Cave clubs push thrill of the unknown<\/p>\n
By R. Kristiawan<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Outdoor activities are popular among students
\nin Yogyakarta, and almost all the universities in the city have
\nnature lovers' clubs.<\/p>\n
But Palawa at Atma Jaya University is different from the usual
\nclubs as it also conducts mountaineering, wall climbing and
\nrafting activities.<\/p>\n
It's major activity is spelunking -- cave exploring.<\/p>\n
\"Approximately 70 percent of our training program is on
\nspelunking,\" said Agung S., a communications student and a senior
\nmember of Palawa.<\/p>\n
Spelunking was first introduced in Indonesia in the early
\n1980s and was quickly embraced by many outdoorsmen. \"We have just
\ninherited this from our seniors,\" said Agung.<\/p>\n
Now, among student outdoor clubs in Indonesia, Palawa leads in
\nspelunking activity.<\/p>\n
Palawa was founded in 1976 as a university-funded student
\nactivity unit. Compared to outdoor clubs of other universities,
\nPalawa is much better off, receiving Rp 60 million from the
\nuniversity per year.<\/p>\n
Equipment for the activities is expensive, about Rp 10 million
\nper person. Palawa has acquired 312 members since its inception.<\/p>\n
\"Although we are a student-based club, those who have
\ngraduated are still our members as we have a lifelong membership
\nsystem,\" said Andris, one of the board members.<\/p>\n
There are 20 students who are active in the club. Every year,
\nthey recruit new members who undergo basic training, 70 percent
\nof which is spelunking. They then undergo a tryout, which usually
\nconsists of mountain hiking or spelunking in Gunung Kidul.<\/p>\n
The club has a room in the back of the university building
\nwhere members gather almost every day. Twice a year, the members
\nare required to go to the caves. The program consists of mapping
\nactivities and expeditions to new areas.<\/p>\n
It's not just a fun day out, because they have to write a
\nreport -- with data and maps -- of their expedition.<\/p>\n
\"The report is very important for us. Sometimes we just finish
\nreporting after a year even though it's about a weeklong
\nexpedition,\" said Andris.<\/p>\n
They have also conducted expeditions in Kalimantan and
\nKinabalu. Besides the obligatory trips, members often go out on
\ntheir own to explore caves.<\/p>\n
Subjects<\/p>\n
Speleology is important to Atma Jaya University; the School of
\nBiology of the private university offers biospeleology as one of
\nits subjects. Biospeleology explores many aspects of caves,
\nincluding its social and economic functions.<\/p>\n
Lecturer and designer of the course Pramanayudha said
\nbiospeleology was important to the country due to the existence
\nof many caves in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"There are now 14 students majoring in biospeleology,\" said
\nPramanayudha, who was active in another nature lovers' group,
\nMapagama, at Gadjah Mada University. He offers advice to Palawa's
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
There is also the Agintyagunyata Speleological Club (ASC), a
\nnonprofit club in the country devoted to speleology, and one
\nwhich has made many important discoveries.<\/p>\n
\"There were many (clubs), but they could not be maintained due
\nto financial constrains,\" said Didi Hadi Wisnu Hartanto, chairman
\nof Agintyagunyata Foundation, the club's patron.<\/p>\n
ASC was established on Jan. 1, 1984, and launched in Luweng
\nSeropan, Gunung Kidul. The founders were six people with outdoor
\nactivities and geology backgrounds.<\/p>\n
Later the same year, the group, in collaboration with teams
\nfrom England and Australia, discovered the beautiful Luweng Jaran
\nin Pacitan, probably the country's longest cave.<\/p>\n
In 1986, together with a French team, ASC discovered the
\ndeepest vertical cave in the country, the 255-meter-deep Leang
\nPute in Maros, Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
ASC also works with other institutions to find new uses of
\ncaves. For example, it collaborated with state-owned forestry
\ncompany Perhutani to seek the potentials of caves. Together with
\nan expert from England, ASC found groundwater in the caves in
\nGunung Kidul, which could be used by residents there as they
\noften suffer droughts.<\/p>\n
ASC has also helped on the tourism front. It has worked with
\nPuri Tour travel bureau to explore new tourist destinations, and
\nassisted local and overseas experts in exploring caves in
\nIndonesian. It has a good documentation system, with complete
\nphotographic data of many caves in Java.<\/p>\n
Since its establishment, it has had 39 members. There are two
\nkinds of membership: full, who receive registration numbers as
\npriority for activities, and junior.<\/p>\n
\"The number of full members is smaller as they must be
\ncommitted to caving,\" said Agus Suharyoto, chairman of ASC.<\/p>\n
As it is nonprofit oriented, funds are raised through members
\ncontributing Rp 1,000 each per week and by working for other
\ngroups. ASC hopes that, in future, a funding agency will help it
\ngo deeper in its cave explorations.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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