The Nagas: A tribe lost in history
The Nagas: A tribe lost in history
By YR Prahista
BANDUNG, West Java: Visitors to Kampung Naga, a small hamlet
located in Tasikmalaya regency, often wonder about the origins of
the residents, the Naga tribe. So far, there has been hardly
anybody who can tell exactly where they came from and why they
are called Suku Naga, the Dragon Tribe. Even the local office of
the Ministry of Education and Culture cannot give any answers.
As part of the Sunda community, the Naga tribe speaks
Sundanese in daily life. The difference between the Naga tribe
and many other Sundanese community groups lies in their attitude
toward the outside culture. The Naga tribe are able to uphold
culture and tradition handed down by ancestors although they only
form a small community. Unlike the isolated Badui tribe, the Naga
community is more open to visitors.
The tribe occupies an area of approximately 10 hectares at
Neglasari village, Salawu district, Tasikmalaya regency. It is
some 27 kms from the town of Garut and about 30 kms from the town
of Tasikmalaya. The distance from Bandung to Garut is 105 kms.
The location of the settlement is separated from other
communities. Nevertheless, Kampung Naga is not an isolated
region. Anyone can easily visit the place. The distance from the
Tasikmalaya-Garut road is only 500 meters.
Kampung Naga is in a valley surrounded by hills. The only
access to the village is on foot by way of 335 steps which go up
and down, constructed at the foot of a steep slope with an angle
of 20 to 45 degrees.
Their origins have never been clarified. History and past
almost became extinct when nearly all the houses were burned down
by the Indonesian Islamic Army (DI/TII) rebels in 1956.
"There was nothing left," Sumanta, a member of the Naga tribe,
recalled. His three-year-old son was killed in the incident. At
that time, Sumanta joined the Village Security Organization which
consisted of civilians.
Apart from property, various heirlooms and historical objects
stored in the Bumi Ageung community hall were burned to ash.
Sumanta said the building was a house on stilts without windows,
and which was guarded and maintained by a woman already in her
menopause.
The Naga tribe believes that their ancestors were buried in
nearby Bukit Naga (Naga hill). The area is also called leuweung
larangan meaning a forest full of prohibitions because not
everybody can enter the area, especially outsiders.
There are at least six pilgrimages a year to visit the graves
of ancestors in a ceremony named hajat sasih. The ceremony is
attended by all the inhabitants of Kampung Naga and the Naga
community members living outside the hamlet.
Hajat sasih is an expression of gratitude and at the same time
a request for safety and prosperity for all the inhabitants.
The ceremony can only be attended by adult males. First, they
bath together in the Ciwulan river which is at the eastern border
of Kampung Naga. They return home and change into white clothes.
They put on a headband called totopong. The main part of the
program starts with the cleaning of the ancestors' graves.
The ceremony takes place in the first, third, sixth, eighth,
tenth and twelfth months of the Islamic year, which starts in
April.
"The date of the hajat sasih can be advanced or delayed if it
coincides with a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday," said Ateng
Djaelani, 42, a custom official who has been assigned to uphold
tradition and to lead ritual ceremonies.
For three days the Naga tribe retire in seclusion in nyepi
rituals. Unlike the Hindu community of Bali, the Naga tribe still
perform daily duties during nyepi. Moreover, tourists are not
prohibited from visiting the area.
"But during nyepi it is taboo for the inhabitants to tell
anybody about customs and ancestry," said Ateng.
At present, the population of Naga village numbers 320 with
102 family heads. From the 10-hectare territory only an area of
1.5 hectares is for settlement. The rest is the "forbidden
forest", rice fields and agricultural land. The Naga community
lives off of farming and bamboo plaited handicraft revenue.
They live in traditional houses with shapes and colors
conformed to local construction material. Not one single house
uses material like tiles or bricks.
The black roof is made of ijuk (palm fiber). Bamboo plaited
walls are part of the rumah panggung. The floors are made of
planks or bamboo.
The houses are situated lengthwise from east to west with
doors facing north to south in accordance with their cosmological
concept. It is not allowed to paint walls or other parts of the
house, instead chalk is used for making the houses uniformly
white.
The Naga community refuses to use electric power.
The reason is a fear that the house may catch fire. On the
other hand, they do not reject electronic products like TV and
radio sets. Some ethnic Naga young men often even use colorful T-
shirts and wear disheveled jeans with holes in the knee region.
They dye their hair or let it grow long.
Although they are Muslims, they still practice traditions
handed down by ancestors. Apart from hajat sasih they organize
other custom ceremonies for weddings, harvests and circumcisions.
On Aug. 17, coinciding with Independence Day, they hold a
marak (no food) ceremony. Formerly, the ceremony was preceded by
the catching of fish in the Ciwulan river whereby one of the
riversides was dammed.
The catch is carried in a procession accompanied by angklung
(suspended bamboo tubes) music and handed over to the village
administration and subdistrict office as proof of the adherence
of the ethnic Naga community. Along the way the group happily
dances to the rhythm of the angklung instruments.
It is regrettable that over these past few years the marak
ceremony has been replaced by agricultural produce like bananas,
various kinds of snacks and fish caught in ponds.