For some reason, almost all living things have an extraordinary instinct and natural trait in protecting their young. Just look at plants where the seeds that become the embryo of a giant tree are wrapped very well so that they are durable and still fresh for years before growing on the ground. It is also a miracle not only for the Orang Rimba how a very weak and easily wilted flower can become a fruit that produces many seeds for the reproduction of plants to become large trees. It is completely unimaginable that all the diversity of flora that exists, originates from fertilization that is undetectable to the eye, becomes flowers, fruits and young trees until they are large.
Animals have more characteristics and characteristics of living creatures than plants. One of the advantages of animals is that they have instincts. Animal instincts are very prominent when they have babies or cubs that must be protected. Suddenly the animal became braver and more fierce than its normal state without children. Without knowing laziness, the mother always faithfully breastfeeds her child until the child is independent and becomes an adult.
Humans can be seen as the pinnacle of perfection of all living things. However, in many ways humans still have the same nature and instincts, especially with animals that are close to humans, namely the primate order. However, as a cultured creature, these natures and instincts tend to be covered up. Because the ability to develop this culture also makes humans tend to be more arrogant than their fellow living creatures, to the point of seeming to eliminate their instinctive nature which is the same as animals. In the end, the function of this instinct is to maintain the existence of these living things. Where all newborn living creatures are conditioned in a weak, vulnerable state and their safety is very dependent on the help of their mothers. In mammals, for example, the safety of children is very dependent on their mother's milk.
If we look further, how humans treat babies and children is actually based on instinct. While culture has enriched various aspects related to parents and children. For example, lineage, ritual ceremonies, parenting/care patterns, how to feed, how to educate and others. As a real example, even though a mother is unable to breastfeed her newborn baby, giving formula milk is still based on the instinct to maintain the baby's life.
In relation to the description above, babies or children are often the focus of attention of various programs. This age group is very strategic not only because of their condition that requires help to survive but this group is considered to be the key to the future of a tribe, a nation, even all of humanity, whose quality and success depend on that age. This age group is seen as not yet having values, appreciation, knowledge, perceptions, interests, so it is often called not yet sinful. For this reason, this age group can be introduced to new values, perceptions and knowledge according to what is desired which will ultimately affect individual children when they are adults. Seeing the many aspects related to these children, almost all interests can be directly linked to the future of children or the younger generation so that they appear more idealistic.
Understanding the concept of children according to the jungle people is considered necessary. First, this age group is the most strategic target of Warsi programs such as education and health. Second, this age group is also strategic to be a long-term target if it is connected to conservation, because the future of the forest in the area is the same as the future of their age group, which in the end is the future of the entire existence of the jungle people in Bukit-12 National Park. As the argument often put forward by the jungle people leaders about the forest is for our children and grandchildren.
Talking about children conceptually with the jungle people is very sensitive and contains vulnerabilities, because it is directly related to the ritual and religious system of the jungle people themselves. Therefore, for those of us who tend to go in and out, talking about this is considered inappropriate not only for outsiders to know but also inappropriate in terms of the situation. There is a proposition for all religions and beliefs that if we want to talk about a belief, we must first become adherents of the belief or religion being discussed. And this obstacle is what limits us, for this reason also makes it unlikely that we will have the opportunity to understand things related to this belief in depth.
According to the perception of the jungle people, before being born into this world (halom nio) by their mothers, children are in the high courtyard or halam dewo. This place is the highest place in the dewo-dewo arrangement and cannot be reached by the shaman. In the halom dewo there is a tiered place called gelanggang kakanak. In this gelangang, all the contents are children who are divided into two, namely the high or terjung tinggi section is occupied by boys and the lower or kedelomon section is occupied by girls. Like the jungle people's own house which always makes the lower part of the house for girls. All children are cared for by fairies who become their iinduon. These fairies make babies from various kinds of flowers.
If a mother is about to give birth, there are two types of midwives who play an important role. First, the shaman who will contact the dewo-dewo who are tasked with ensuring the safety of the baby's birth. In essence, he contacts the dewo-dewo to welcome and accompany and secure the arrival of the sumangot or halui-nye baby. The dewo who play the most role in giving birth are the dewo merego and various silumon. This is the ritual of this baby welcoming ceremony so that outsiders are not allowed in the area. The other is the female midwife who helps with the delivery. This midwife will help the entire delivery process until the baby is safely out of its mother's womb.
According to jungle people, all babies still have the status of bahelo or dewo. According to jungle people, as long as he has not eaten various types of dirty food like jungle people generally eat, he still has dewo status. The proof that she still has the status of a dewo is if the baby is asked "Ado bleging? If the answer is "baby ging", then the parents will go hunting and it is certain that there will be game. This means that the baby's divine nature allows him to know something that is impossible for ordinary humans to know.
When a baby is born, usually after one night it is given a name. Sometimes the baby's name is already available while still in the womb. The one who gives the baby a name is a dewo who is passed down through the shaman. All jungle people are considered children of a particular dewo, so their names are directly related to certain aspects of the deity whose purpose is to protect the safety of the person who uses the name. Below are examples of some names that indicate which deity they come from:
God's Name
People are talking about the answer
People's Limbs in Buildings
Recognize the People of Rice
Close the Reppo Person
People's intentions are the same
According to the beliefs of the jungle people, the most vulnerable period for a baby is approximately 1 month after birth. This period is calculated based on the emergence of the new moon after the birth of the baby. In certain groups it must be between 1 full month. During this period it is considered a period full of disturbances from demons or evil spirits. During this time the baby is fully supervised by the mother and shamans. There are many prohibitions and taboos associated with times like this. For example, the mother and her baby are not allowed to bathe directly in the river. If they do bathe, they must do so on land. The jungle people believe that the mother and baby will be disturbed by various diseases in the sea, which will interfere with the safety of the baby. After passing one dead month, a ritual ceremony is held to bathe the baby. In certain groups, this baby bathing ceremony is accompanied by the giving of sweet fat by the baby's parents to all close relatives for the safety of their baby.
The ceremony of bathing a baby for the first time in the river is a very ritual ceremony besides the hall. This ceremony is held on the nearest riverbank where their genah is located. First, this group builds a ring on the edge of the river, which is where the shaman communicates with the gods. The ring resembles a hall only much smaller than a hall, measuring 2 meters x 3 meters. Between the ring and the river there is a yard measuring 8x8 meters which is a place for women to dance while accompanying the baby. One of these women functions as a beyu-nye, a female shaman who will accompany and translate the shaman's conversation with the halom dewo. For example, if the god asks for flowers or cigarettes, the beyunye can understand the wish. Between the field and the river, stairs are usually made if there is a cliff, if the riverbank is gentle, stairs are not needed.
Above the river, a baby bathing place measuring 1.5 x 1.5 meters was built. All of these places were covered with cloth so that they were not visible from the outside. In the four corners of this place, 2-meter-high poles were installed with split ends and pieces of wood inserted so that they formed a cross. This place is called kinggiron binti or kinggiron burung. It means a place for birds to perch. This place has become sacred 1 night before and after the baby bathing event, because the halui burung has been in the kinggiron. The birds that are present are usually geding, selelayag, klongkot and pusoron. These birds have many functions but the most important is as a transportation for the shaman to meet the gods. While in the front right corner of the arena there is a 2.5-meter-high container made of rattan. This container is called sanggo, which is a place for flower offerings to the gods. Various types of flowers are offered depending on the type of god met. Such as the examples below:
Name of the deity Type of offering flower
People with illness/Cempaka flower
People de padi Bungo tangkul, bungo jawo
People of Mecca/God-
Malay people Bungo guava
People from the caladium flower plant
Dewo merego Bungo glingnggang, lalang, kemang, Putih
People are excited Ibul
People of the mountain Bunga antui
People de reppo Bungo antui, remanai, ranggung, padi
The people of the world are from Bungo Antui
Yellow flower dirt cleaner
Other tools used in bathing the baby were 7 machetes plus 1 pickaxe and 1 sharpening stone. During the bathing procession, the mother bathes upstream, while the baby bathes in the bath provided and covered with a cloth. In this bathing place, the baby is bathed in water used to sharpen machetes and pickaxes while swinging the baby 7 times upstream and 7 times downstream, while saying the prayer "bahelo bathe from upstream, slave bathe from downstream". The symbolism of the machete, pickaxe and daki bahelo aims to secure the baby's legs which will be taken to the sea where he will encounter a disease.
After bathing, the baby is taken to the arena and handed over to his male parent who sits side by side with the shaman. Meanwhile, the shaman communicates with the gods. The shaman's journey with the gods is described as a very long journey because he meets many gods and their places. Usually this long journey is done when holding a bebalai ritual.
First, the shaman met the merego dewo, then he continued his journey to the sea and met the disease dewo. When he met the disease dewo the shaman could discuss the treatment of various diseases that afflicted his people. After returning from the sea he met many silumon who, although dangerous, were also worshiped by the jungle people. From the genah silumon, the shaman went to the mountain and there he put a pavilion. On this mountain the shaman also met various kinds of dewo, according to his purpose.
If he wants to ask for a year, he will meet the people of Buah. If he wants a good day, he will meet the people of Mato Aek and others. If he needs to continue his journey to the high Halom Dewo, he will go with the Geding bird or Selelayag to Halom Dewo. The boundary of Halom Dewo is the strait or cloud/wind. There is a door to the sky guarded by the children of the angels. In this place, the shaman can meet many more gods.
After bathing the baby, the family is given sweet fat food, the cost of which is borne by all the child's parents. This is a form of gratitude for the baby's safety. Meanwhile, the demor is still routinely lit at the bathing place for 3 consecutive nights, because the place is considered sacred and is still occupied by the gods. And the child and his mother are free to bathe in the river at any time.
