The Village Inside a Village

by Elena Yushiva (Indonesia)

I didn't expect to find Indonesia

As I join a fieldtrip that my collage held. I got a chance to stay in the village that’s notable for its traditional houses and their way of life. I’ve visited a lot of village before. But I had no idea what I’m about to discover. Naga that’s what this village that I visited called. Naga in English means dragon, but Naga in this village means difference. The word “Naga” itself is took from Neglasari, as one of the village name in Tasikmalaya Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia. Basically, Naga village part of Neglasari village or it’s seems like a village inside a village. Located below the Neglasari village, to reached this village, i needed to climb down four hundred ladder, but with slightly scenery of rice field the climb felt easier. Located not in very remote area. Naga village success to maintain their traditional lifestyles in close harmony with nature. The area in this village can be divided by the local community into three main zoning, namely the sacred place, the clean area , and the dirty area .The first zoning, the holy area, consists of mature forest that is considered as a sacred place. Because bases on the Naga perception, their ancestors have been buried in this forest and must be respected. The second is clean area as the people settlement comprises houses, mosque, meeting house or the local called it bale patemon, special house to store of heirlooms and rice barn. Meanwhile, the third zoning, the dirty area, is located on the edge of settlement consist of the sheepfold, fishpond, and bathroom above the fish pond . As I had a chat with the locals, they told me that there were some of prohibition that visitors need to obey when they visit Naga village. As the local addressed the prohibition as “Pamali”. In Java Province, Pamali is well known for some rules that the ancestor made that couldn’t be questioned why it was made. Instead of getting an answer we just told If we defy it, we going to get a bad luck. As a Javanese, my grandmother once told me that it was Pamali for a girl to seat in front of door. Until now I don’t have the reason why, but maybe if we seat in front of the door, we going to disturb the person that passing by. Naga village made some difference about the rules, they said that is not good if people seat and straighten their legs to the west. And it is not good if girls do a dish in the night. Yes, I know it sound stupid and meaningless, but as I learned more about this village, beside their depend on nature, they also hold their religion strongly. All of them are Muslims. From Islam’s point of view west is the qibla or the direction of the sacred shrine of the Ka’bah in Mecca. So, i think it's their way to honor their religion. And about the second Pamali, it’s probably inappropriate for a girl to go outside at night. As I knew, to do the dish they need to go outside and wash it in wellspring. Beside we talked about the prohibition that exist. I asked more to Mrs Endah ,the local , if that’s fine if people move outside this village . And she said “There’s no rules that banned people to move outside, but no matter what, they always want to come back,” After having the conversation, I kept wondering how can in this modern world , Naga village kept themselves from all kind of technology, How can they not feel bored, Why they keep coming back after move outside. But all my question was answered as I understand. All of this, they do it so they could stay true and live as their ancestor. I think it’s beautiful, how they keep their faith as their guidelines . As I stayed there longer, I know why people always come back, because peace is something that is really hard to find. And I didn’t expect to find my peace there.