Kasepuhans maintain unique way of living
Kasepuhans maintain unique way of living
BOGOR (JP): There are two communities living in and around the
Gunung Halimun National Park, the indigenous Kasepuhan and the
migrant community, referred to as the non-Kasepuhan.
The non-Kasepuhans are mainly tea plantation workers, farmers,
merchants, and government officials working at the local
government offices.
The Kasepuhans, on the other hand, have lived in and protected
the forests for hundreds of generations, long before the area was
established as a national park. As a result, there is a tight
link between the forest and its people.
Legend says that their ancestors came from the Padjadjaran
Kingdom.
The Kasepuhans view the forest's existence as their heritage,
given to them by their ancestors and which must be preserved to
support their lives rather than be exploited. They have a very
unique way of managing the forest's resources, based on wisdom
that has been passed down from generation to generation.
They maintain spiritual ties with their fields and the forest
through a series of adat (traditional laws) administered by a
hereditary leader known as Abah. The laws govern most aspects of
the community's life, including the timing of rice planting,
festivals and religious ceremonies, and even the type of roofing
material found on Kasepuhan houses.
The majority of Kasepuhans are traditional farmers, that is,
migratory agriculture. Their livelihood depends upon rice, maize,
cassava and cash crops such as coffee and cloves.
Before 1990, the Kasepuhans' religion did not allow them to
use agricultural techniques and tools -- essential for rice
cultivation -- and they relied on slash and burn agriculture.
This method has been discontinued this decade.
The Kasepuhan still practice a unique way of planting rice as
they maintain the use of local rice varieties, only plant once a
year and reject use of pesticides.
As a result, there has never occurred pest and disease
outbreaks.
It remains to be seen whether this present maintenance of
tradition will serve as a bulwark against mounting influences
from the outside. (Dami Buchori)