Not many are left of these people who survive with old, unchanging, tradition in this fast-changing word, on top of that people who live not very far from the busy metropolis of Jakarta. The Baduy can be described as the “Amish of Indonesia”, many call them ‘isolation’.
They are Austro-Proto_Malay, living in South Banten, west Java, on 5,101 hectares of land 178 km. Away from Jakarta. Figures from the census last year show there are about 8,000 Baduy, of which 800 are inner Baduy. They are devided into two groups: Outer Baduy or Urang panamping or Black Baduy, and Inner Baduy or Urang Tangtu or White Baduy.
One theory states that the Baduy fled to the Kendeng rangers, avoiding the muslim influence in the 16th century during the Pajajaran Kingdom in West Java.According to rev. N.J.C. Geise (baduys and Moslems in lebak paranhiang, 1952) the Baduy were the original people of Sunda before the arrival of Islam. They still speak the old Sundanese language. He felt that the Baduy’s way of life and their religious beliefs of the ancient Sundanese.
The Baduy religion is called Sunda Wiwitan (early Sunda). Followers worship their ancestors. The highest god is Batara Tunggul (Holy One ) and their holiest place is Sasaka Domas. This is where the souls of the dead will be united with God, batara Tunggul, and the ancestors.
The Baduy’s sacred responsibility is to guard the enviroment and the spiritual heritage of their ancestors from change. To maintain balance and harmony they must live a very simple lifestyle,being moderate in all things and changing nothing. Their purpose in being is to pray for the benefit of the people of the world.
Here are Some Baduy sayings which reflect their philosophy of life :
· Mountains could not be destroved valleys could not be ruined.
· Traditional laws should not be broken, taboos could not be changed.
· Long could not be short could not be lengthened.
· What is right has to be said right.
