Hudoq Pekayang Festival in Mahakam Ulu draws 260 dancers
The Oct. 20-22 event brings together 13 Dayak Bahau villages to preserve the tradition and introduce it to younger generations.
The 2026 Hudoq Pekayang Festival was held in Long Pahangai Village, Mahakam Ulu Regency, East Kalimantan, on Oct. 20-22. About 260 dancers from 13 Dayak Bahau villages across Long Pahangai District took part in the celebration, which featured masks, traditional costumes and ancestral dance movements. The Hudoq tradition, which has existed since the 1960s-1970s, began as a custom of visiting villages to share stories, rice seeds and strengthen brotherhood. Mahakam Ulu Regent Angela Idang Belawan attended the event. The festival carried the theme of harmony between people, nature and tradition, and served as a space for the Dayak Bahau community to preserve its cultural identity and introduce it to younger generations.