
The
Baduy, who call themselves
Kanekes, are a traditional community living in the western part of the
Indonesian province of
West Java. Their population of between 5,000 and 8,000 is centered in the Kendeng mountains at an elevation of 300-500 meters above sea level. The Baduy are divided into two sub-groups; the Baduy Dalam (Inner Baduy), and the Baduy Luar (Outer Baduy). No foreigners were allowed to meet the Inner Baduy, though the Outer Baduy do foster some limited contacts with the outside world. The religion of the Baduy is known as
Agama Sunda Wiwitan, a combination of traditional beliefs and
Hinduism. The Baduy also observe many mystical
taboos. They are forbidden to kill, steal, lie, commit adultery, get drunk, eat food at night, take any form of conveyance, wear flowers or perfumes, accept gold or silver, touch money, or cut their hair. Other
taboos relate to defending Baduy lands against invasion: they may not grow sawah (wet rice), use
fertilizers, raise cash crops, use modern tools for working
ladang soil, or keep large domestic animals. Even today, despite the ways that
Suharto tried to force them to change their lives and build modern schools in their territory, the Baduy opposed the government. As a result, very few Baduy are able to read or write.
(taken from wikipedia)
questions
- what is the Baduy?
- how many populations in the Baduy?
- what are the sub-group of the Baduy?
- what is the religion of the Baduy?
- what are the mystical taboos in the Baduy?