The Soulful Soil of Badui Village
Badui is an ideal form of community we are dreaming of. Here people trusts and helps each other. It is far beyond helping an old woman to cross the street. If you accidentally drop valuables on the street, as long as it is found by local residents, members of the community, it will get returned for sure.
Stealing is considered as a serious sin in Badui’s believes. Therefore you will see people dries their crops in the yard unattended. “No one has a will to steal”, said a resident. “If someone is running out of food, others will help, no one is going to get starved”, he continued. To Badui, these common values are not preserved by justice penalty but pure common good will instead.
Unfortunately a chance to get in touch with this community is a luxury. A guide to take you around, introduces you to people, and tells you the rules – allowances and prohibitions – is essential. First thing to do is reporting your visit to the head of the village by mentioning detail intention of your visit.
Badui known with two different layers of community. The inner community is strict in implementing their believes in daily life, the outer community preserves their mindset but interacts with outsider. Obviously guides are from outer community. Members of inner community wear white cloth and use no foot wear. Photographing members of inner community is prohibited. Members of outer community wear black cloth and footwear, normally simple slippers.
Among attractions in the area is a lake known as Danau Dandang Age which can only be reached on foot. The one hour of elevating hikes will surely squeeze your sweat out. There are many interesting things to photograph, but if you want to take a photograph of people, ask for permission first. Whilst it is not prohibited for outer community, many of them do not like cameras. They avoid, hide in the house, or turn their face down. For kids, candies are the simple trick.
If you feel that someone is following you, take it easy. Badui believes that passing through without permission is an impolite conduct. On the other hand they are rarely talk. They talk only if it is necessary. They do not talk unless to reply to someone, so communication works almost one way, just like TV interviews. As they only talk when it is needed, they prefer not to ask for permission to pass through and choose to walk behind you all the way.
Watch your step. If something alive is on your way, even it is only a small insect or worm, step aside. Killing is prohibited.
Danau Dandang Age is rather small, not larger than a soccer field. Its dark green water hides enough fish for the community. Fishing is done in harmless way, using net. Regardless of its size, the lake is quite “photogenic”.
After the lake, trail is continued through a bumpy and slippery path. It is amazing to see people easily walks the path carrying rice or wood as heavy as at least 20 kilograms whist visitors are struggling to maintain balance even with help of a wooden stick. Shrubs and steep valleys changing one after another along the way. In a distance you will see Cikakal Village with tens of identical traditional houses cascading nest to each other.
At Gajeboh Village there is a cascade of traditional rice barns which remain in operation as a logistic buffer for the community. A hanging bridge is quite an attractive photographers. Made of bamboo, constructions does not use any modern materials, not even nails. Bamboos are wrapped or connected together by ropes made of root. As the last challenge of the track is a one and a half kilometers of elevating pathway. At 45 degrees of elevation, the bumpy and slippery pathway is really hard to beat.
Badui has in interesting way of living. Whilst it seems to be ideal, it is rather impossible for us to to have. However we can at least learn a lot. Their way of living and the way their mind works will surely help us to make a better life of our own, in our own way. Whilst about the track, it is something you would not want to miss. No less – if not more – attractive than more popular Bali trekking trails.
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