--- title: "Lopus Tourist Village" type: "TouristAttraction" lang: "en" canonical: "https://www.geokepo.id/en/lokasi/lamandau/desa-wisata-lopus" html_url: "https://www.geokepo.id/en/lokasi/lamandau/desa-wisata-lopus" category: "Pusat Kebudayaan" located_in: "Lamandau" located_in_url: "https://www.geokepo.id/en/lokasi/lamandau" province: "Kalimantan Tengah" updated: "2026-02-15T08:55:34.092997+00:00" publisher: "GeoKepo" license: "Editorial content © GeoKepo. Cite the canonical URL." --- # Lopus Tourist Village Lopus Tourist Village is the heart of Dayak Tomun culture in Lamandau, where ancestral traditions are preserved with great authenticity. Visitors can witness the iconic Babukung traditional ceremony and experience the warmth of the local residents in their traditional homes. ## Key facts - **address**: Delang District, Lamandau Regency, Central Kalimantan - **entrance fee**: Rp 5,000 - Rp 10,000 (Donation) - **opening hours**: 24 Hours # Tracing Traditions in Lopus Tourist Village: The Heart of Dayak Tomun Culture in Lamandau Lopus Tourist Village, located in Delang District, Lamandau Regency, Central Kalimantan, is more than just an administrative point on a map. It is a "Living Culture Center" that serves as the last bastion for the traditions of the Dayak Tomun tribe. As a village that tenaciously upholds its customs amidst the currents of modernization, Lopus offers a profound life philosophy in harmony with nature, manifested in every ritual, dance movement, and social structure of its community. ## Cultural Gateway: The Bagondang Ritual and Guest Welcoming The uniqueness of Lopus Tourist Village begins with how they honor visitors. Every guest who visits is not merely greeted with a welcome, but through a sacred traditional ceremony. The *Bagondang* ritual is the main event in every welcoming. The rhythmic sound of gongs and drums is not just music, but a spiritual communication to seek permission from the ancestors for the guests' safety during their stay in Lamandau. During this ceremony, guests are often invited to perform *Ikat Tongang*, which is the tying of a special thread on the wrist as a symbol of soul protection. This experience creates a strong emotional bond between tourists and the local community, emphasizing that in Lopus, visitors are not seen as spectators, but as part of the extended Dayak Tomun family. ## Architecture and Communal Spaces: Betang and the Philosophy of Togetherness As a cultural center, the physical structure of Lopus Village reflects communal values. Although modern development has begun to enter, the presence of traditional houses and open meeting spaces is still maintained. The settlement pattern in Lopus is designed to support intense social interaction. This is where Lopus Tourist Village functions as a cultural laboratory; where the older generation passes down knowledge about traditional architecture, the use of ulin wood, and building layouts that follow the flow of rivers and forest contours. ## Traditional Arts: Babukung Dance and Magical Heritage One of the most iconic cultural attractions in Lopus Tourist Village is the *Babukung Dance*. This is a death ritual dance that uses distinctive masks called *Luwa*. However, in the context of a tourist village, Babukung has transformed into an art performance that still respects its sacred conventions. Each Luwa mask represents a specific animal character, such as a hornbill, dragon, or monkey, each carrying a deep philosophical meaning about the relationship between humans and the fauna of the Kalimantan forests. Craftsmen in Lopus still produce these masks manually, using selected wood and natural dyes. Tourists can directly participate in mask-making educational programs, understanding that every carving is a prayer and a tribute to nature. Besides Babukung, Lopus Village also preserves traditional martial arts and folk games like *Manyipet* (blowgun shooting). This blowgun shooting educational program is a favorite because it teaches agility, concentration, and the history of how the Dayak people survived and hunted in the past without damaging the ecosystem. ## Crafts and Creative Economy: Weaving and Basketry Community empowerment in Lopus Tourist Village is clearly visible in the handicraft sector. The women in this village are the guardians of rattan and bamboo weaving traditions. The products created are not just souvenirs, but functional tools used in daily life, such as *Lanjung* (back baskets) and traditional hats. The uniqueness of Lopus crafts lies in their motifs, known as "Motif Dayak Tomun." These motifs are usually inspired by climbing plants and forest flowers. Tourists are offered short workshop programs to learn weaving, providing an understanding of how intricate and meticulous the process of creating a work of art from natural fibers is. This is a form of real cultural education, where the value of an item is measured by the process and philosophy behind it. ## Cultural Festivals: Reviving Annual Traditions Lopus Tourist Village hosts various important cultural events, one of which is the *Festival Babukung*, which reaches a regency-wide scale but is deeply rooted in this village. Additionally, there is the *Harvest Festival* or thanksgiving for the agricultural produce. In these events, all villagers are involved. The younger generation takes on roles as dancers and musicians, while the elders act as traditional supervisors. These festivals are not just tourism promotion events, but internal village mechanisms to ensure that cultural heritage is not lost to time. Here, traditional music using plucked instruments like the *Kecapi* and percussion instruments continues to resonate, competing with modern music trends. ## Cultural Education and Community Involvement The Lopus Village Cultural Center functions as a nature school. There are informal programs where village children learn their mother tongue (Dayak Tomun language) and folklore from the elders. For tourists, "Live-in" packages are available, allowing them to stay in local homes, participate in daily activities such as rubber tapping, searching for medicinal plants in the forest, to cooking traditional cuisine like *Lemang* which is cooked in bamboo. Community involvement is comprehensive through the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis). They recognize that culture is the most valuable asset. Therefore, development in Lopus pays close attention to environmental preservation; because for the Dayak Tomun people, culture and the forest are an inseparable unity. ## Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Role in Local Development Lopus Tourist Village plays a crucial role in positioning Lamandau Regency as a leading cultural tourism destination in Central Kalimantan. By maintaining its originality, Lopus proves that economic development based on tourism does not have to sacrifice local identity. This cultural center actively documents regional songs, traditional incantations, and traditional herbal medicine techniques. These efforts are made to prevent cultural intellectual property theft and ensure that future generations still have access to their historical roots. Lopus is a successful example where tourism becomes a tool for conservation, not destruction. ## Conclusion: Lopus as a Cultural Beacon Visiting Lopus Tourist Village is a spiritual and educational journey. Here, every inch of land has a story, and every tradition has meaning. As a cultural center in Lamandau, Lopus successfully integrates the noble values of the past with the needs of the present. It is not just a place for photos, but a place to learn about the resilience of a community in maintaining its cultural dignity. For anyone who wants to understand the essence of humanity and harmonious living with nature in Kalimantan, Lopus Tourist Village is a gate that is always wide open.