Baduy

After seeing the tourists spots, I was ready to head off the more beaten path.  I decided to see the Baduy tribe.  They are like the Amish, only with a lot more commitment to austerity.  They reject almost all aspects of modernity, including shoes and literacy.  Almost all Indonesians subscribe to the belief that the Baduy can exercise supernatural powers.

There are two groups of Baduy: the Baduy Luar who allow in some modern technology, but still live without electricity and other elements of modernity, and the Baduy Dalam who follow a stricter path.  I was able to visit the Baduy Luar villages that circle the Dalam, and see a Dalam village from some distance.  However, despite a couple of attempts at bribery, and the limited persuasion I could bring to bear across the language barrier, but I wasn't able to convince them to break with custom and show me the Baduy Dalam villages. This wasn't surprising given the prohibition on outsiders.  If you were to spend a week or two being very persuasive, and strategically distributing gifts, I think you could probably find your way into one of the villages.  I noticed other prohibitions that are supposedly followed by the Baduy Dalam are breaking down: some of them handled money, most of them smoked cigarettes, and I noticed metal rings and other modern artifacts on more then a few hands.  The inducements of modernity are likely to move them away from their traditional lifestyle with greater surety then any amount of pressure.

I started the trip in Rangkus Bitung, a city of 125,000, that according to locals only see a westerner every few months.  As could be expected, I was a surprising curiosity for the locals; somewhere between a C-list celebrity and a touring sideshow act.  I spent a lot of time shaking hands and posing for photos.

The locals were very friendly.  They offered more rides, food and hospitality than I could ever make use of.  Whenever I was on the wrong path they made sure I got back on track.

A local giving me a motorcycle ride.

Some fruits a local gave me, they taste something like a combination of inedible plant matter and an unripe pear.

A local market.

Dried fish for sale.  Very pungent...

A wooden speed bump.

A rope speed bump.

The Baduy villages were clean and well constructed.  I would find it difficult to live without amenities like electricity and running water, but it would almost certainly be a better life than living in a Jakarta slum.  Though it would be a life with few opportunities and a narrow view of the world.

A small granery.

A hand mill, mainly for coca I believe.

A Baduy Dalam village.

Some Baduy Dalam in their traditional hand woven attire sans shoes.

The Baduy construct impressive paths and bamboo bridges.

I ended up exerting myself a little too much.  According to my phone I walked over 10 miles and in the hilly country climbed more then the equivalent of 125 stories in 95 degree weather with high humidity.  This ill advised exertion lead me to the edge of a heat stroke.  In such a state the idea of a shower, cool drinks, and a bed that wasn't a wooden floor was too appealing to pass up.  Since it was too late to get a car back to Rangkus Bitung I walked back to the road and found a motorcyclist willing to take me.  After a few travails I got back and was feeling better shortly.

I was not feeling well..

A flat tire at a point like this is practically inevitable.

After recovering the next day I decided to take a seven hour motorcycle ride back to Jakarta so I could see West Java better.  I ended the day more then a little sore, but had the opportunity to see some beautiful and interesting things on  the way.

This was one of the better stretches of road.

I met many friendly locals.

Back at the hotel after the ride.

reff : http://bound-eastward.blogspot.com/2015/11/baduy.html

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