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Kampung Adat Kuta

Our week-long stay in Indonesia was capped by a very challenging, exciting, and meaningful visit to one of the country’s cultural treasures – Kampung Adat Kuta. The culturally rich Kampung Adat Kuta is located in Karangpaningal Village, Tambaksari, Ciamis Regency, in West Java. Ciamis is a six-hour drive from Jakarta. It took us about an hour and a half by van from our hotel in Ciamis to the traditional village. This traditional community, popular for its houses on stilts, is a gem tucked inside a tropical forest.

Cultural and environmental preservation are the strengths of this village. It has been used as a sustainability model in many studies that focus on the relationship between tradition and religion, religious and cultural harmony, and other aspects. Its people are interesting because they have a unique culture that has become a reference for the survival of all societal elements, especially the environment (Nurrohman & Putri, et al., 2024).

Kampung Adat Kuta Tribe Leader Warsim with Dr. Mark Molina of STIWNU, Ngudiarto, village chieftain, Yasss!, Dr. Mima Villanueva, STIWNU student leaders MJ and Kyrie Didik Sardi and Kuta Hamlet Chief flashing their finger hearts after the ceremonial planting of Gandaria seedlings in the village.*
Maman Sarno aka Aki Maman, caretaker of the forest, praying during the tawaso ceremony inside the tropical forest of Kampung Adat Kuta. During the ceremony, Aki Maman introduced visitors to the occupants of the forest. The forest only accepts visitors on Mondays and Fridays.*

We were warmly welcomed by a community that generously shared its rich heritage with us through live music performed by elderly women and children using what they call a lisong or lusong in Hiligaynon. Instead of garlands, we received sling bags made of palm leaves as welcome gifts. The sweet smell of boiling sap, being made into palm sugar, filled the air. In addition to a variety of native delicacies, kettles of hot coffee, tea, and wedang jahe were ready for guests to drink. Wedang jahe is a traditional Indonesian beverage made from ginger, palm sugar, lemongrass, pandan leaf, and many other herbs and spices, meant to warm the body. Jahe means “ginger.”

Live music played the entire time we were there. Some young men played the kendhang or gendhang, a two-headed drum that is a primary instrument in the gamelan ensembles of Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese music. We also became acquainted with their angklung, a bamboo rattle that is an idiophone, an instrument that is struck, scraped, or shaken. We were taught how to use the angklung when we attended the cultural fashion show of students from UniGal. Naturally, there was dancing! The women of this beautiful village taught us the steps, ensuring we were gracefully having fun as we joined the circle of fellowship in their humble community that strongly promotes sustainability.

The people of Kampung Adat Kuta with Universitas Galuh of Indonesia and STI West Negros University of the Philippines.*
The women and children of Kampung Adat Kuta playing live music using “lisong” or “lusong” in Hiligaynon, which is commonly used in the Philippines to pound crops bananas, sweet potatoes and spices in rural areas.*

What made the visit to the traditional village more meaningful was the ceremonial planting of Gandaria seedlings. Tribe leader Warsim and Dr. Mark Molina, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of STI West Negros University, together with the children, planted seedlings. The ceremony sealed the partnership and commitment between the universities and the village, which is worthy of emulation. This collaboration aims to ensure sustainability through education and various endeavors aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The day prior, at the International Joint Symposium entitled “Conservation and Culture-based Sustainable Education in the Post-Method Era,” Dr. Drh. Agus Yuniawan Isyanto, First Vice Rector of UniGal, stressed his belief in “the power of collaboration and the importance of a global perspective in addressing the complex challenges of the times.”

Meanwhile, the most exhilarating part of the visit was the hike to the central ecosystem or the heart of the rainforest. We all walked barefoot as no one was allowed to wear slippers or shoes. Jewelry was also prohibited. The forest is sacred ground, and these rules are part of the village’s strict regulations for respecting, conserving, and promoting their rich culture, heritage, and traditional way of living.

Kampung Adat Kuta can only be visited by guests on Mondays and Fridays. Visitors of the tropical forest should not wear slippers, shoes and jewelry if they want to enter what is considered as the central ecosystem as this is considered as “sacred ground”.*

I closely observed Maman Sarno, known in the village as Aki Maman, the forest caretaker, as he led our group to the heart of the tropical forest. Aki Maman carried a torch made of coconut leaves, which, according to him, helps burn the myrrh to create smoke that keeps the mosquitoes away. He chanted while carefully navigating the slippery and muddy slopes that led to the area where the tawaso ceremony would commence. We would stop now and then to throw coins into the ponds. During the tawaso ceremony, the caretaker says a prayer, introduces guests to the occupants of the forest and gives them time to state their intentions and seek blessings from their ancestors.

When we returned from our hike, a feast greeted us. Lunch was served the Sundanese way, with everyone seated on the floor, legs crossed. We ate with our bare hands. We were served sumptuous, authentic cuisine that consisted of gurame goreng (crispy fried carp/tilapia), kangkung (water spinach), fried tempeh mendoan (green onions, coriander, salt and flour mixture) similar to our torta, raw organic vegetables, and sambal (Indonesian chili sauce or paste) and roasted ayam (native chicken) that is served during special occasions like a welcoming feast for guests in Indonesia. Cups of called nasi liwet (rice) cooked in lemongrass, salt, shallots and tomatoes were served as staple. This kind of rice is served to promote harmony and togetherness.

Dr. Mark Molina of EVP/COO of STI West Negros University, Uung Runalan Sudarmo, Dean of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Warsim, tribe leader together with Indonesian children planted Gandaria seedlings in Kampung Adat Kuta in Ciamis, Indonesia during the conservation and culture tour on June 28.*
Left to right, Gurame goreng (fried carp/tilapia) usually serve during special occasions like a welcoming party and weddings; kangkung (stir fried water spinach), oseng tempe (stir fried tempeh); sambal, roasted ayam (native chicken) and nasi liwet (rice) on a bed of banana leaves. The buffet is best eaten with bare hands.*

The sumptuous meal not only nourished our bodies but also enriched our conversations, creating an atmosphere of warmth and connection. Sharing delicious and authentic meals brought us closer together, sparking lively discussions and fostering a deeper sense of community.

Malihah and Syahid et al. (2022) discovered that the traditional practice of Nyuguh, performed by the indigenous people of Kuta, serves as a means for the community to preserve their cultural heritage and express gratitude. This ritual also plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of all village residents. Nyuguh embodies religious values such as safety, respect, unity, obedience, purification of property, and the balance between religious and cultural elements. It effectively blends the ancestral cultural traditions with the Islamic religious beliefs of the community.

The continued survival of the Nyuguh tradition, despite various adaptations, demonstrates that harmony between culture and religion can be achieved and sustained among the people of Kampung Adat Kuta.

The enduring practice of Nyuguh is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the Kuta Traditional Village community. As it evolves with time, this tradition not only preserves the rich cultural heritage and religious values of the people but also strengthens their communal bonds. The harmonious integration of ancestral customs with Islamic beliefs showcases a unique cultural synergy that ensures the tradition’s relevance and sustainability.

Ultimately, the story of Nyuguh serves as an inspiring example of how cultural practices can adapt to modern influences while maintaining their essence, fostering a sense of identity and continuity for future generations. Special thanks to Ratu Eka Shaira, a law student of UniGal, for helping me with the translations during our visit and even as I was writing this piece. Terima kasih!*

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