Exploring the forest on elephant back in Way Kambas

Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno

LAMPUNG (JP): A thin mist shrouded a patch of grassland at Way Kambas elephant training center in Lampung when the morning silence was shattered by a pained shriek.

A wild elephant, tied firmly to a wooden pole and with a plank on its neck, tried desperately to break free as three tamers hit it over the head with a rattan stick. Its cry, gradually growing hoarser and hoarser, was heartbreaking.

"Up...up...up, come on, lift it! Why are you so dumb? Hit it again," one of the tamers said. One of the others responded by beating the forelegs of the animals.

At the center in the Way Kambas National Park, these plaintive roars and screams are common. It is from here that later on tame elephants are sold to forest concessions, rice farming companies and circuses.

The beatings are part of the process of taming wild elephants. The Way Kambas elephant training center is the largest such institute under the auspices of the Ministry of Forestry. The center employs 120 elephant trainers, who are paid an average of Rp 120,000 a month.

According to Nazarudin, chief tamer at the center, at least 300 elephants have completed the training since the establishment of the center in 1985. Currently, 100 elephants are being trained on the 1,000-hectare center.

Elephants are caught in the forests around Way Kambas, and the number trapped is in accordance with demand. One raid usually nets 10 animals.

Taming of wild elephants and training them in specialized skills is done by the runk method. According to Nazarudin, this is a traditional system for taming elephants borrowed from Thailand.

Runk refers to the wooden pole structure used to tether an elephant undergoing training.

Traditionally, the method is marked by a series of ritualized ceremonies, which makes it an attractive event for tourists.

One wild elephant is led to the three poles prepared for the purpose. Two tame elephants flank the wild one and a third tame pachyderm brings up the rear. There are often difficulties, so a fourth tame elephant is sometimes required to push a stubborn elephant to the poles.

After the novice is tied to the three poles, Nazarudin, as the chief elephant tamer, begins the rituals with a prayer near the offerings made for the safety of the elephant and its tamer during the training.

Offerings consist of white wine, roast chicken, a sirih set of betel leaf, areca nut, gambir and lime, drinking water, coffee and clove cigarettes.

"We have actually simplified the offerings in line with our tradition," said Nazarudin, who has participated in an elephant training course in Thailand.

Nazarudin kisses the ground and prays to the three wooden poles. The climax of the ritual is the cutting off of the head of the chicken prepared for the offering. The chicken head is then attached to the elephant's head.

It is believed the placement of the chicken head will show the weaknesses of the wild elephant, allowing easier training by striking the elephant's head in particular areas.

After the ceremony, an elephant follows basic training for six months before graduating to specialized training. The training is given in seven stages.

In the first, the tamer or trainer acquaints the elephant with verbal instructions. This stage is the most difficult and requires at least one month. In the second, the elephant is trained to lift its two forelegs. These two stages involve use of the yoke and are marked by harsh treatment of the animal.

Training during the two stages is done in the morning when the center is still closed to the public. This is done, Nazarudin said, because "the use of harshness against the elephants gives a sadistic impression".

When the elephant graduates the second stage, it has started to obey and is released from the yoke. In the third stage, the tamer mounts the elephant's back and continues with reinforcing training done in the second stage.

The next stage covers further verbal instructions, such as walking, turning in different directions and stopping. It also familiarizes the elephant with a crowded environment. The animal is trained to sit and pick up an object with its trunk.

This is the lone training session that visitors witness.

They can get involved in this specialized training. The choices include riding in a cart drawn by an elephant being trained for transport, or playing with an elephant undergoing training for the circus.

After it graduates, the elephant is ready for transfer to the party that ordered at a cost of Rp 15 million. In general, elephants are ordered by forest concessionaires to haul logs in the forests.

The Way Kambas elephant training center is open daily to the public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Most popular are Sundays and holidays. On weekdays, there are only foreign tourists, and usually just 10 per day.

The entrance fee is Rp 1,500 per person. Programs for visitors include the elephant swimming competition, elephant circus, wild elephants and riding on elephants.

An additional fee of Rp 1,000 is required to enter the circus arena. The 25 routines on the program are sensational, especially one in which an elephant walks over a man lying on the ground.

A five-minute ride on elephant back through the center complex costs Rp 15,000. For those scared of sitting on the backs of the animals, there are rides in a carriage drawn by an elephant.

The Safari Gajah package for the more adventurous costs Rp 20,000 per hour. The visitor can ride on an elephant, accompanied by a tamer, and explore the tropical forests around the park.

From the height of the elephant's back, there may be the startling sight of a wild hog scuttling past to disappear in the undergrowth. The trip traverses rivers and swamps, and lucky riders may even encounter a herd of wild elephants.

Unfortunately, there is no public transportation to the center. Visitors have to use their own land transportation to cover the 110 kilometers from Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung. Despite all the inconvenience, it is worth it for a ride on the majestic beasts of the jungle.