Ciptagelar Traditional Village

Preserving the Honor of Nature and Tradition: An In-depth Exploration of Ciptagelar Traditional Village

Kampung Adat Ciptagelar is more than just a traditional settlement on the slopes of Mount Halimun, Sukabumi; it is the epicenter of Sunda Wiwitan civilization, still steadfastly holding onto the ancestors' mandate amidst the currents of modernization. As a dynamic cultural center, Ciptagelar functions as a living laboratory where ecology, spirituality, and traditional technology blend harmoniously. Located in Sirnaresmi Village, Cisolok District, this village is the center of the Kasepuhan Banten Kidul adat community, led by an Abah.

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Philosophy of Life and Food Sovereignty

The core of Ciptagelar's culture lies in the reverence for rice (pare). For the people of Ciptagelar, rice is a sacred symbol of life, a manifestation of Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Asri. One of the most crucial cultural programs here is the organic farming system that follows the traditional astronomical calendar (pranata mangsa).

The community is strictly forbidden from selling their harvested rice or paddy. This culture has fostered an extraordinary food security system through thousands of leuit (rice barns). The main cultural activity that can be witnessed is the solemn procession of moving rice into the leuit.

This self-sufficiency is not merely an economic practice but a preservation program of the value that food is a basic right that should not be commercialized.

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Adat Rituals and Annual Festival: Seren Taun

The peak event that becomes an international cultural magnet is Seren Taun. This is not just a tourism festival but a ritual of gratitude for the year's harvest and a prayer for the next planting season. During Seren Taun, various adat processions are performed, from Ngajaka (inviting ancestors), Ngadiukeun (placing rice in the main barn), to the climax, the mass rice pounding ritual.

This festival showcases the entire spectrum of ancient Sundanese arts. Thousands of people from various regions gather, creating a massive space for cultural dialogue. Here, Ciptagelar's role as a center for local cultural development is evident, where the collective identity of the indigenous community is strengthened through prayers, dances, and communal meals (ngaliwet) involving thousands of residents and guests.

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Traditional Arts, Crafts, and Performances

Kampung Adat Ciptagelar preserves various forms of art rarely found elsewhere. One of the most iconic is Angklung Dogdog Lojor. Unlike the common angklung, Dogdog Lojor has a longer shape and is played in a more magical rhythm to accompany agricultural rituals.

In addition, Jipeng performances (a blend of Tanji and Topeng) and Wayang Golek are often staged on the village's open-air stage. In terms of crafts, the people of Ciptagelar are highly skilled in bamboo weaving and the creation of traditional agricultural tools forged at the Gozali (traditional blacksmith).

Each craft product is not just a functional item but contains symbolism of social status and specific ritual functions. The village youth are actively involved in creating these crafts as part of skill regeneration.

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Educational Programs and Community Involvement

Ciptagelar runs a highly effective informal education system. Children here receive a dual education: formal education according to the state curriculum and adat education taught directly by the elders (Baris Kolot). This educational program includes introductions to behavioral ethics (tata krama), identification of medicinal plants in the forest, and earthquake-resistant stilt house construction techniques.

Community involvement is also evident in the Gotong Royong system called Rerepongan. In building houses or village infrastructure, all residents are involved without monetary compensation, but through a reciprocal labor system. This program maintains strong social cohesion and ensures that traditional technical knowledge is passed down from older to younger generations through oral tradition and direct practice.

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Modernity within Tradition: Ciptagelar TV and Radio

One of the unique aspects that distinguishes Ciptagelar from other traditional villages is its utilization of communication technology. Under the leadership of Abah Ugi Sugriana Rakasiwi, Ciptagelar has a community television station (Ciptagelar TV) and a community radio.

This is an innovative program for preserving cultural heritage. Through these media, adat messages, ritual schedules, and agricultural education content are broadcast throughout the village. Technology is not seen as a threat but as a tool to strengthen cultural reach. This shows that Ciptagelar is a cultural center that is adaptive yet maintains a strong ideological filter against damaging external influences.

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Architecture and Cultural Heritage Preservation

Physically, Ciptagelar is an open-air architectural museum. All buildings are required to use natural materials: kiray or ijuk (palm fiber) roofs, bamboo walls (bilik), and wooden structures with stone post foundations (batu umpak). The stilt house design has the philosophy of "not directly stepping on the earth" as a form of respect.

Cultural heritage preservation efforts here also include the protection of forest cover. The community is prohibited from cutting trees in certain areas considered sacred (Leuweung Titipan). Ciptagelar's role in local cultural development is crucial in maintaining the ecological balance of Mount Halimun. They prove that local wisdom is a real solution to the global environmental crisis.

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Ciptagelar's Role in Local Cultural Development

As a cultural center, Ciptagelar serves as a reference point for researchers, sociologists, and culturalists from around the world. However, its primary role remains for the local community. Ciptagelar instills pride in a pure Sundanese identity. Amidst the onslaught of pop culture, Ciptagelar offers an alternative lifestyle that is calm, independent, and dignified.

The Sukabumi Regency and West Java Province governments recognize Ciptagelar as an invaluable intangible cultural asset. Tourism development here is also managed with a "responsible cultural tourism" system, where guests must follow applicable adat rules, such as dressing politely (wearing a headscarf for men and a sarong for women on certain occasions) and respecting adat prohibitions.

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Conclusion: A Legacy for the Future

Kampung Adat Ciptagelar demonstrates that culture is not static or merely a relic of the past. It is a living, breathing, and evolving entity. Through programs like Seren Taun, food sovereignty via leuit, and the utilization of community digital media, Ciptagelar successfully preserves the honor of tradition in the global era.

For anyone who visits, Ciptagelar offers more than just beautiful scenery; it offers lessons on how humans should interact with God, fellow humans, and the universe. As a cultural center, Ciptagelar remains a beacon for anyone who wishes to rediscover the noble and humble roots of Sundanese identity.