BPIP Appreciates Badui Community's Culture for Not Damaging the Environment

Lebak (ANTARA) - The Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP) appreciates the Badui community’s culture in the interior of Lebak Regency, Banten, for not damaging the environment, making it highly beneficial for the preservation of natural surroundings and forests. “We are fully aware at this Seba celebration event that the Badui community protects the forest and nature,” said BPIP Control Director Mukhammad Fahrurozi after attending the Seba celebration in Lebak on Saturday. This year’s Seba celebration, held at the Lebak Regency Government Pendopo Building, is particularly noteworthy because the Badui community’s culture does not harm the environment. Their lives in the Kendeng Mountain area demonstrate how they instil and preserve traditional cultural values, including a strong commitment to protecting the environment and nature. Therefore, according to him, this serves as a good example that must be instilled in children and grandchildren to safeguard the natural environment and avoid destruction. Especially considering that environmental and forest damage can lead to difficulties in accessing clean water, ecological disasters that may cause loss of life, and other consequences. For this reason, the Badui community conveyed during the Seba event that the government should not damage it. “I think BPIP is more supportive of the Badui community by consistently protecting and safeguarding the forest and nature,” he explained. Meanwhile, Badui cultural figure Santa stated that the Badui community currently has the obligation to protect and preserve the natural environment and forests, as failure to do so would certainly result in natural disasters. The current Badui population of approximately 15,000 souls lives in safety, peace, harmony, and prosperity across 68 villages in their ancestral customary lands. The settlement area of Badui Dalam and Badui Luar spans 5,200 hectares, designated as ancestral customary land, including 2,500 hectares of cultivated rights and the remaining 2,700 hectares as protected forest and mountains. To date, the forest and mountain areas in Badui remain secure, with no boundary shifts between the ancestral customary lands and external communities. The Badui community has generationally protected the natural environment, forests, and mountains, ensuring sources of clean and clear spring water. “We have instilled in our children the protection of this nature so as not to damage it, because it is a legacy from our ancestors or elders to preserve and keep the environment green,” said Santa.