Kampung Adat Kuta

Preserving the Sanctity of Ancestral Heritage: Exploring Culture in Kampung Adat Kuta, Ciamis

Kampung Adat Kuta, located in Karangpaningal Village, Tambaksari District, Ciamis Regency, West Java, is more than just an ordinary residential area. This region is a center of living culture that firmly upholds the philosophy of simplicity and environmental preservation. As a nationally recognized cultural site, Kampung Adat Kuta stands as a fortress for Sunda Wiwitan values that remain relevant to this day.

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Architectural Philosophy and Prohibition of Permanent Buildings

One of the most striking characteristics of this cultural center is its architectural style. In Kampung Adat Kuta, there is a customary rule that prohibits residents from building permanent houses made of brick, using cement, or installing clay roof tiles. All houses must be stilt houses made of wood or bamboo, with roofs crafted from rumbia or ijuk (palm fiber).

This rule is not merely about aesthetics but is part of a traditional disaster mitigation program and a form of respect for the earth. The stilt house structure is considered more resistant to earthquake tremors and allows the ground to continue to breathe. For visitors coming for cultural studies, this architecture serves as primary educational material on how humans can live in harmony with nature without excessive exploitation.

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Leuweung Larangan: The Heart of Conservation and Cultural Rituals

The center of all spiritual and cultural activities in Kampung Adat Kuta is the Leuweung Larangan, or Forbidden Forest. This forest is considered a sacred area strictly guarded by customary rules. Activities within this forest are highly restricted; visitors are forbidden to wear footwear, spit, break branches, or wear brightly colored clothing or official uniforms.

Every guest wishing to enter this area must be accompanied by a Kuncen (custodian). Here, cultural preservation programs meet environmental conservation. The existence of the Forbidden Forest ensures that water sources remain protected, which are then channeled for the daily needs of residents and irrigation of rice fields. This is a tangible form of local wisdom in preserving an ecosystem that serves as important learning material for researchers and cultural tourists.

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Traditional Arts: Ronggeng Gunung and Gondang

Kampung Adat Kuta is one of the pockets preserving a rare art form, Ronggeng Gunung. Unlike ronggeng in general, Ronggeng Gunung in Kuta has very strict conventions and is rich in ritualistic value. This art is usually performed during important ceremonies as a form of gratitude for the harvest or to welcome esteemed guests.

In addition, there is the Gondang tradition, which is the art of pounding rice in a mortar rhythmically by women. This activity is not just about processing food but is a representation of togetherness and communal joy. The rhythm produced by the collision of pestles and mortars creates a distinctive harmony, depicting the heartbeat of agricultural life in Ciamis. Visitors are often involved in short workshops to try playing Gondang as part of the cultural education program.

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Nyuguh Traditional Ceremony: A Grand Annual Festival

The most significant cultural agenda in Kampung Adat Kuta is the Nyuguh Traditional Ceremony. This ceremony is held once a year, specifically on the 25th of Safar in the Hijri calendar. This ritual is performed as a form of respect to ancestors and an expression of gratitude to the Creator for the abundance of earthly produce.

During the Nyuguh festival, all residents gather, bringing various types of agricultural produce and traditional snacks arranged in dongdang (large containers). The procession begins with a joint prayer led by the customary elders, followed by a communal meal (ngaliwet) along the village road. This event attracts thousands of tourists and provides an arena for the younger generation of Kuta to showcase their talents in traditional performing arts, ensuring that the cultural baton continues to be passed on.

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Educational Programs and Community Involvement

As a cultural center, Kampung Adat Kuta offers experiential learning programs. The local community actively participates as cultural guides, explaining the unique traditional governance system, where formal village leadership synergizes with customary institutions (Kuncen and elders).

Educational programs here include:

1. Handicraft Workshops: Visitors are taught to make bamboo woven items and crafts from lidi (palm leaf ribs), which are a side livelihood for residents.

2. Vernacular Architecture Study: Learning about joinery techniques without nails used in building traditional houses.

3. Customary Environmental Ethics: Discussions on land zoning systems between settlements, cultivated land, and customary protected forests.

School students and university students from various regions often visit to conduct social research on how the Kuta community manages to maintain its identity amidst the currents of globalization.

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Food Security and the Tradition of Cultivating the Earth

Food security is an important pillar of Kuta's culture. Residents are prohibited from planting crops that are considered to massively deplete soil nutrients. They prioritize upland rice and secondary crops. Farming is done with calculations based on the customary calendar (Pranata Mangsa) to naturally avoid pest attacks.

Another uniqueness is the absence of wells within the residential area. For water needs, residents use communal taps sourced from mountain springs. This prohibition on digging wells aims to prevent soil instability and maintain equitable groundwater availability for all residents, a principle of profound social justice.

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Kuta's Role in Ciamis Local Cultural Development

The Ciamis Regency government considers Kampung Adat Kuta a strategic asset in regional cultural development. Kuta serves as the primary reference in formulating policies based on local wisdom. The success of the Kuta community in preserving forests without the aid of forest pollution or wire fences inspires environmental programs at the West Java provincial level.

This village also functions as a living cultural laboratory. While many villages lose their identity due to uncontrolled modernization, Kuta remains steadfast. This has a positive economic impact on residents through community-based tourism, where profits from tourist visits are reinvested for the maintenance of customary sites and the welfare of the residents.

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Heritage Preservation in the Digital Era

Facing the challenges of the times, the customary leaders of Kampung Kuta are not entirely closed off. They permit the use of technology such as mobile phones and electricity, but with certain limitations to avoid damaging the essence of simplicity. Preservation is carried out through oral traditions (folklore) passed down through generations, as well as digital documentation managed by the village youth to introduce Kuta to the international world.

Kampung Adat Kuta is tangible proof that progress does not always mean abandoning tradition. By maintaining the balance between humans, nature, and the Creator (Tri Tangtu di Bumi), this cultural center in Ciamis continues to shine as a beacon of Sundanese wisdom. Every corner of this village speaks of honor, every ritual is a prayer, and every breath of its residents is a commitment to safeguarding the legacy of their ancestors for future generations.