Baduy people

Baduy people (Indonesian: Orang

Baduy people
Baduy/Orang Sunda Baduy; Sundanese: ᮅᮛᮀ
ᮘᮓᮥᮚ᮪/ᮅᮛᮀ ᮊᮔᮦᮊᮦᮞ᮪, romanized: Urang ᮅᮛᮀ ᮘᮓᮥᮚ᮪/ᮅᮛᮀ ᮊᮔᮦᮊᮦᮞ᮪
Baduy/Urang Kanékés) (sometimes spelled as Urang Baduy/Urang Kanékés
Badui or Kanékés) are an indigenous
Sundanese ethnic group native to the
southeastern part of Banten, specifically
Lebak Regency, Banten, Indonesia.

Etymology
The term baduy is a short form derived from
baduyut in the Baduy language. It is a native
Panamping (lit. 'Outer Baduy') women in Banten
Sundanese term that refers to an endemic vine
plant of western Java (Trichosanthes villosa), Total population
used as a herbal medicine since ancient times. 11,620 (2015 census)[1]
As part of the Sundanese family, baduyut also Regions with significant populations
bears the same meaning in Old and Modern
Indonesia (Lebak Regency, Banten)
Sundanese. It is likely that in ancient times,
Languages
there was a river called Baduyut, as the term
Baduy, Bantenese, Indonesian
Cibaduyut (ᮎᮤ ᮘᮓᮥᮚᮥᮒ᮪) itself literally means
Religion
"Baduyut River" in the Sundanese language,
thus it is possible that this tribe was named Inner: Sunda Wiwitan
after the river. The Baduy people sometimes Outer and Dangka: Islam, Christianity, others
prefer to be called Urang Kanekes (lit. Related ethnic groups
"Kanekes people") or Urang Cibeo (lit. "Cibeo Bantenese • Sundanese
people") instead, as these are the names of
their cultural regions or villages.[2]

There is also a theory suggesting that the word baduy was initially an exonym used by outsiders to refer
to these tribal groups, stemming from the idea that the Dutch equated them with Bedouin Arabs.[3]

Sub-groups
The Baduy are divided into three sub-groups:

1. Tangtu (lit. "Inner Baduy"; Baduy Dalam (in Indonesian))

2. Panamping (lit. "Outer Baduy"; Baduy Luar (in Indonesian))
 3. Dangka (lit. "Dangka Baduy"; Baduy Dangka (in Indonesian))
No foreigners are allowed to meet the Inner Baduy, though the Outer Baduy do foster some limited
contacts with the outside world. Dangka Baduy have sustained contact with the outside world and no
longer live in the Kanekes area.[4]

Settlement area
The Baduy region is geographically located at 6°27’27" –
6°30’0" south and 108°3’9" – 106°4’55" east.[5] The Baduy
population of 11,700 is centered at the foothills of the
Kendeng mountains at the Kanekes settlement, Leuwidamar
View over the hills near the Badui village
district, Lebak Regency, Banten, a distance of 40 km (25 mi)
of Kaduketug, circa 1915–1926
from Rangkasbitung. This region, part of the Kendeng
mountains, with an elevation of 300–500 meters (980–
1,640 ft) above sea level, consists of hilly topography with surfaces that reach up to an average of 45%
slope, with volcanic (in the north), precipitate (in the center), and mixed soil (in the south). The average
temperature is 20 °C (68 °F). The Baduy homeland in Java is contained in just 50 km2 (19 sq mi) of hilly
forest area, 120 km (75 mi) from Jakarta, Indonesia's capital. The three main settlements of the Kanekes
people are Cikeusik, Cikertawana, and Cibeo.[6]

Language
The native language of the Baduy people, Baduy, is most closely related and sometimes considered to be
a dialect of Sundanese.[7] Native speakers are dispersed in regions around the Mount Kendeng,
Rangkasbitung district of Lebak Regency, Pandeglang Regency, and Sukabumi, West Java. It is estimated
that there are 11,620 speakers as of 2010.[1] In order to communicate with outsiders, the Baduy people
tend to speak Sundanese and sometimes Indonesian to some degree of fluency. The Inner Baduy in
Kanekes village are mostly illiterate, hence, their customary religious belief system and ancestral folk
tales are preserved in the form of oral tradition.[8]

Education
Formal education for Baduy children is seen by Baduy people as a violation of their traditional customs,
and they have so far refused the Indonesian government's proposals to build educational facilities in their
villages. As a result, few Baduy people are educated or able to read or write.[9]

Origins

Mythology
According to their belief system, the Kanekes people regard themselves as descendants of Batara Cikal,
one of seven deities, or gods, that was sent to Earth.[10] This origin story is often associated with the
biblical first man, Adam. According to the Kanekes, Adam and his descendants have been given the task
to meditate or practice asceticism in order to preserve the
harmony of the world.

History
The Kanekes origin story differs from the opinions of
historians, who base their theories on the synthesis of
historical evidence in the form of inscriptions, written records
of Portuguese and Chinese sailors, as well as the 'Tatar Sunda' Delegates of the Baduy people, circa
1915–1926
folklore, very little of which still remains. Some people
believe that the Baduy are the descendants of the aristocracy
of the Sunda Kingdom of Pajajaran, who lived near Batutulis, in the hills around Bogor, but there is no
strong evidence to support this belief. The domestic architecture of that region follows most closely the
traditional Sundanese architecture. Pakuwan Pajajaran port, known as Sunda Kelapa, was destroyed by
invading Faletehan (Fatahillah) Muslim soldiers in 1579, and Dayeuh Pakuan, the capital of Pajajaran,
was invaded by the Banten Sultanate some time later. Before the establishment of the sultanate, the
western tip of Java island played an important role for the Sunda Kingdom, with Banten being a large
trading port. Various types of vessels entered the Ciujung River, and most of them were used to transport
crops that were harvested from the interior regions. Therefore, the ruler of the region, Prince Pucuk
Umun, believed that the sustainability of the river needed to be maintained. An army of highly trained
royal troops was commanded to guard and manage the dense and hilly jungle areas in the region of
Mount Kendeng. The troops, with their specific duties to that area, came largely from the Kanekes
community, which still inhabits the upper part of Ciujung River at Gunung Kendeng.[11]

The discrepancy between the two theories led to the notion that in the past, the identity and historicity of
the Kanekes had been intentionally concealed in order to protect the community from attacks by the
Sunda Kingdom's enemies. Van Tricht, a doctor who had done medical research in the area in 1928,
denied this theory, however. According to him, the Kanekes people are natives of the region and have
strongly resisted external influences.[12] The Kanekes people themselves also refuse to acknowledge that
they originate from the fugitives of Pajajaran, the capital of the Kingdom of Sunda. According to
Danasasmita and Djatisunda, the Baduy people are local to the settlements that are officially mandated by
the king, because the people are obliged to preserve the kabuyutan (ancestral or ancestral worship).[13]

Religion and beliefs

The religion of the Baduy is known as Agama Sunda Wiwitan and is rooted in ancestral worship and
honoring or worshiping spirits of natural forces. According to the kokolot (elders) of Cikeusik village,
Kanekes people are not adherents of Hinduism or Buddhism. However, in its development, this faith is
influenced by and has incorporated elements of Hinduism, and to some extent, Islam.[14]

The form of respect for the spirits of natural forces is carried out by guarding and preserving the natural
environment, such as the mountains, hills, valleys, forests, gardens, springs, rivers, and all the ecosystems
within them, as well as giving their highest gratitude to nature by treating and protecting the jungle as
part of an effort to maintain the balance of the universe. The core of this belief is shown by the existence
of pikukuh, or the absolute customary provisions practiced in the daily lives of the Kanekes people.[2] The
most important principle of the Kanekes people's pukukuh (adherence) is the concept of "no changes of
whatsoever", or the slightest change possible: Lojor heunteu
beunang dipotong, pèndèk heunteu beunang disambung
(meaning "What's long cannot be cut [to shorten], and what's
short cannot be attached [to lengthen]").[15]

The Baduy also observe many mystical taboos. They are

forbidden to kill, steal, lie, commit adultery, get drunk, eat
food at night, take any form of conveyance, wear flowers or
perfumes, accept gold or silver, touch money, or cut their hair.
In agriculture, they practice pukukuh by not changing the An illustration of a Baduy man playing a
contour of the land for their fields, [16] so much so that the calung musical instrument by Jannes
Theodorus Bik, circa 1816–1846.
way of farming is very simple; not cultivating the land using
plows or forming terraces, but only using hoe-farming
methods, that is, with sharpened bamboo. In the construction of houses, the contouring of the soil surface
is also left as is, therefore, the poles of the Kanekes houses are often not of the same length.[16] The
words and actions of the Baduy people are expected to be honest, innocent, without beating around the
bush, and devoid of bargaining in trade. Other taboos relate to defending Baduy lands against invasion:
they may not grow sawah (wet rice), use fertilizers, raise cash crops, use modern tools for working
ladang soil, or keep large domestic animals.

The most important religious object for the Kanekes people is the Arca Domas, whose location is kept
secret and is considered sacred. The Kanekes people visit the site to worship once a year in the month of
Kalima, which, in 2003, coincided with the month of July. Only Pu'un, or the highest customary
chairman and several elected members of the community, will follow the entourage to worship.
Rainwater is stored in a mortar container in the Arca Domas complex. If it is found to be clear at the time
of worship, then it is a sign for the Kanekes people that there will be plenty of rain that year, and the
harvest will be bountiful. Conversely, if the mortar container is dry or the water is turbid, then it is a sign
of crop failure.[17]

A certain amount of Islamic influence has also penetrated into the religion of a few of the Baduy Luar in
recent years (especially in Cicakal Girang village), with the addition of some original ideas. The ultimate
authority is vested in Gusti Nu Maha Suci, who according to the Baduy sent Adam into the world to lead
the life of a Baduy.

Social classes
The Kanekes people have a shared history and language with the Sundanese people. Some differences
include their respective beliefs and lifestyles. The Kanekes people isolate themselves from the outside
world and strictly preserve their traditional lifestyle, while the Sundanese are much more open to outside
influences, and the majority of them embrace Islam.

Generally, the Baduy are divided into three groups, namely Tangtu, Panamping, and Dangka.[18] The
community of villages in which they live are called mandalas, derived from the Hindu/Buddhist concept
but referring in the Indonesian context to places where religion is the central aspect of life.
The first group is Tangtu, or Kajeroan, also known as Baduy Dalam or
Kanekes Dalam (meaning "Inner Kanekes"), with a population of about
400 consisting of forty families (Kajeroan) who live in the three
villages of Cibeo, Cikertawana, and Cikeusik in Tanah Larangan
(forbidden territory), where no stranger is permitted to spend the
night.[19] A characteristic of the Kanekes Dalam people is the color of
their clothing—white and dark blue, as well as the wearing of a white
headband. They follow the rigid buyut taboo system very strictly, (see §
Religion and beliefs) and thus have made very little contact with the
outside world. The priests of this community, known as pu'un, are the
only ones allowed to visit the most sacred ground of the Baduy, which
lies on Gunung Kendeng, in a place called Arca Domas.[20] Unlike
their Kanekes Luar counterparts, the Kanekes Dalam people are not
influenced by Islam.
An old Kanekes woman
Some of the rules observed by the community include: carrying firewood

No vehicles are allowed.

No footwear is allowed.
The door of the house should face north or south (except the house of the pu'un, or the
customary chairman).[16]
The usage of electronic devices is prohibited.
No modern clothing is allowed. Only hand-woven black or white fabrics are allowed.
The Panamping, also known as Baduy Luar or Kanekes Luar (meaning "Outer Kanekes"),[21] make up
the remainder of the Baduy population, living in 22 villages and acting as a barrier to stop visitors from
contacting the more reclusive community. They also follow the rigid taboo system but not as strictly as
the Kanekes Dalam, and they are more willing to accept modern influences into their daily lives.[21] For
example, some Kanekes Luar wear the colorful sarongs and shirts favored by their Sundanese neighbors.
In the past, the Baduy Luar only wore their homespun blue-black cloth and were forbidden to wear
trousers. Other elements of civilization (toys, money, batteries) are rapidly infiltrating, especially in the
villages to the north, and it is no longer unusual for an Outer Baduy person to make a journey to Jakarta
or even to work outside as a hired hand during the rice planting and harvest seasons. Some even work in
big towns and cities like Jakarta, Bogor, and Bandung. Meat is eaten in some of the outer villages, where
dogs are trained for hunting, though animal husbandry is still forbidden.

Some Kanekes Dalam have become Kanekes Luar, either through intermarriage or as a result of breaking
Kanekes Dalam customary laws.

Characteristics of the Kanekes Luar include:

They are familiar with technology such as electronic devices.

Construction of houses in the Kanekes Luar permits the use of modern tools, such as saws,
hammers, nails, etc.
Wearing modern clothing like T-shirts and jeans is permitted.
The use of modern home appliances, such as mattresses, pillows, plastic or glass plates
and cups, etc., is allowed.
A significant number have converted to Islam and been influenced by the outside world.
There are two Kanekes Luar settlements, namely Padawaras (Cibengkung) and Sirahdayeuh (Cihadam),
which function as a buffer between the Kanekes Dalam and the outside world.[18]

Governance
The Kanekes community recognizes two governing systems:
the national system, which is in accordance with the laws of
Indonesia, and the customary system, which abides by the
customs of the community. Both are combined or acculturated
in such a way that there is no conflict. Conventionally, the
Kanekes people are led by a head of settlement, who is
referred to as jaro pamarentah.[22] Customarily, the Kanekes
people fall under the leadership of the pu'un,[23] who can be
found in three settlements, or tangtu. The position is passed
down through generations, but not necessarily from a father
to his children; it can also be handed down to other
relatives.[24] The governing term of a pu'un is not specified;
Governing structure of the Baduy people
instead, it depends on a person's ability to hold on to the
position.

Livelihood
As it has been the case for hundreds of years, the main livelihood of the Kanekes people is rice
farming.[25] Apart from that, they also earn extra income from selling the fruits they gather from the
jungle, such as durian and tamarind-plum, as well as wild honey.[26]

External interactions
The Kanekes community, who until the present have adhered strictly to their customs, has not been
entirely isolated from the developments of the outside world. They became aware of the establishment of
the Sultanate of Banten, which automatically annexed the Kanekes people into the kingdom's territory of
power. As a sign of obedience to and recognition of these authorities, the Kanekes community routinely
perform the seba ceremony each year,[2] which involves delivering crops such as rice and fruit[27] to the
Governor of Banten (and formerly to the Governor of West Java) through the regent of Lebak. In
agriculture, the Kanekes Luar people interact closely with outsiders in affairs such as leasing of land and
laborers.[28]

In the past, trading was done by barter, but nowadays, the community uses the national currency, the
rupiah. The Kanekes people sell fruits, honey, and sugar palm through middlemen. They also purchase
necessities that they do not produce themselves from markets.[29]

Today, visitors to the Kanekes customary region are increasing, with a large number consisting of high
school or college students. These are welcomed into the community and can even spend the night there,
provided that they abide by local rules. These include a ban on taking pictures within the Kanekes Dalam
areas as well as a prohibition on the use of soap or toothpaste in the rivers.[30] The customary region of
the Kanekes people remains forbidden to non-Indonesians, however, including journalists.

See also
Indonesia portal

Agama Hindu Dharma

Baduy Indigenous Ban
Hyang
Sunda Wiwitan

References
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dalam Penafsiran Ruang Masyarakat Megalitik" (https://web.archive.org/web/200511112354
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28. Bintari, Risna (2012). "Sejarah Perkembangan Sosial Ekonomi Masyarakat Baduy Pasca
Terbentuknya Provinsi Banten 2000" (https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/jih/article/view/2220).
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29. Admin, Web. "Sejarah adalah Guru Kehidupan: "Suku Baduy Dan Sejarah Keberadaan
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icmibanten.or.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 26 August 2024.
30. Bahtiar Rifa'i (2 October 2017). "Hal-hal yang Perlu Diperhatikan Sebelum Wisata ke
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um-wisata-ke-baduy). Detik Travel. Retrieved 25 January 2018.

External links
Wayang.net : Story of a Foreigner's Visit to the Baduy People (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0070927034709/http://www.wayang.net/html/the_baduy__guardians_of_the_sa.html)
TIMEasia.com | From Sapporo to Surabaya | Sacred People (https://web.archive.org/web/20
010212041712/http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/ontheroad/indonesia.badui.html)
Isolated Indonesian tribe immune to global crisis | Environment | Reuters (https://www.reuter
s.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4AR02I20081128)
"The Indonesian tribe that rejects technology" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei6TfVrG
0Cs), a short documentary by Al Jazeera

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