The Twilight Watchman’s Elegy of Longing

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Ujang Safaat

The pace of property development in the city of Bandung is increasingly threatening the ecosystem of blekok (pond heron) and kuntul kerbau (cattle egret). Ujang Safaat, 44, is fighting to conserve the last bamboo forest that is home to the wild bird species. He is like a night watchman, walking alone along a quiet, twilit path.

The creak of bamboo trees rubbing against each other in the wind welcomed Ujang home in mid-November to Rancabayawak village in Gedebage, Bandung municipality, West Java. The bamboo forest shaded him from the noon heat.

Ujang had just finished teaching physical education at SDN Rancasagatan 215 elementary school, around 3.5 kilometers from his house. He sat in a wooden chair next to his house to rest.

His body might be relaxed, but not his mind. The heavy equipment trundling back and forth in front of him reminded him of his concerns about the future of the village.

“This village will soon be besieged by housing units. Paddy fields will turn into concrete estates,” he said.

This identity should be kept.

The heavy machinery is working on a housing project that covers more than 300 hectares. The paddy fields, the natural habitat of several animal species, including pond herons (Ardeola speciosa) and cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis), are shrinking.

As a consequence, the birds have to fly farther to find food, such as to Ciparay and Majalaya in Bandung municipality. Their flight could cover a distance of more than 20 kilometers.

The land Ujang and his family own is located adjacent to the project area, and he has been beset by many inducements.

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But they have refused all offers. They were not tempted by the hundreds of millions of rupiah. They preferred instead to turn their land into the last remaining sanctuary for the evicted herons and egrets.

Eight small bamboo forests currently stand on the land. One forest has 200-300 bamboo trees, and provides shelter to the herons and egrets. “It’s not because we don’t need the money. But this village is already identified as a Kampung Blekok (village of herons). This identity should be kept,” he said.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Ujang Safaat

Hunter-turned-guardian

The village elders say that the herons and egrets came 40 years ago. From just 700 birds, today they number in the thousands and Rancabayawak is their last remaining habitat. They have been forced out several times, and now the residents there are doing their utmost to protect the water birds.

It wasn’t easy for the people of Rancabayawak to coexist with the herons and egrets. The foul odor of bird droppings is offensive to their noses. They used firecrackers and air rifles to try and drive them out. Failing, the people chose to make peace, and Ujang was among these peacemakers. It was the right choice, which led to future benefits.

Ujang was born here. When he was young, he hunted the birds for sport and for food.

“Before, the children here often climbed the bamboo to catch the birds. Some also used slingshots,” he recalled.

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The villagers started to become aware about the need to conserve wildlife in 1995. Ujang was then studying at Indonesian Educational University in Bandung, and had joined a campus nature lovers club. Ujang learned about the importance of conserving nature, including the wildlife, about maintaining the natural equilibrium of an ecosystem and how doing so supported human life.

He then urged the villagers to stop hunting herons and egrets. In the beginning, many people refused. But gradually, they grew to realize the importance of living alongside the birds as fellow creatures on Earth.

I told the other youths, if the birds are shot, their carcasses will rot and disturb the villagers.

Two years later, a new threat arrived from beyond Rancabayawak village: “outsiders” came to hunt the birds, using air rifles to shoot down the birds from the dikes of the paddy fields. Ujang and several others warned the hunters, although they were initially afraid because the hunters had rifles.

“I told the other youths, if the birds are shot, their carcasses will rot and disturb the villagers,” he said.

Although they nearly came to blows, Ujang and his friends succeeded in sending the hunters away. But today’s threat comes from the massive housing development in eastern Bandung. This time, the villagers are no match for the huge capital poured into the project.

The development project has changed the birds’ behavior. Before, the birds used to return to the bamboo forests to nest at around 3-4 p.m. They have been returning to the forest at 5-6 p.m. since construction began.

“It’s because the heavy machinery is still operating at 3 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It disturbs the birds, so they come home later in the afternoon when it’s quiet,” Ujang said.

Unlimited benefits

Protecting the pond herons and cattle egrets, as well as conserving their bamboo habitat, doesn’t just save the animals from extinction. The benefits go beyond that, from eradicating pests to mitigating disasters and to maintaining a site for nature studies.

Herons and egrets have long been friends to farmers, because both species feed on a variety of insect species, among them walang sangit (rice ear bug) and wereng (planthoppers), which often damage the paddy crops.

If the heron and egret population declines, the risk of pest attacks and damaged crops will rise. “This would be very harmful, as the majority of the people in this village are farmers,” said Ujang.

Maintaining the bamboo forests isn’t just about maintaining the birds’ habitat, either. The forests also function as a barrier that protects homes against strong winds.

Gedebage district is frequently affected by strong winds, especially during the rainy season. At the end of last year, storms destroyed over 10 buildings in Rancabolang and Cisaranten Kidul subdistricts. No one was killed in the disaster, but several roofs were blown away by the winds, which were followed by heavy downpours.

”The winds also reached here. But thank God, none of the houses were damaged. We can’t imagine [what could have happened] if these bamboo forests had been cut down,” Ujang remarked.

Rancabayawak village is also a destination for nature studies, particularly for the students of SDN 215. The village is also home to the Blekok dance, which was inspired by the movements of the heron.

“Pak Ujang’s efforts to conserve wildlife in Rancabayawak village also benefits the school, making this village into a natural laboratory for studying the local wildlife and culture,” said SDN 215 Rancasagatan principal Abu Bakar.

Ujang’s worries hadn’t disappeared as the sun set in the west. As early evening arrived, so did thousands of herons and egrets, flying home through the reddish gray sky. But Ujang remains, serving as the last night watchman for those that rule the skies above Rancabayawak.

Ujang Safaat

Born: Bandung, 13 March 1975

Education: Bachelors, Indonesian Educational University (Class of 2003)

Occupation:

- Teacher, SDN 215 Rancasagatan, Bandung

- Head, Neighborhood Unit (RW) 002, Cisaranten Kidul subdistrict, Gedebage, Bandung city

Wife: Siti Sadiah

Children:

- Ajeng Rahma Suciyawati, 17; Adiyaksa Putra Safaat, 9; Intan Putri Safaat, 6