Dayak populations (Matsumura et al., 2018). Elevated levels of genetic diversity are typically associated with populations that have occupied a region for extended periods and are inconsistent with scenarios involving recent population replacement.
Despite long-standing geographic isolation, Dayak populations exhibit broad genetic variation, suggesting prolonged adaptive processes to the highly heterogeneous ecological environments of Borneo.
Such diversity indicates that the Dayak have not merely persisted in Borneo for thousands of years, but have developed a distinctive genetic profile shaped by sustained interaction with diverse environmental and social pressures (Lipson et al., 2014).
High genetic diversity within Dayak populations also serves as a robust indicator of long-term population stability. The limited evidence for substantial external genetic admixture implies that Dayak communities have remained largely demographically autonomous, experiencing minimal migratory influx capable of significantly reshaping their genetic structure (Migliano et al., 2020). This pattern of continuity is further reinforced by biological adaptations to endemic diseases.
Notably, alleles associated with resistance to malaria occur at appreciable frequencies among Dayak populations, mirroring patterns observed in other long-established Southeast Asian groups exposed to similar selective pressures (Kwiatkowski, 2005).
The demographic stability and resilience of Dayak populations in Borneo provide compelling evidence for their status as an indigenous population that has inhabited the island for thousands of years (Curnoe et al., 2016). This resilience is supported by both biological and cultural adaptations that have enabled long-term survival in a challenging tropical environment.
Since prehistoric periods, Dayak societies have developed sustainable agricultural systems, efficient hunting and foraging strategies, and extensive ethnobotanical knowledge. In particular, the use of medicinal plants has played a critical role in mitigating health challenges associated with tropical diseases and environmental stressors (King, 1993).
Social organization grounded in customary law (adat) and strong communal values has further reinforced internal cohesion and collective resilience. These social structures facilitate the transmission of ecological knowledge, subsistence practices, and cultural norms across generations, thereby ensuring continuity despite environmental fluctuations and historical change. Such mechanisms of cultural inheritance have allowed Dayak communities to adapt dynamically while maintaining a stable social and cultural identity (Blust, 1984).
Taken together, these lines of evidence substantially strengthen the argument that the Dayak are indigenous to Borneo rather than migrants who arrived during recent millennia. If hypotheses proposing a Dayak origin from regions such as Yunnan were accurate, one would expect corresponding archaeological signals indicating abrupt shifts in subsistence strategies, settlement patterns, social organization, and genetic composition. However, archaeological and genetic data instead indicate marked population continuity extending into deep prehistory, with no evidence of large-scale population replacement events (Bellwood, 2007).
Moreover, the pronounced resistance of Dayak populations to tropical diseases—conditions that historically posed significant barriers to non-adapted migrant groups—further supports the interpretation of long-term local adaptation. Tropical illnesses such as malaria, recurrent fevers, and infections resulting from injuries sustained in dense forest environments have historically imposed high mortality on newcomers lacking immunological or cultural adaptations. In contrast, Dayak populations exhibit higher tolerance to such conditions, reflecting both genetic adaptations and accumulated ecological knowledge developed over prolonged residence in Borneo (Migliano et al., 2020).
Accordingly, prevailing narratives concerning the origins of the Dayak require reassessment through a framework grounded in empirical genetic, archaeological, and ethnographic evidence. Longstanding assumptions that position the Dayak as relatively recent migrants lack sufficient support when evaluated against the available data.
Historical accounts further indicate that many external groups attempting to penetrate and settle Borneo’s interior forests encountered severe adaptive challenges. Endemic diseases, harsh climatic conditions, and ecological hazards frequently resulted in high morbidity and mortality among populations without long-term local adaptation.
By contrast, Dayak communities, having inhabited Borneo across many generations, display enhanced resilience to these environmental stressors. This resilience is supported not only by genetic adaptations but also by sophisticated traditional medical systems. The use of medicinal plants to treat infections, fevers, and immune-related conditions is well documented, and several such remedies—including Eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali)—have been validated through modern pharmacological research for their immunomodulatory properties (Ang et al., 2000).
Genetic research thus significantly enriches our understanding of Dayak population history, revealing deep temporal roots and long-term continuity in Borneo.
As populations adapted to tropical rainforests and complex ecological niches, the Dayak exhibit distinctive patterns in immune function and disease resistance that reflect their unique evolutionary trajectory.
These findings contribute meaningfully to broader efforts aimed at recognizing and preserving Dayak cultural identity, as they clarify that the Dayak are neither late arrivals nor peripheral participants in regional migration waves, but rather a population with a deep and enduring heritage as the original inhabitants of the island of Borneo.
(More to come)
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