For several centuries, Central Kalimantan was under the sway of Banjarmasin where Banjarmasin converted to Islam at the begining of the 17th century with the Banjar Sultanate traditional of life. the disfussion of Islam among the Dayak was consider during the 1830s by the first Protestant missionaries and colonial administration. A Dutch geologist named Schwaner did the initial exploration and mapping of the Central Kalimantan. Between 1881 and 1884 he made his way up Barito, Kapuas, Kahayan, and Katingan river recording villages location along the rivers to honor' his works the mountain that sparates Central Kalimantan from West Kalimantan where named after him, the Schwaner Range.
In 1880 until 1980 the Dutch colonial, for its economics and politics reasons open communication by cutting five canals connecting Kapuas, Barito, and Kahayan rivers in the Southeast region of Central Kalimantan. After Indonesia proclaimed its independence on August 17, 1945, Central Kalimantan was controlled from Banjarmasin. Then in 1950s the Dayak of Central Kalimantan sought autonomy of Central Kalimantan Province. The target of the autonomy were to develop potention of the economics region, to create a better life of the societies in the enteria which were extremely poor as an effect colonialisation. By separating from Banjarmasin it was hoped that the Dayak, and the Central Kalimantan region would well develop as the other province of Indonesia.
The above aspiration was based on the fact that mostly of the economics and comerce activities in Banjarmasin were supported by the agriculture products of Central Kalimantan. After a long debate and the combination of small scale guarilla actions and supported from Jakarta resulted in the creation Central Kalimantan Province on May 23,1957, and Commodore Tjilik Riwut was the first governor. At the begining the capital city of Central Kalimantan was Pahandut a small village on the bank of Kahayan river, in accordance with the are development Pahandut then changed into Palangkaraya. Palangkaraya means great and holy place.
