Exploring the forest on elephant back in Way Kambas

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.