Haircuts are not just about style, but can be an identity, as is the appearance of the hair of the Anak Dalam Tribe in Jambi. In various parts of the world, haircuts have become an inseparable part of traditional rituals, celebrations, and even social status markers. In fact, hairstyles are often a characteristic of a group's identity. Although at first glance they look similar to most people, there is a uniqueness in the boys of the Anak Dalam Tribe that cannot be missed.
The Jambi Anak Dalam Tribe (SAD) is one of the groups indigenous people who live in the forest areas of Jambi, especially in the Sarolangun, Batanghari, Bungo, and Bukit Duabelas National Park areas. They are known as a society that has strong ties to nature and the forest, which is a source of livelihood and the center of their spiritual life. The Anak Dalam Tribe maintains their identity through customary practices and cultural uniqueness, including the tradition of haircutting which is part of the identity of boys in the Rombong Jurai Suku Anak Dalam community.
Boys in the community The Inner Tribe Rombong Jurai has a distinctive hairstyle, where only the front part of the hair is left to grow, while the rest is bald. This tradition is mandatory for baby boys who enter the age of four months to two years.
"This haircut has no special meaning, it is just a style that has been passed down from our ancestors," said Mena, one of the parents in the SAD Rombong Jurai community.
This tradition is part of the birth ritual in the Suku Anak Dalam Rombong Jurai community. After the baby is born, there are several customary stages that must be followed. In the first month after birth, the baby's mother is required to bathe her baby on the terrace of the house or a place not far from the house, with the aim of protecting the mother and baby from disturbances from spirits.
Entering the second and third month, a traditional event called Bulan Nampau is held, which is a thanksgiving attended by close relatives and the village Tumenggung. In this event, the baby and its mother are taken to the river and the baby's feet are dipped in water while a prayer is read by the Tumenggung or a community figure who is considered to have expertise.
When a baby boy reaches four months old, a typical haircut is required. The baby boy's hair is shaved off, leaving only a little hair at the front. Meanwhile, baby girls are not required to undergo this tradition. In the past, both baby boys and girls of the Anak Dalam Rombong Jurai Tribe were required to undergo this haircut.
"Boys must be shaved, and only given a ponytail in the front. While girls are not. Currently, there are almost no boys who do not undergo this tradition," explained Jaelani as a parent from the Suku Anak Dalam community.
The uniqueness of this boy's hair can be found throughout the Suku Anak Dalam Rombong Jurai community, especially in Limbur Tembesi Village, Bathin VIII District, Sarolangun Regency. Although this haircut tradition does not have a deep philosophical meaning, they still preserve it as a marker of identity. For this community, the haircut is a symbol that the boy who carries it out is part of the Suku Anak Dalam in their rombong.
By inheriting what their ancestors have taught them, they believe that this tradition can protect them from danger. Although many members of the community have now settled and are no longer nomadic, they still maintain and preserve their culture and traditions, including a distinctive haircut for their boys.
