Bok Haruman

Kasepuhan Karang is one of the indigenous communities in Banten Kidul. Administratively, the Kasepuhan Karang area is part of Jagaraksa Village, Muncang District, Lebak Regency, Banten Province. Geographically, the Kasepuhan Karang territory covers almost the entire administrative area of Jagakarsa Village, which is 1,081.286 Ha in size. Wewengkon is a local term for the designation of customary land that consists of land, water, and natural resources found on it, whose ownership, management, and utilization are carried out according to customary law.

The Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang are descendants of Bongbang. Bongbang means a royal troop tasked with opening or establishing a village. Karang Village is also called Bobojong Bongbang, and its residents come from Kosala village (now Lebak Sangka), so once a year, the Kosala site (Keramat) is still maintained by Kasepuhan. The Kosala site is considered an ancestral legacy. Historically, this community has experienced several relocations until finally settling in Kasepuhan Karang. Initially located in Kosala, then moved to Kampung Lebuh (in Cimarga District), moved again to Kampung Sindangwangi (Muncang), to Kampung Bagu (Ciminyak), to Kampung Coo, and finally to Kampung Karang (Jagaraksa Village). It is estimated that since the Dutch and Japanese eras, the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang have experienced four kokolot, namely Kolot Asir, Kolot Narsim, Kolot Sadin, and Kolot Icong. The Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang have a protected area, namely Bok Haruman.

Bok Haruman is considered important and sacred for the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang because it contains customary land that has historical-cultural and spiritual value. This customary land includes Leuweung Paniisan, sacred forest (Lebak Kosala Site), Graveyards, and Springs. In addition to being a location for carrying out customary rituals, the community also relies on Bok Haruman for their livelihood. For the community, every area within it is very beneficial, as it not only contains important spring sources, but Bok Haruman also serves as agricultural land prepared for the utilization by the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang. Geophysically, Bok Haruman is a mountain with an area covered by forest. The Kasepuhan Karang community has protected Bok Haruman for generations, long before Indonesia's independence, in accordance with the values inherited from their ancestors.

Bok Haruman has several areas considered sacred named:

1) Leuweung Kolot/Awisan, which is a legacy from the ancestors of Kasepuhan Karang, containing spring sources that must be preserved, there are mandatory sites that must be guarded, and various natural resources as reserves for future generations.

2) Leuweung Paniisan, which is a place for carrying out Kasepuhan Karang ritual processes as a requirement for seren taun, balik taun, planting the first rice, harvesting, and other rituals related to Kasepuhan and their descendants. The rituals carried out for generations are known as Tapak Lacak Kolot (the footprints of the ancestors), meaning that the area must be managed, cared for, and well-maintained by both Kasepuhan and their descendants.

3) Leuweung Sampalan, which is the community's agricultural land prepared for economic utilization: clothing, food, shelter, including medicinal plants.

The Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang have full awareness to protect Bok Haruman because they believe it is a legacy from their ancestors. In addition, in maintaining Bok Haruman, the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang receive full support from the Jagaraksa Village Government. Additional support also comes from accompanying NGOs to provide capacity building for the community through critical education related to indigenous people's rights, customary territories, and strengthening community-based forest resource management models. Furthermore, NGOs also play a role in communicating/connecting the community with other parties in terms of advocacy and the rights of the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang.

Bok Haruman is managed relying on the local knowledge of the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang to maintain sustainable livelihoods. New management initiatives that have emerged include utilizing yard land and the use of rice field embankments to plant productive trees: fruits, timber, and secondary crops. This is to avoid continuous utilization of Bok Haruman while also clarifying and emphasizing community-based forest management models. The management practices of Bok Haruman are carried out based on customary rules that have been passed down through generations (tatali paranti karuhun). Although there have been several changes in the position of the Customary Leader (Kokolot), the practice of resource protection continues to be carried out sustainably. However, in the context of utilization, along with population growth and community needs, the forest area is now starting to be utilized for non-timber forest products, such as fruits and latex.

Bok Haruman is protected because it is mandated or entrusted from the ancestors to the customary leader (Kokolot) to be disseminated and adhered to by all descendants. This decision is hereditary; therefore, anyone who violates it will face sanctions/kualat/kabendon from the Creator. However, in the context of implementation, forms of protection for the Bok Haruman area are the result of discussions between the Kasepuhan Karang, the Village Government, and community leaders. The parties directly involved in the management of Bok Haruman are the descendants of Kasepuhan Karang and the Jagaraksa Village Community. Their involvement takes the form of participating in preserving and maintaining long-standing traditions. Meanwhile, outside the village, the Banten Kidul Customary Unity (SABAKI), which is a people's organization that oversees all Kasepuhan in West Java and Banten, is also involved in advocating for the protection and recognition of the existence of Kasepuhan Karang (and other kasepuhan) as well as forms of natural resource management carried out legally.

The Kasepuhan Karang Customary Institution plays a role in coordinating the implementation of regulations/managing the area. Not only as a mandate from the community that must be preserved, but also as a heritage and mandate from their ancestors. The following is the institutional structure of Kasepuhan Adat Karang along with its roles:

1. Kokolot Karang or Kasepuhan who acts as the customary leader.

2. Deputy Kokolot who handles affairs with external parties.

3. Pangiwa who manages government and village order affairs.

4. Ronda Kokolot who manages the affairs of guarding Imah Gede during the day and night.

5. Amil who manages religious affairs.

6. Bengkong who manages circumcision affairs.

7. Paraji/Ma Beurang who manages birth and post-birth affairs.

8. Palawari who manages and assists during celebrations and events.

As for the rules governing logging, if logging occurs in the Leuweung Paniisan area, the party that logs must replace the trees and care for them until they grow to the size of the trees they cut down. Currently, all management rules are still in oral form that has been passed down through generations.

The Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang preserve Bok Haruman for generations and focus on managing the forest based on community knowledge. This management contributes to the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity because they adhere to the philosophy of tatali paranti karuhun. This philosophy means to follow, obey, and comply with the demands of life’s secrets as the ancestors (karuhun) who have values not only at the religious level but also reflected in social institutions, leadership systems, and ways of interacting with nature.

The Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang—through local knowledge and values inherited from their ancestors—have divided the area into several parts such as Leuweung Kolot/Awisan, Leuweung Paniisan, and Leuweung Sampalan. This is done as an effort to sustainably manage natural resources while also utilizing them in a non-exploitative manner and maintaining areas considered sacred for rituals. Several high-value commodities in Bok Haruman are found in Leuweung Sampalan—an area utilized by indigenous people for daily needs including clothing, food, and shelter, such as Sengon wood, Albasia, Maini, Rubber, and fruits: Durian, Coconut, Banana, Binglu, Kecapi, Picung, Coffee, Muncang, and others. There are also natural resources used for beauty and health such as: Cape, Betel Nut, Lame Skin, Kidang, Cenet, Gedang Rante, Betel Leaf, Smelly Grass, Baba Ngasam, Babadotan, Kisejeh Palungpung Capatuher.

The condition around the Bok Haruman area also showcases its natural beauty—combined with traditions and cultures that are still attached, has the potential to develop ecotourism. The condition of community gardens is very good with a sufficiently high density storing a high carbon stock. So far, water is utilized for agricultural activities, fisheries, and household consumption. There is also a discourse at the Jagaraksa Village level that the abundant water from Block Haruman will be channeled to neighboring villages to meet the water needs of other residents through the Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDES) mechanism. In addition, the area planted with various productive plants can economically meet the community's needs on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. Likewise, with the abundant water sourced from the area, rice planting and ponds can be carried out and become an additional income for the residents.

In 1978, the forest area in Kasepuhan Karang was designated as Production Forest and granted management rights to Perum Perhutani Unit III West Java through Government Regulation (PP) No 2 of 1978 concerning the Establishment of Perum Perhutani Unit III West Java, which was later refined by PP No. 36/1986 and subsequently in 1999. In 2003, the Kasepuhan Karang area was designated as part of the expanded conservation area of Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS) through the Minister of Forestry Decree No. 175/Kpts-II/2003. Thus, the current status according to the government is that the Kasepuhan Karang area is included in the conservation area. Then, in 2013 through the Lebak Regent Decree No. 430/Kep.298/Disdikbud/2013, recognition of the existence of indigenous people in the Banten Kidul customary unity area was issued. Referring to a more specific subject, the local government issued Regional Regulation No. 8 of 2015 concerning the Recognition, Protection, and Empowerment of the Kasepuhan Indigenous People. Finally, in 2016, the Indigenous People of Kasepuhan Karang successfully obtained recognition through the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. 6748/MENLHK-PSKL/KUM.1/12/2016 concerning the Designation of Kasepuhan Karang Customary Forest covering approximately 462 hectares in Jagaraksa Village, Muncang District, Lebak Regency, Banten Province.