When it comes to 'indigenous village tourism' in Indonesia, Kanekes village, also known as Baduy, ranks among the top choices. It is no wonder that the terms 'cultural tourism' and 'sustainable tourism' are increasingly shining, making the number of visitors from various regions come to this 5,200-hectare forest-covered area to forget the hustle and bustle of the city. Baduy people themselves, both Outer Baduy and Inner Baduy, have been very open in accepting this change since the early 2000s. However, as they are exposed to modernity, the indigenous people of Baduy have also begun to accept the curse and dilemma inherited from the city: plastic waste.

 

Littered ground in Baduy area

 

Based on an excerpt from BBC Indonesia's interview with Mulyono, Chairman of the Baduy Tourist Association, the introduction of plastic to the Baduy community is very new. Even in the early 2000s, the use of plastic products was still rare. All of that changed when tourists began to arrive in recent years. As a result, the Baduy community, especially Outer Baduy, began to adapt and also experienced a transition from being full-time farmers to entrepreneurs who opened stalls for visitors. With this, the use of plastic also began to spread to the lives of the locals. It is undeniable that plastic products facilitate their lives, but with a relatively new introduction, there are still many who do not fully know the impact of plastic waste on the environment. Especially to their own forest.

 

A warung in Outer Baduy selling packaged food and drinks

 

Tourism is no doubt the cause of this issue, especially in Gajebo village where its iconic bridge attracts tourists to come and take selfies. With the increasing number of guests, the local community saw a business opportunity, so several stalls were opened around the bridge area. From various crafts, local food products, and eventually products with plastic packaging from outside. When tourists are exhausted after a long trekking journey, they decide to sit back and purchase various plastic-packaged products that are sold. This opportunity, of course, also calls sellers from outside Baduy to join the selling. The more tourists, the more single-use plastic consumption will occur. The sight of garbage on several riverbanks is now clearly visible. Again quoting an interview from a BBC Indonesia with an Outer Baduy trader, when asked the reason why he opened a stall his answer was, "I chose to sell plastic packaged food because if you wrap it in leaves, no one buys it."

 

Plastic consumption is not only for tourists but also for the Baduy community itself. Before the plastic entry into the Kanekes area, the people here used some leaves to replace soap for bathing. In the current era, the use of soap has begun to be seen, especially in the daily life of the Outer Baduy community. In some downstream of Outer Baduy, many shampoo or soap packets are adorning the water surface. This is what inspired the regulation to prohibit the use of soap, shampoo, or other chemical-based liquids in the rivers of the Inner Baduy area. Because according to the Kokolot or traditional leaders, the source of their river water flow starts from that area.

 

Does this plastic waste issue also affect the Inner Baduy area, which still adheres to Pikukuh Karuhun (Ancestral Mandate)? The answer is yes. Although it is an area that has never been visually documented due to the customary prohibition of taking pictures of any kind when entering the boundaries of the Inner Baduy area, the sight of plastic waste has begun to appear around the forest. Snack products, instant noodle packaging, to drinking water bottles can be found quite easily on the way to Cibeo village, one of the 3 sacred villages in the Inner Baduy area. The emergence of this issue is not as simple as black and white of blaming tourism or local people as the perpetrators. In reality, the issue is not that simple.

 

I talked to Ayah Karmain, one of the traditional leaders and spokesperson of Inner Baduy from Cibeo, I asked him about his perspective on plastic waste that has started to impact the forest area of Inner Baduy. He seemed to think and took a breath for a moment, "That is the problem that we are now also confused about. We once held a traditional meeting with Cibeo residents not to throw plastic. But there are still those who throw it in the forest".

 

“Go Green” campaign banner

 

In Cibeo itself, the use of plastic has become an everyday occurrence. There are even traders from outside Baduy who open stalls on weekends when tourists are busy visiting. The Cibeo community itself even labeled the stall as 'Cibeo's Indomaret'. The relationship between outside traders and the Inner Baduy community is still mutual. Since the outside products are still consumed and needed by them, especially instant noodles and packaged coffee. The tourists also contribute by giving plastic packaged products to the locals as souvenirs. This mutualism is also what eventually gave birth to plastic waste around the village area.

 

One of the main dilemmas in Kanekes is that there is no proper waste management system. All waste collected is burned outside the village, sometimes even within the village area near people's homes. Smaller plastic waste is also used by some local people to help fuel their kitchen stoves for cooking. The fumes produced are then spread throughout the entire house. In the long run, the toxins produced by plastic burning smoke, when inhaled, will affect the health of the heart, respiratory system, and various human body systems. Burning plastic also produces black carbon, which contributes to air pollution and climate change. Climate change has also begun to have an impact on the Kanekes area because some shamans in Inner Baduy have begun to find it difficult to predict rainfall for their farming activities. Not to mention the microplastics that pollute the soil and animals in the forest.

 

Trash can in front of a warung in outer Baduy

 

Most importantly, the entire Kanekes community itself is now familiar with the capitalist system and will not be able to escape the consumption of plastic in their daily lives. Pandora's box has been opened. It is impossible to close it and hope that the Kanekes community can still practice the exact same way of life as their ancestors centuries ago. While in Cibeo, a dialogue took place between a visitor from Jakarta and Pak Darma, "So sir, do you need money to live in Inner Baduy?". Mr. Darma laughingly replied, "Yes, definitely!". The visitor looked shocked, considering that there are still many exotic and romantic perspectives on the life of indigenous people that do not change and are frozen in time. In reality, most indigenous cultures across Indonesia have transitioned and embraced the dualism between traditionalism and progressiveness.

 

But this does not mean that the Kanekes people have forgotten the message of the Karahun (Ancestors). In the Sunda Wiwitan belief, they are not only entrusted with protecting the nature of the ancestral land but also practicing the meaning of living in moderation in all aspects of daily life. This can be seen in some of the mandates of the ancestors (Pikukuh Karuhun):

 

Gunung teu meunang dilebur

Lebak teu meunang dirusak

(Mountains should not be destroyed, and valleys should not be destroyed)

 

Larangan teu meunang dirempak

Buyut teu meunang dirobah

(Prohibition should not be broken, ancestors should not be changed)

 

Lojor teu meunang dipotong

Pondok teu meunang disambung

(Long should not be cut, short should not be joined)

 

Just as something should not be changed or destroyed, the Kanekes community believes in the consequences of crossing boundaries. Everything has its measure, and when it is excessive, something bad will be bound to happen. This is the message that the Kanekes people, especially the Inner Baduy, always convey to the guests who come. And also a message to their own young generation who began to embrace elements of modernism.

 

Ashes from burned trash

 

When all elements are intertwined, should we still blame one party? The complexity and transition of change make all parties equal actors. Stopping tourism is also not the answer, because the mutual relationship between tourists and local communities has been running very well. It's also easy to blame the capitalist system for the problem, but it's important to remember that the entire Kanekes community has embraced an urban-like economy and benefits from it. Then the final culprit is the plastic itself. But then again, it turns out that plastic cannot be separated from the daily lives of local people. So where is the source of the solution? A dilemma that still awaits an answer. In the end, like Karuhun's mandate of moderation, perhaps plastic itself is not wrong, but our excessive consumerism is questionable.

 

The issue of plastic waste is ultimately a problem for all of us as humans. Wherever this issue is, we are all culprits. The destiny of solving the plastic waste narrative is in our hands. Just as the Karuhun Kanekes have spent centuries guarding this message for the safety of humans on Earth, we must do the same. And perhaps the solution is like Karuhun's advice: Embracing the meaning of moderation.

 

(All photos were taken in the Outer Baduy area, due to the customary prohibition that does not allow any form of documentation in Inner Baduy)