The Special Hornbill

The Special Hornbill Pranika Dian Dini

Kuleh and Inai are going to collect snails and ferns in the forest. "Inai, let me bring the anjat!" Kuleh says to his mom. Inai nods while carrying her daughter in a bening. As usual, Inai hums a lullaby to make her sleep.

Kuleh hums along even though he doesn't understand the lullaby’s meaning.“O hornbill, special bird,Great is your service to us all.Your nest lies on top of a tree.We thank you for your presence.”

There are pictures of hornbills everywhere. However, Kuleh has never seen a live one. This time, Kuleh hopes to see one in the forest.

Wow, there are a lot of new plants here! Their leaves are different compared to the Ulin timber tree. This means that these tiny plants are not timber seedlings. Who has planted them?

Suddenly ... Kuak! Kuak! "That's a hornbill's call!" Inai exclaims

A hornbill? Kuleh rushes off to find the source of the sound. It comes from high up in the branches of a tall tree.

Ouch! A seed drops on Kuleh's head. Kuleh looks up and sees a bird's tail among the leaves. Hopefully, it’s a hornbill.

Curious, Kuleh climbs the nearest tree. Just like the clouded leopard he is named after, Kuleh moves from one branch to another with great agility.

After climbing up high, Kuleh sees a bird. It is a hornbill! There’s more than one! Kuleh also sees tiny beaks poking out of a hole! The mother hornbill is feeding her nestlings.

Kuleh wants to take a closer look. Carefully, he climbs higher and higher. Unfortunately, the mother hornbill is startled and flies away.

Kuleh quickly slides down the tree and chases the hornbill. But the bird has flown far away.

Excited, Kuleh cries out "Inai, I saw the hornbill!"Inai smiles, "It's a good thing that there are still hornbills in this forest."

Kuleh then helps Inai collect snails from the riverbank. He can’t stop talking about the hornbill.

Kuleh's anjat is now filled with ferns and snails. Inai says it’s time to go home although Kuleh still wants to find the hornbill.

Oh, there's another new plant! It must have come from the seeds that the hornbills ate. Wow, that means hornbills help in spreading seeds!

Kuleh and Inai hum again on the way home. Now Kuleh understands the meaning of the lullaby. Hornbills do have an important role in preserving the forest.

This is the reason why the people of Kalimantan have pictures of hornbills everywhere. Hornbills are truly special. Kuleh will guard the forest to ensure the hornbills always have a home.

“O hornbill, special bird,Great is your service to us all.Your nest lies on top of a tree.We thank you for your presence.”Now Kuleh understands how special the lullaby is.

Wonderful Words There are a variety of hornbill species found in many parts of the world. The Special Hornbill is inspired by Kalimantan folklore about the friendship between humans and the Rhinoceros Hornbills. This folklore tells of the role hornbills play in sustaining the forest. Sadly, the hornbills' habitats are reducing rapidly due to deforestation. For the people of Kalimantan, hornbills are honorable creatures. Thus, pictures of hornbills can be found everywhere, including in the emblem of North Kalimantan. inai - means “mother” in Dayak, a language spoken in Kalimantan anjat - a traditional tube-like rattan basket used in Kalimantan, usually to carry things on one’s back bening - a woven basket used in Kalimantan, usually to carry babies on one’s back

This storybook is part of the North Kalimantan which was created with partial support from INOVASI. Inovasi untuk Anak Sekolah Indonesia (INOVASI) or Innovation for Indonesian Students is a collaboration between the Australian and Indonesian governments. INOVASI works in partnership with the Ministries of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Religion, and National Development Planning, as well as regional partners in West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, and East Java. The program seeks to identify and support changes in educational practices, systems and policies that can significantly accelerate student learning outcomes in basic education, providing a foundation for a more skilled Indonesian workforce.INOVASI formally began in January 2016. It is managed by Palladium on behalf of the Australian Government, through the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).