Ayah Armad, a Baduy Dalam, told me about his regular journeys to Jakarta. “It takes me three days to reach Jakarta from my village. It’s 167 km and I must go on foot. I go everywhere by foot because it is forbidden for me to use transport with a motor or a wheel, ” he continued, “I have taken the journey to Jakarta over fifty times now. I know the way by heart. I cross two mountain ranges, ” he said pointing across to the Kendeng ranges, “I follow the railway tracks from Parung Panjang to Serpong and then all the way to Lebak Bulus. I stay with my friends in Jakarta. I sell my handicrafts along the way, ” he said with a big beaming smile.
Up to 400 people a week visit the Baduy homelands, so it’s not surprising Armad has many friends along the way.
The road trip from Jakarta (by car) takes around five hours, and I was lucky to find Kelik, a Jakarta-based guide who knows the trails very well and organised my trip. He has been taking people to stay with the Baduy for seven years, allowing them to experience the uniqueness of this ancient tribe that lives without any modern conveniences. They do not use electricity and have no schools. There is also a ban on using any modern farm equipment and implements. Also, the Inner Baduy do not have KTP cards (Indonesian identity cards).
The world of the Baduy (or Kanekes, as they prefer to be known) comprises the Inner Baduy village (Baduy Dalam) and the Outer Baduy village (Baduy Luar). The Baduy Dalam is a closed and private world. Indonesians can visit this village, but foreigners are not permitted. The Baduy Dalam live in a sacred area. They adhere to their traditional age-old beliefs, and their mystical leaders, the Pu’un, are not allowed to leave the village. It’s easy to recognise a Baduy Dalam (also known as White Baduy), as they wear white headcloths and carry a large white cloth bag called a gendongan. Their lives are steeped in tradition and adat, which date back thousands of years. They follow a religious belief known as Sunda Wiwitan and honour a supreme deity. The Old Sundanese language is used in prayers and rituals.
The Baduy people are not counted in the Indonesian census, and they really do live in their own world, tucked away in the remote mountains of West Java. For centuries now, they have kept records of family clans, births and deaths and have a specific Baduy calendar system.
The importance of weaving, a tradition that has been passed down through the ages, is evident in most little hamlets and villages. The clack-clack sound of the looms, from sunrise to sunset, can be heard echoing through the valley, and because there is no electricity, those looms run at a constant pace in the daytime. Before the Dutch occupied Indonesia in the 17th century, the Baduy were already weaving cloth.
Another tradition that dates back a long time is related to fish. The Baduy eat salted fish. Passed down from many generations, this trade in salted fish with outsiders has been the thread that has linked the inner Baduy with the outside world.
It was an honour to have five Inner Baduy men accompany us on our trek through the mountains. Being a foreigner, I felt very privileged to spend time with them and get to know them. Ayah Armad and his troop of guides were very friendly and open and seemed to radiate an inner happiness. They were delighted to discuss their tribal ways, which included explanations of their hunting rituals. These events occur three times a year and must be completed within seven days. They are only allowed to hunt three types of prey: mouse deer, muntjac and squirrels.
I felt a sense of pureness around the Baduy people. They keep their culture intact and enclosed within their forest home. Through my translator, Kelik, I was able to learn about their specific funeral rites, wedding ceremonies, rituals for babies, sacred rites, rice harvest rituals and some of the village taboos.
The Trek
About 15 minutes into the trek, we crossed our first bamboo bridge. Armad explained to me, “When we build a bridge, it must be completed in one day. Every Kanakes male living in the immediate area must help. We make the rope from fibres, and we use bamboo and wood from the forest. ”
We crossed three of these hanging bridges on our journey, and they are indeed the hallmark and pride of the Baduy people.
The trek took us over undulating terrain, and most of it was through cool forests; only in a few parts did the going become tough. We passed through many kampongs (villages) with tightly packed traditional houses, almost on top of each other. Each kampong stores its rice in standalone rice barns. These barns are always away from the main sleeping houses to protect the rice in case of fire.
On our four-hour trek, we passed several small hamlets and stopped at many houses to observe the women weaving and creating beautiful plaid, plain and tabby weaves. As soon as the camera came out, the shyness of these women took hold, and they would retreat into the back room. Trekking through the Baduy villages, you seem to glide on a slipstream of serenity. There is a distinct soundlessness in the daily activities of the village, and even the children play quietly. My guide Kelik told me, even though he lives in Jakarta, he often visits the Baduy on his own and stays with them for days, “I just love coming here”, he said, “I enjoy the mountains and the rivers, and I enjoy the peace in the Baduy lands. I have many friends here now. I love these people. ”
We spent the night in Kampong Gajeboh, sleeping on a simple mattress on the floor. Our evening meal was cooked over an open fire, and as we were staying in the outer village, we were allowed to bring our own food, so we had chicken, eggs and vegetables. Our Baduy Dalam guides ate their strict diet of rice and salty fish (only on rare occasions do they add some vegetables).
In the late afternoon, we relaxed into the pace of village life, a rhythm that kept us in balance with nature and the soft, melodic sounds of the weaving looms. Now and then, you would hear the gentle whirring sound, as a spinning wheel spurred into action, spooling cotton threads.
We left the next day, via a river trail, after a “natural mandi” (bath) in the clear waters and all too soon entered the big, bright, “real” world.
Experiencing the harmonious feeling that exists in the Baduy community is a powerful inner lesson in restoring one’s own balance, and we were fortunate to be accepted openly into their lives, welcomed to sleep in their homes, and learn some of their ways.
High Season – May to July
Trekking Guide – Pak Kelik
E: suryosumarahadi@hotmail.com
T: +62 812 817 99768
Stephanie Brookes is a travel writer and blogger with tales from Indonesia and beyond. Please visit her website www.travelwriter.ws
Updated Sept 2025. Published in NOW!Jakarta 06/2014. Updated
