The Banjar Groups

The Banjar people are generally grouped under Banjar kandangan, Banjar Barabai, Banjar Klua and Banjar Martapura.

They refer to the village they come from across the banjar River in Kalimantan.

It is said that the villagers closeness is as close as blood relations. A war on one is considered a war against all.

Each group has its colourful story.

The M group is largely a commercially savvy with interests in gold trading and others.

Th B group is well mannered and their speech softer with great Islamic thinkers and intellectuals coming from it.

The Kandangans are warriors. They tolerate no nonsense,

The most notable Banjar hero in the twentieth century must be Panglima Salleh, the warrior who fought the communists in Batu Pahat Johor in 1945 in a fouteen day battle in July before the British reconquered Malaya from the Japanese.

Panglima Salleh or warrior Salleh is the acclaimed Banjar therefore malay hero of Johor.
There are tons of material on this. the red star over malaya by a Singapore historian.

which I will touched about in my next post.

The Kluaks excelled in the spiritual and unseen martial arts. Again these are historical simplifications. I will do more reserach in this.

In Singapore, the Banjarese Malay group is often mistaken with the Bugis and Javanese
who are often more visible in their representation.

Physical wise, the Banjarese of Martapura are amazingly fair and pretty with Chinese-like features. others are chocolatey, just like other Malays.

I gathered that Kalimantan is high region explaining why they are fair

The Origins of the Banjar People

Welcome to my Blog,




Since I am Banjarese, I intend to make this blog the single source of reference to
anything Banjarese. Hi I am Shafie the Banjary.

"...Amon kadak betakon kadak tahok asalnya orang Banjar." If you dont ask you dont get.

"Ayuhak bertakon." Please ask.

I will as much as my memory can hold, what my old folks says about its legends, mitos, and
history of the great banjar people.

For starters, the Banjarese are warriors and the inhabitants of Kalimantan, Borneo who migrated to Malayan Peninsula in the 18th centuries. (to continue)

to be continued