| Summary: | Baduy community is a Sundanese ethnic who isolating themselves around
Kendeng Mountains, South Banten. Their livelihood are dependent on the natural
environment. The people strictly adhere to their customary rules and norms. This
study is aimed at investigating Baduy society and Baduy region and social cultural
dynamics and system of Baduy community in managing their forests and
environments.
The technique of Participatory Rural Appraisal surveys were employed in the
study. Data were collected by conducting a particypating observations and an open
in-depth interviews in the Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar, Lebak, Banten.
Results showed that the Baduy area is 5101.8 hectares, consists of the
cultivation area of 3,320 hectares (65.1 %) and the 1,782 hectares (34.9%)
environmental protection that are not allowed to be converted to other purposes.
The population of 11,172 people (2,948 families) divided into Baduy-Luar and
Baduy-Dalam. All the Baduy communities are farmers of dry rice (huma) with
shifting cultivation system. The Baduy community proven to be able to manage
their land wisely and prudently. The Baduy community have been experiencing
some dynamic changes in terms of social and cultural of the community in managing
their forests and environment. These changes were believed decreasing cultivated
land areas due to the population growth. The Baduy community started adjusting
their ways of life in order to survive. Customary rules (pikukuh karuhun) which were
originally applicable to all people have been shifting. The evidence was clear from
the obvious differences in the life of the people of Baduy-Luar and Baduy-Dalam.
There has been, for example, an alteration in the people�s status in the society. It was
all community members that have to obey the pikukuh karuhun rules. These
customary rules were absolutely compulsory for the Baduy-Dalam�s people.
However, there are some exceptions for Baduy-Luar community members,
particularly in relations to fulfilling their daily life necessities. Some socio-cultural
changes in the life of Baduy�s people include dress codes, the use of manufactured
goods, land preparation methods, variety of cultivated crops and plantations, the use
of transportation means, and the design of residential buildings.
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