Loyalty to the Baduy
Asep Kurnia
Asep Kurnia, 52, dedicates his life to the Baduy people. He serves as a bridge between the community, known for its strict adherence to its ancient culture, and bureaucracy and modernity. The man enjoys his closeness to the community without asking for anything in return.
Asep received handfuls of bitter beans (Parkia speciosa) from a Baduy person while laughing. Around 30 bunches of bitter beans were delivered to Asep’s house in Kanekes village, Leuwidamar district, Lebak regency, Banten, on Thursday (27/4/2017). They had been grown locally in the Baduy people’s personal gardens.
Several other Baduy people were chatting in Asep’s home. The aroma of sambal (chili paste) and salted fish filled the air. Asep and the Baduy people then had lunch together.
In the evening, Asep’s house hosted several academics and Baduy people in a discussion. They talked about several words the Baduy used every day while joking.
The evening was getting late as, one by one, the guests went home. Asep allowed a Baduy person to spend the night at his house.
This is just a short example of the closeness between Asep and the Baduy people living in Kanekes village. The village is home to the Baduy Dalam (Inner Baduy) tribe that observes certain bans, such as the ban to use electronic devices, motored vehicles and footwear. Another Baduy group, the Baduy Luar (Outer Baduy) does not practice such bans.
Asep often offers his help to both the Baduy Dalam and Baduy Luar people. His activities helping the Baduy culminated in the Seba Baduy ritual. Since 2008, he has never missed in participating and helping with the ritual.
The Seba Baduy tradition is the Baduy’s biggest agenda that involves thousands of people. They pray and bring their earthly produces to the heads of the Serang, Lebak and Pandeglang regency administrations as well as the Banten provincial government. Every year, Seba Baduy is held on different dates as the Baduy has its own calendar system.
Immediately after the date for Seba Baduy is fixed, Asep contacts these local government heads. The Baduy Dalam people cannot contact the government heads as they are banned from using electronic devices. On the other hand, if the government has any message or requests the Baduy people, Asep will happily forward it to them.
Asep also regularly attends the Seba Baduy event by bringing his car, which is prepared to carry equipment and any Baduy people and community leaders who get sick.
On Friday (28/4/2017), Asep got up at dawn to support the Seba Baduy ritual. He stood in front of his house and shook revelers’ hands, one by one.
“Regarding this close relationship, I have with the Baduy people, it is all arranged by God. At first, I was stranded in Kanekes,” he said.
All because of his wife
Asep was born and raised in Sukabumi regency, West Java. He used to teach at SMPN 2 public junior high school in Cisolok, Sukabumi. Asep was introduced to the Baduy people when his wife Eros Rosita, 44, was assigned as a nurse in Kanekes village.
“A month after we got married in 1996, we moved to Kanekes. At the time, electricity had yet to come to Kanekes and the access road was damaged,” he said.
After moving to Kanekes, Asep taught at SMPN 4 state junior high school in Leuwidamar. He also helped his wife establish communication with the locals.
“They were still a closed community back then. Paraji[traditional midwifes] were trusted more. I then connected with the customary institutions. I accompanied my wife when she worked,” he said, adding that it had taken two years before the Baduy people finally trusted him and his wife.
They began to trust the couple when a Baduy woman had difficulties in childbirth in 1998. The woman’s family then called Asep’s wife. Thanks to her help, the baby was born healthy.
“The woman’s family was so grateful that they ended up naming the baby Asep Kurnia. The incident left a mark on my mind,” he reminisced.
Asep and his wife used the opportunity to strengthen their bonds with the local people, who finally embraced them with open arms. Word of a professional midwife in Kanekes village slowly spread. As time went by, Asep felt that his bond with the Baduy people was getting stronger.
He participated in Seba Baduy for the first time in 2003. For the next four years, he routinely watched the ritual. Asep’s closeness with the Baduy community leaders eventually allowed him to participate in the Seba Baduy tradition.
“I try to translate and explain the Baduy people’s wishes and aspirations to the government officials and vice versa,” Asep said.
Every day, Asep uses a minibus to help the Baduy people. Thanks to the dedication of Asep and his wife, a delivery service company donated the car in 2008. Asep said he was grateful for all the help he had received in assisting the Baduy people.
All operational costs, including taxes, maintenance fees and spare parts were covered by the company that gave him the car.
“This increases the Baduy people’s trust. I have lost count of how many Baduy people I have brought to the hospital,” he said.
Asep has brought sick Baduy people to hospitals in Jakarta. Some were suffering from serious illnesses and required operations at large hospitals.
Asep never asks for anything in return when he helps the sick Baduy people travel for medical treatment.
The same company that donated his car also gave him a double-cabin, four-wheel drive truck in December 2016.
“I am not profit-oriented. I only use the existing facilities,” he said.
Asep also learns more about the Baduy people from academicians. Everything was then poured into a book called Saatnya Baduy Bicara(It’s Time for the Baduy to Speak Up), published in 2010 by Bumi Aksara and Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University.
Now, Asep is preparing to launch another book, Masa Depan Suku Baduy(The Future of the Baduy), which is expected to be published in August 2017.
