An unforgettable journey to the lost world of the Baduy

An unforgettable journey to the lost world of the Baduy

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Serang, Banten

A crystal-clear knee-deep stream running under a bamboo bridge. A
single breath of fresh air brings a feeling of deep relaxation,
providing immediate transportation away from the cares of daily
life.

Waving green leaves, splashing whitewater, darting little
fish, hovering birds and elegant, dancing butterflies combine to
stimulate the viewer's senses.

A vision of paradise lost? No.

Welcome to the land of the Baduy.

This is the view at the "gate" of Cibeo, one of the three
Inner Baduy villages, surrounded by about 37 Outer Baduy villages
located in a hilly, tropical jungle on the western slope of Mount
Kendeng, 200 kilometers west of sophisticated Jakarta.

It is the area where the sacred people of Baduy live, adhering
to their centuries old tradition of shunning modern products and
isolating themselves from outside influences.

Very few people have had the privilege of visiting Inner
Baduy, which is forbidden to outsiders. Reaching an Inner Baduy
village is considered a spiritual journey, which requires pure
thoughts, a brave heart and an unbreakable spirit.

I joined a group of 40 people on a trip to the Baduy area in
mid-December, after a friend, who was one of the guides for the
trip, invited me.

I was surprised to find that the group members had not met
before; they had contacted each other through electronic mailing
lists. They were a group of young professionals from established
companies like British American Tobacco, Ogilvy, Maverick,
Hyundai, Garuda Indonesia, Bank Bali and some others, a well-
known fashion designer joined the trip too. I found it rather
ironic to see the anti-technology Baduy community being visited
by a group that had met through the Internet.

Basically, we all wanted to see the isolated way of life of
the Baduy people up close and personal. A desire that came with a
tangible price. Sure enough, our group was soon called on to
prove itself worthy.

The travelers had their first test three kilometers from
Kaduketuk, the first Outer Baduy village, as the bus we rode in
skidded and went off the road. Fortunately, no one was hurt. We
soon continued our journey on foot wondering what we had done
wrong.

To our surprise, some Inner Baduy villagers came down from
their homes deep in the hilly forest and escorted us along the
road. One of them, Sapri, a stocky man in his 20s, said, "Hi, how
are you? Everybody OK? Anything we can help with?" They were
genuinely friendly and helpful, wearing white headbands and
barefoot, strong hikers, with their profiles somehow reminding us
of the Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings.

In any event, the test was not over. The jaro (village chief)
in Kaduketuk said that our group was not permitted to enter the
Inner Baduy area for some reason. The guides said it was the
first time they had been refused entrance.

We then decided to continue the trip to Cipaler, the last
village before the inner area, and planned to ask for permission
again there.

Then we faced the next test. Heavy rain poured down. The
journey took three hours through along hilly, slippery tracks,
across rain-swollen rivers and through dense jungle.

Still, the views were amazing. Before Cipaler there was
Cicakal, a village on a hill with stone steps and a view down on
a green valley. Stones and wood dominated Cicakal, reminding us
of the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru, South America. The
road became steeper from there.

But we made it.

Our group spent the night in Cipaler, the last Outer Baduy
village before reaching Inner Baduy land.

Negotiations continued that night, and an Inner Baduy
delegation allowed us to progress to the inner area on condition
that some members of the group with foreign-looking features were
not allowed to enter.

The next morning we went uphill to Cibeo.

Cibeo, one of the three holy villages, is located in a
beautiful green valley. To reach it we had to walk about one and
a half hours from Cipaler. And there was one obstacle: We had to
hike 300 meters up a hill with an approximately 60 degree slope.

However, when we finally reached the village, we soon forgot
our hardships.

A crystal clear river surrounded the village, which was fenced
with flowering red hibiscus trees. The water was so clear, we
were tempted to jump in for a swim. And we did.

The houses were predominantly beige colored, and built of
bamboo with thatch roofs. Green grass and moss covered the
ground. Red, yellow, black and white butterflies flew all around.
The Baduy wear only black and white. The view was very soothing.

The people were nice. They smiled before we did, greeted and
asked us to stop by at their houses.

Through the day I explored the village. It was beautiful, warm
and orderly. I began to feel guilty that our visit might ruin or
pollute their culture.

When night fell, it was drizzling and pitch dark -- no
moonlight, no stars. Light came only from candles and some
beautiful fireflies around us.

Our group sat on a terrace around Sapri, a native of Cibeo,
who played a kecapi, a 13 string zither-like instrument. The
music soon cast a spell on everyone. It was the sound of music in
the middle of nowhere. This was the moment when I finally knew
the journey was really worth it.

Such views and peaceful lives will, hopefully, be preserved as
the Baduy people insist on their self-imposed isolation, handed
down from generation to generation over the centuries.

"The mountains may not be destroyed, the valleys may not be
damaged ... What is long may not be cut short, what is short may
not be lengthened ... The ancestral injunctions may not be
changed," Sapri said about their code.

According to their pikukuh (essential rules) there are taboos
against, among other things, digging the soil to lay foundations
for houses, hoeing for agricultural purposes, entering the
forbidden forest, breeding and keeping four-legged animals, using
petroleum-based fuel, digging wells, disposing of garbage in a
haphazard manner, catching fish by poisoning, bathing with soap
and brushing the teeth with toothpaste.

The rules must be followed by all members of the Baduy
community as well as visitors who happen to be in the Baduy area.

The next morning, as we left the land of the Baduy, we made
sure that we did not leave any garbage or indications of our
presence. As a token of appreciation we gave the hosts some gifts
such as dried salted fish, salt and sugar. They were only willing
to receive them after making sure that we gave them from our
hearts.

Just as we were sure nothing was ruined, we heard them saying
to each other, "Kasiaaan deh lu!" ("Poor you!" in trendy Jakarta
slang).