SUNDA WIWITAN BADUY: Agama Penjaga Alam Lindung di Desa Kanekes Banten

Abstract

Baduy-style Islamic is pronounced with syahadat and practiced with tapa to maintain and preserve the natural heritage, karuhun. Tapa of Baduy is working in the fields to plant rice as a form to practice Islamic teachings, by mating the goddess of rice to the earth. Baduy’s action was guided by the pikukuh, custom, following the buyut, taboo. Religious teachings, tapa, pikukuh and buyut have shaped simple personalities Baduy people in maintaining the Kanekes natural conservation. Thus, welfare and peace can be felt by mankind. What are Sunda Wiwitan beliefs? How does Sunda Wiwitan practice their religious ritual? This paper attempts to answer the previous questions in religious studies that describe the system of religion and religious rituals Sunda Wiwitan. In the perspective of religion phenomenology issue, the phenomena are studied using direct observation method and in-depth interviews.One of the finding illustrated that the Baduy people’s faith and obedience to God appears in their actions in taking care of forests, rivers and mountain to life in harmony. Their faith is not in the form of memorizing or interpreting old religious scripture. Furthermore, worship rituals are practiced by working in the fields under custom rules guidance and abiding the taboo to have successful harvest and prosperous people. Worship is not intended to become a respected man or benefactor. This is the Sunda Wiwitan people with life perspective of maintaining the Kanekes natural conservation.Key words: Baduy, Sunda Wiwitan, syncretism, religious rituals