Education brings light to Orang Rimba<\/p>\n
Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Jambi<\/p>\n
Bukit nang dekot jelon menuju podo sungoi toruyoh elah ditobong
\nurang dusun (Villagers are starting to cut down the trees in the
\nhilly area on the way to Toruyoh river).<\/p>\n
That is how Bekinya -- a 13-year-old girl from the Orang Rimba
\n(literally means the people of the jungle) tribe, the hunter and
\ngatherers living near Toruyon river, Aekitam in the heart of
\nBukit Duabelas National Park in Jambi province -- started her
\nletter to her former teacher.<\/p>\n
She is aware of the destruction caused by illegal logging in
\nboth protected and protected areas, which makes the national
\npark's status as a biosphere reserve meaningless.<\/p>\n
After learning how to read, write and count, Bekinya began to
\nwrite letters, although she writes mostly in her native language
\nwith bits of Bahasa Indonesia thrown in.<\/p>\n
Bekinya is one of seven female students in the tribe who
\nlearned to read, write and count in Sokola Rimbo -- literally
\nmeans a school in the forest, this year.<\/p>\n
The school's 48 students are mostly male and aged between six
\nand 16 years old. There are four students aged between 25 and 40
\nyears old.<\/p>\n
The students are from eight small groups of Orang Rimba who
\nlive scattered around the national park area.<\/p>\n
\"The school means a lot to the younger generation,\" Temenggung
\nTarib, 50, one of the tribe's seven leaders told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
The illiterate man said that the newfound knowledge -- being
\nable to read, write and count -- helped his people in
\ntransactions with outsiders. Previously, he said, the Orang Rimba
\nwere often tricked in transactions with villagers.<\/p>\n
Now, whenever money is involved, such as when he purchased six
\nhectares of land recently, Tarib is accompanied by his son, 15-
\nyear-old Mandum, who attended Sokola Rimbo last year.<\/p>\n
He said that earlier, he was against the school since he
\nconsidered it as meroboh halom, changing the ancient customs of
\nhis tribe.<\/p>\n
He recalled a school that was set up in 1997 by the government
\nin Aekitam district, Sarolangun regency. It had taught students
\nnot only about reading, writing and arithmetic but also focused
\non religion. \"Back then, they even set up homes for us and forced
\nus to stop eating pork,\" Tarib said.<\/p>\n
Unwilling to change, dozens of Orang Rimba sold the houses and
\nplantations granted to them by the government. Now, many beg for
\na living along the Sumatra Highway and others are involved in
\nillegal logging.<\/p>\n
Sociologist Fery Apriadi of nongovernmental group Warsi said
\ntribespeople should be educated in stages as, aside from basic
\nschool subjects, they also needed to be introduced to the outside
\nworld.<\/p>\n
\"Their unreadiness to absorb outside influences could cause
\nculture shock,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Currently, he said, the organization also taught students
\nabout the importance of conservation.<\/p>\n
\"Conservation is closely related to ensuring the
\nsustainability of the forest as their home,\" Fery said.<\/p>\n
In the school, students are taught how to read, write and
\ncount in the first six months while in the next six months, they
\nare taught other things, such as multiplication and deduction.<\/p>\n
\"Education hopefully can help them interact with the outside
\nworld,\" Fery said.<\/p>\n
Education for children in the tribe was introduced in 1998 and
\nas of 2005, 176 children in the tribe, or 15 percent of its
\naround 1,400 people, are no longer illiterate.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-brings-light-to-orang-rimba-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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