Yosep Higang Hibau

Yosep Higang Hibau, widely known as Ding Hibau, is a community-based documentary filmmaker from Long Pahangai I Village, Mahakam Ulu Regency, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. He is a member of the Dayak Bahau Busang Umaaq Suling Indigenous community, whose way of life is deeply rooted in the inseparable relationship between forest, river, culture, and identity. For his community, the forest is not only a source of livelihood, but also a space of learning, cultural practice, and ancestral knowledge.

Over the past several years, Ding Hibau has been documenting everyday life within his community, including traditional farming practices, rituals, and the ongoing struggle to protect their forests. Working independently from his village and often with limited access to mentorship, networks, and the internet, he continues to use film to preserve stories at risk of being lost. Through his work, Ding Hibau seeks to bring Indigenous voices beyond geographical boundaries and build understanding that forests, culture, and Indigenous life are inseparable and must be protected together.

Yosep Higang Hibau, yang akrab dikenal sebagai Ding Hibau, adalah pembuat film dokumenter berbasis komunitas dari Kampung Long Pahangai I, Kabupaten Mahakam Ulu, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia. Ia merupakan bagian dari masyarakat adat Dayak Bahau Busang Umaaq Suling, yang kehidupan dan identitasnya berakar pada hubungan yang tak terpisahkan antara hutan, sungai, adat, dan budaya. Bagi komunitasnya, hutan bukan hanya sumber penghidupan, tetapi juga ruang belajar, praktik budaya, dan pengetahuan leluhur.

Dalam beberapa tahun terakhir, Ding Hibau aktif mendokumentasikan kehidupan sehari-hari masyarakatnya, termasuk praktik berladang tradisional, ritual adat, serta perjuangan dalam menjaga hutan. Berkarya secara mandiri dari kampung dengan keterbatasan akses terhadap mentor, jaringan, dan internet, ia terus menggunakan film sebagai medium untuk menjaga cerita-cerita yang terancam hilang. Melalui karyanya, Ding Hibau berupaya membawa suara masyarakat adat melampaui batas geografis dan membangun pemahaman bahwa hutan, budaya, dan kehidupan masyarakat adat merupakan satu kesatuan yang harus dijaga bersama.