The unconventional medical prowess of Ida Dayak has recently been the subject of intense scrutiny among digital communities, notably users of the popular social media platform, TikTok. She has emerged as a fascinating figure, advocating alternative treatment modalities, with purported capabilities to heal a diverse range of health conditions, encompassing everything from fractured bones and cerebrovascular incidents to speech impediments. Interestingly, her reputation is further augmented by her reported refusal to accept any monetary compensation for her treatment services.
This wave of popularity led to an influx of individuals from disparate regions of Indonesia, congregating with the aim of meeting Ida Dayak. This assembly took place at the Madivif 1 Kartika Sports Arena situated in Kostrad Cilodong, Depok, on Monday, 3rd April 2023. However, the event, anticipated to showcase her unusual healing abilities, was ironically characterized more by chaos than treatment.
Given the tumultuous circumstances, it was determined that the event focused on alternative healing had to be discontinued. In the interest of her safety, Ida Dayak was subsequently escorted from the sports arena, a task executed by members of the TNI. Major General TNI Bobby Rinal Makmun, Commander of the 1st Infantry Division (Pangdivif) Kostrad, offered an explanation at the scene, stating that “Mrs. Ida was either unwilling or unable to continue with the treatment due to the excessive crowd.”
The abrupt termination of this much-anticipated alternative healing event, unfortunately, led to widespread disappointment among the multitude of hopeful patients who were left untreated, illuminating the growing allure of alternative healing practices, and their central figures, within contemporary society.
Who is Ida Dayak?
As reported by Tribunnews.com, the woman known popularly as Ida Dayak was born Ida Andriyani in Pasir Belengkong, Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, in July of 1972. Before achieving her current status as a prominent alternative healer, she spent her early career traveling between markets, offering her unconventional medical services.
The moniker “Dayak” was added to her name due to her preference for wearing traditional Dayak attire during her healing sessions. This cultural alignment extends beyond clothing as Ida is also known to adorn herself with traditional Dayak head accessories.
During her treatments, she consistently begins by reciting the Islamic declaration of faith, “Lailahaillallah,” and the basmalah. This ritual underscores her belief that healing power emanates exclusively from Allah SWT. At the age of 51, Ida Dayak identifies as a devout Muslim.
Ida Dayak’s reputation has crossed regional boundaries, and she has conducted healing sessions not only in her home region of Kalimantan but also in Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Papua. Her healing process is marked by a distinctive dance ritual, after which she applies a red-colored oil known as “Minyak Bintang” (Star Oil) to patients in a massage. Remarkably, a diverse range of illnesses reportedly respond to this treatment immediately, with patients who were formerly incapacitated regaining their ability to walk.
Despite the incorporation of rituals in her practice, Ida Dayak attributes the curative effects to divine intervention, stating, “According to my religion, I am a Muslim. I commence this healing with the recitation of Bismillahirahmanirrahim.” (Ida Dayak, 31/3/2023).
Intriguingly, she does not demand any payment for her services, but instead sells her self-prepared Star Oil for Rp 50,000 (~3,35 USD) per bottle. This combination of reputed miraculous healings and her modest means of sustenance likely contributes to her popularity, attracting hopeful patients from across the region in search of a cure.
Ida Dayak’s healing methods
Given the pervasive online spread of her healing services, it is hardly surprising that when Ida Dayak, also known as Ibu Ida Dayak, opens her practice, she attracts large crowds, with the queue of patients often reaching into the thousands for a single session. Her exceptional ability to provide relief to her patients has led to her being frequently described as a mystical woman.
During her healing sessions, Ida Dayak’s process involves physically touching the afflicted areas of the patient’s body. Her treatment methodology does not rely on an extensive assortment of medical instruments. Instead, she utilizes a combination of body movement and targeted massage to alleviate discomfort in problem areas. This procedure is followed by the application of a red-colored oil, referred to as “minyak bintang”.
The breadth of health conditions Ida Dayak has treated extends beyond the routine, encompassing ailments sometimes deemed untreatable by conventional medical standards. For example, she reportedly possesses the capacity to rectify malformations in bones, such as protruding or crooked bones, using simple massaging and manipulation techniques, absent any medical equipment.
Notably, her healing process is marked by its brevity. According to one of her video testimonials, Ida Dayak purports to have healed a patient of a disease in a mere span of 7 minutes. However, it is crucial to approach alternative treatments with caution. Not all unconventional therapies can be assumed safe without question. As a safeguard, one should consider seeking advice from a medical professional prior to undertaking any form of alternative treatment.
You can watch Ida Dayak’s healing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2_F2wyJbfE
The Origin of Ida Dayak’s mystical powers
The viral popularity of Ida Dayak has prompted her only child, Herman Ida Andriani, to speak up about his mother.
According to a report from Tribun Kaltim, Herman shared the origin of Ida Dayak’s mystical powers, which are now claimed to be capable of curing various diseases. As it is known, Ida Dayak recently went viral for her alleged ability to heal broken bones, pinched nerves, sprains, strokes, and paralysis. Due to her remarkable abilities, she has been hailed as a powerful woman.
Herman extensively recounted the story of his mother, Ida Dayak. He acknowledged that his mother has been traveling to different areas for medical treatments for a long time.
2 Years of absence from home
Ida Andriani, aged 51, hails from the transmigrant community of Pasir Belengkong Village, located in the Pasir Belengkong Subdistrict of Paser Regency, East Kalimantan. Known for her ability to treat a multitude of ailments, Ida, also referred to as Ida Dayak, has gained widespread recognition and frequently travels across several regions.
“She has journeyed extensively across various Indonesian islands, including Sumatra, Papua, and Sulawesi, visiting numerous places,” Herman, her son, confirmed on Thursday (6/4/2023).
Ida Dayak’s work has kept her away from home since 2021. Herman revealed that her frequent absence from home in the past was primarily due to her travels selling medicine, rather than administering treatments.
“Previously, local patients rarely sought her out, possibly due to a lack of awareness about her capabilities. However, since her rise to fame, the influx of patients has been significant. In the past, she would return home for respite, the longest break being six months due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Herman shared.
Despite her prolonged absences, Ida Dayak maintains regular contact with her only child. Herman confirmed that he frequently communicates with his mother via phone. Presently, with her infrequent visits back to East Kalimantan, Ida Dayak resides in the Bogor area.
“We are in regular communication. She often checks in on our welfare at home and occasionally shares updates about her treatment locations. She currently resides in Bogor,” Herman stated.
Ida Dayak is consistently accompanied by her husband during her travels. His role is integral to their business, handling the sale of medicine to patients.
“My father typically accompanies her. While my mother dispenses treatment, she also markets the medicine, and my father assists with packaging the medicine and delivering it to the buyers,” Herman elaborated.
The Origin of her mystical powers
Furthermore, Herman shared more about his mother’s mystical powers. Initially, Herman admitted that Ida Dayak was just a seller of massage oil, which was a family heritage passed down through generations.
Then, three years ago, starting in 2020, Ida Dayak began learning how to heal people. Since then, Ida Dayak has become skilled in treating various diseases using her family’s massage oil.
“While selling the medicine has been going on for years, it took around three years for her to start treating patients,” Herman acknowledged.
Herman admitted that his mother usually treats patients with broken bones. However, Herman revealed that Ida Dayak doesn’t hesitate to inform patients if their illness cannot be cured by her.
“Not all diseases can be cured. My mother knows which ones she can and cannot treat. If she can’t, she will honestly say that she is unable to do so, but if there is still a possibility, she will make an effort,” explained Herman.
Contrary views on Ida Dayak’s treatment
Ida Dayak’s unconventional treatments, while attracting a large following, have also drawn criticism from medical experts. Orthopedic Specialist Dr. Harry Jonathan, for instance, has publicly voiced strong dissent towards Ida Dayak’s methods.
Dr. Harry issued a public cautionary statement regarding the therapeutic practices of Ida Dayak, emphasizing that the first response to bone injuries—such as fractures, deformities, or sprains—should be diagnostic imaging like X-rays, as opposed to immediate treatment.
He argued that if patients with such conditions are subjected to bone realignment using Ida Dayak’s techniques, potential long-term risks could emerge, including damage to nerves and muscles.
“When bones and joints are implicated, and the interventions performed involve joint manipulation, it’s imperative to understand the underlying condition, which an X-ray could reveal. If we forcefully straighten a bone without considering the state of the nerves and muscles, they may sustain damage,” Dr. Harry Jonathan elaborated.
In addition, Dr. Adib Khumaidi, Chairman of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), provided his insights into Ida Dayak’s approach. He noted that patients often turn to alternative treatments as a final recourse in their quest for healing. However, due to the fundamental differences between Ida Dayak’s methods—which lean towards the spiritual—and those rooted in medical science, the IDI can’t offer an extensive commentary on her practices, according to Dr. Adib.
Reference:
- Biodata of Ibu Ida Dayak Who Went Viral for Healing Various Diseases with Alternative Treatments: https://bandung.viva.co.id/news/18475-biodata-ibu-ida-dayak-yang-viral-karena-menyembuhkan-berbagai-penyakit-dengan-pengobatan-alternatif
- The Origins of Ida Dayak’s Powers Revealed, From Selling Medicine to Years Without Returning Home: https://bangka.tribunnews.com/2023/04/07/asal-usul-kesaktian-ida-dayak-terungkap-berawal-dari-jualan-obat-hingga-bertahun-tahun-tak-pulang?page=all
