Indonesia has a unique variety of ethnic groups. One of the unique ethnic groups in Indonesia is the Baduy tribe. The Baduy tribe is a sub-ethnic Sundanese indigenous group who is one of the thousands of tribes in Indonesia.
The Baduy tribe is a tribe that is administratively located in the area around the Kendeng Mountains, Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District, Lebak Regency, Banten Province. The Kendeng Mountains are at an altitude between 300 – 1200 meters above sea level. With temperatures ranging from 16 to 30 degrees Celsius.
The area occupied by this tribe is 5,136 Ha which has been recognized and designated by the government as the Ulayat Land of the Baduy Community. The distance between the Baduy tribe and the capital of Leuwidamar sub-district is 17 Km. It is 40 Km away from the district capital of Rangkasbitung City, about 95 Km with the provincial capital of Serang City. And approximately 150 Km with DKI Jakarta as the nation’s capital. The natural conditions are hilly, the paths are winding, up and down, steep, and cliffs with a slope of 60o – 90o, making the Baduy tribe area, especially the Inner Baduy, can only be visited on foot with a distance of more than 10 km .
However, the outermost village of the Baduy community is only 100 meters from the last stop of the vehicle. The Baduy tribe consists of two customary areas, namely the Inner Baduy which consists of 3 villages, namely Cibeo, Cikartawana, Cikeusik. As well as Outer Baduy which consists of 62 villages. The total population of 1,206 people live in Inner Baduy and 11,736 people live in Outer Baduy.
The livelihoods of the Baduy community are farming and farming in gardens which are commonly called huma. Some of them sell agricultural products such as fruit, palawija, palm sugar, and other crops. However, there is a prohibition on selling the rice they have harvested.
Their belief is called Sunda Wiwitan which refers to ancestral beliefs or animism. The language used is Sundanese with the Sundanese-Banten dialect.
Some of them can speak Indonesian because of communication with the outside community who came. Baduy people do not know the culture of writing and formal schools. Their culture and “holy book” were preserved in oral form from generation to generation.
In fact, the Baduy tribe is not an isolated tribe. But they are only tribes who deliberately avoid the modernization of the outside world, settle down and shut themselves off from outside cultural influences that are considered negative and contrary to custom. This is all in order to fulfill the mandate of the ancestors who gave us the mandate to always maintain the balance and harmony of the universe.
So do not be surprised if the daily life of the Baduy people live simply and as is, limiting everything related to fulfilling excessive material needs, and living according to preserved customs. These attitudes are shown, among others, by the daily clothes used with only 2 colors and the uniformity of shape and direction of the house facing north-south. Also the type of work that only farms (farming in huma), does not use footwear. And do not use vehicles wherever you go, prohibition of using electronic tools. As well as a ban on photographing the Inner Baduy area.
The origin of naming Baduy has many histories and points of view. Starting from the reference which states that the term Baduy comes from Dutch researchers who equate them with the Arab Badawi community group.
Then the mention comes from the name of the Cibaduy river and the Baduy hill around the Kendeng mountains. Until other names that we often hear are urang Kanekes and urang Rawayan. The origin of the Baduy tribe itself has many versions. So, are you guys interested in reading this article? Come on, get interesting information and add insight from Indonesiar.com.
