In 1980, when he was just 15 years old, Rajali reached the peak of Mt. Leuser. Rajali laughed when he recounted the story of how he reached the peak of the mountain that stands 3,404 meters above sea level.
By
ZULKARNAINI
·6 minutes read
Penosan Sepakat village in Blangjerango district, Gayo Lues regency, Aceh province, is famed as the entrance gate to the hiking trail leading to Mount Leuser’s peak. Penosan Sepakat resident Rajali Jemali, 53, is known for his tireless efforts in promoting the hiking trail. He has reached the peak countless times to guide tourists.
In 1980, when he was just 15 years old, Rajali reached the peak of Mt. Leuser. The story of how he got there reads like a funny joke. Rajali laughed when he recounted the story of how he reached the peak of the mountain that stands 3,404 meters above sea level.
Kompas met Rajali at his home on Saturday (10/3/2018). The wooden house he built using his first payment as a tour guide looked like the secretariat of a college student association. Framed certificates and stickers of an environmental club lined the walls and books on forest management were arranged on racks on top of windows.
One time, his grandfather told him that there was a place called Padang Sri Bulan on Mt. Leuser. The story goes that it is an open field where wild animals came to die. It is believed that there are mountains of animal skeletons in Padang Sri Bulan. Whoever finds the location will be rich as there are thousands of rhino horns, ivory, deer antlers and many other priceless items just lying around.
Curious about his grandfather’s tall tale, Rajali and four of his friends devised a plan to hike Mt. Leuser. Their motivation was to seek horns and ivory. Bringing just enough rice and accompaniments, they started hiking the mountain’s steep cliffs. They did not take a map with them and only relied on their instincts. It took them one month to find the so-called Padang Sri Bulan.
“We managed to find a place that looked like what my grandfather had told me, but there were no signs of dead carcasses there,” Rajali said.
Driven by their curiosity, the group continued hiking until they reached the peak. There, they found a concrete monument, which they later understood as having been left there by the Dutch army in the colonial era.
In 1984, the Wanadri association of mountaineers and jungle explorers held a hiking expedition on Mt. Leuser and Rajali was asked to accompany them. One year later, Rajali hiked the mountain again with his friends to find Padang Sri Bulan and open a hiking trail for tourists.
In 1987, a team from the University of North Sumatra (USU) climbed Mt. Leuser and Rajali was asked to serve as the guide as he knew the hiking trail well. The hike took 14 days.
Building accommodation
In 1990, more domestic and foreign tourists came to Penosan Sepakat. Publications by seasoned hikers drove local tourism. Rajali was once jeered by his neighbors for his love of accompanying foreign tourists. At the time, locals were not used to the presence of foreign tourists.
A common problem among tourists in the area was the lack of accommodation. Rajali captured the opportunity by opening a hostel, which he built on his grandfather’s plantation at the foothill of Mt. Leuser. It is around five kilometers away from the village.
Between the 1990s and 2004, armed conflict in Aceh drove tourists away from Leuser. The foothills of Mt. Leuser turned into battle zones. Rajali’s hostel was burned down by unidentified persons.
In 2005, the conflict in Aceh ended peacefully. The blessing of peace was felt in Penosan Sepakat, as tourists slowly returned to the village. Rajali also returned to his activity as a tour guide for Mt. Leuser hikers. As there was no accommodation, Rajali let tourists stay at his house.
Two years later, a German tourist named Sigi, who Rajali once accompanied in hiking Mt. Leuser, came back to Penosan Sepakat. “Sigi gave me funding to rebuild my hostel. I was so happy that there was someone who cares so much on Leuser tourism development,” Rajali said.
The hostel remains in operation today. It has six rooms, one common kitchen and a meeting hall. The price is Rp 150,000 (US$10.95) per room per night. In one year, the hostel receives up to 1,200 guests.
As the number of guests increases, there is not enough tour guides to cater hikers. Rajali then asked local youths to be guides. He trained them to climb to Leuser’s peak. The training consists of not only physical endurance but also how to memorize routes, understand nature signs, provide first aid for incidents and servicing tourists.
Currently, at least 20 local youths work as tour guides. One guide is paid Rp 150,000 per day. Hiking to Leuser’s peak takes at least 10 days. Each tour guide can earn at least Rp 1.5 million from one hiking trip.
Rajali said other than hiking to Leuser’s peak, foreign tourists also loved observing wild animals such as orangutans and gibbons. Rajali often go around the forest for days to find these animals. “[The tourists] will be so happy when they can find animals roaming freely in the wild instead of in zoos,” Rajali said.
The Leuser forest is a huge house for protected animals such as gibbons, orangutans, tigers, elephants, rhinos and various types of birds. Indonesia’s largest tropical forest is also home to thousands types of vegetation.
Dedication
Rajali called himself dumb as he had never received formal education. He could not even read and write. However, his dedication toward Leuser is unparalleled. Despite his various limitations, he takes care of the forest and preserves it by planting various trees and protects it from illegal encroachment.
Rajali’s dedication for Leuser is perfectly reflected from his dramatic life. When two of his children were born, he was in the middle of hiking the mountain. His daughter Putri Leuser was born when he was at Leuser’s peak. His son Putra Angkasan, was born when he was at the peak of Angkasan, a hill on the route to Leuser’s peak.
Now, even in middle age, Rajali is still strong enough to climb to Leuser’s peak with tourists. He has dedicated his soul to Leuser. His children also work as hiking guides.
“As long as God still provides me with strength, I will not stop hiking Leuser,” Rajali said.