President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo and their entourage arrived on Tuesday morning in Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, and received a welcome in the form of a Dayak traditional dance at the airport.

Afterward, the President was crowned as “Raja Haring Hatungku Tungket Langit” which is loosely translated as the king who is wise and noble and supports the nation’s unity. The coronation procession was led by Central Kalimantan's Dayak Customary Council (DAD) head, Agustiar Sabran, not long after the entourage landed, a statement from the presidential press bureau said.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is crowned a Dayak king by the Dayak Customary Council (DAD) in Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan on Dec. 20.(Courtesy of Presidential Secretariat/File)

Sabran said the council bestowed the title to convey the Dayak people’s appreciation of the President, who was deemed capable of leading Indonesia while maintaining unity.

“This is the symbol of the Dayak people’s support for President Jokowi’s administration,” Sabran said as quoted in the statement. (evi)