Gunung Situhiang

The Kasepuhan Jamrut originally comes from Kasepuhan Cicariang, which is currently led by a village elder named Olot Sadromi. Leadership in this kasepuhan is passed down through generations. As of 2024, Kasepuhan Jamrut is led by Olot Mastura. In the customary system, there is a term Kasepuhan Rendangan, which refers to villages that are under the scope or influence of a parent kasepuhan. Kasepuhan Jamrut serves as the parent kasepuhan, while the rendangan villages beneath it do not stand alone but remain bound by custom to their parent kasepuhan, especially in carrying out traditions and reporting agricultural results.

One important tradition is the balik tahun activity, which is a procession to report that the series of rice planting has been completed to the leader of the parent kasepuhan. Additionally, this activity also serves as a moment to visit family or parents based on lineage (sabondoroyot), as well as to ask for forgiveness if there were any discrepancies in the implementation of rice planting according to customary practices. During this balik tahun occasion, the community also reports on the number of souls, the number of animals, and provides a seren-taun contribution. However, in Kasepuhan Jamrut, this contribution is not mandatory for the rendangan areas.

This balik tahun tradition continues to be practiced every year in Kasepuhan Jamrut, including by the villages of Citirim, Cikareo, and Parung Gedong, which are part of the rendangan area of Kasepuhan Jamrut.

Gunung Situhiang is a delta area characterized by rice fields. Gunung Situhiang is included in the babalayan or sacred area. Babalayan is a sacred place that can be a stone, a specific area, or a grave. In the local language, Babalayan is also known as lelemah. This place has a strong spiritual meaning and is often associated with respect for ancestors. Additionally, there is a place called Keramat, which is a grave considered sacred and holds special value for the community. One example is Keramat Kalapa Dua, which is believed to hold certain historical and spiritual powers and continues to be honored to this day.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut interacts with nature through agricultural activities carried out in rice fields close to residential areas and near the entrusted forest. They believe in performing seven rituals known as “rukun tani” that must be carried out. The seven rituals are:

• Asep Leuweung: a gathering event (at night) led by abah olot at home, making tumpeng, village chicken eggs (roosters), bitter and sweet black coffee, rujak selasih, rujak asem, and other rujaks. Olot asks permission from the ancestors and Gusti Allah to ensure safety, reopen the agricultural season, and request abundant harvests.
• Nibakeun: determining the date for seed spreading (seeds planted in a rice box called pasebaran until they become large rice). It takes 40-45 days to become large rice.
• Ngubaran Pare: a ritual when the rice does not grow. The ritual is performed at night at abah olot's residence. The requirement for the ritual is to use rujak 7 rupa, during which the history of the Prophet Muhammad SAW is recited, along with sulamjana (causes of crop failure). The rujak is placed in a container, then the water and rujak are mixed using a cup, and the water is taken and poured onto the rice.
• Mapag Pare Beukah: a ritual performed when the rice is about to crack, making pasung from rice flour, rujak-rujakan, etc. The ritual is performed at night at abah olot's residence, where abah olot recites the history of the prophet, sulamjana (causes of crop failure), and the story/biography of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jailani. The pasung that has been made is placed on a stick planted at the edge of the rice field.
• Beberes Mipit: a ritual before harvesting, similar to the previous ritual but the readings used are the history of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jailani, and wawacan.
• Ngayaran: a ritual when the harvest is ready, this ritual is used when the rice taken from the leuit will be brought home for consumption. Before ngayaran, the rice is forbidden to be consumed by the community, except for rice that was not harvested that year.
• Seren Taun: A customary ritual for thanksgiving for the harvest, usually performed between the hajj month, asking for fertility and prosperity for the upcoming harvest.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to the preservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity through the values they uphold from their ancestors. With a set of rules and rituals, the biodiversity present in Jamrut will be guaranteed its existence. Some of the biodiversity found in Jamrut includes:

Fauna

• Mammals: Wild boar, mouse deer, deer, monkeys, surili, and otters,
• Birds: Walik, cucak kutilang, and owls.
• Snakes: Ground snakes, Javanese cobras, pythons, picung snakes, maung snakes, oray bedul, welang, weling, pucuk snakes, and tree vipers.

Flora

• Hardwoods: Rasamala, kiara, puspa, pasang, saninten, laban, palahlar, gaharu, kibangkong, ki rotan, ki awi, cemara, ki hanjuang, ki leungsir, kayang, panglar, mahogany, tenjo, huru batu, ki besi, rengas, ki sereh, julang, ki padali, ki paray, ki ceuri, ki hiur, ki dego, ki kasur, maja, lambe, ki teureup, ki carogol, kopi dengkung, ki kokosan monyet, leles, ki hujan, kondang.
• Rattan: Cacing, bubuay, sampang, rotan dawuh, seel, hoe leuleus, kesur, peuteuy, ceker kidang, hoe.
• Medicinal plants: bubuay, ki pari, canker sores, cangkore, terestulang, root of areuy kiheulang, kileho, kawao, tangkur, kilampahan, pulus, sulangkar, babadotan, nangsi, carulang, ki ajag, and ki anyar.
• Fruits: menteng, cherries, saninten, kokosan monyet, carogol, kopi dengkung, and kokosan.

The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has regulations for planting rice seedlings as part of their tradition and customary system. These regulations are often rooted in spiritual beliefs and local wisdom. Thus, the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to sustainable natural resource management based on local knowledge, such as regulations regarding rice seedling planting, which can be related to practices that maintain soil fertility, ensure that agricultural land does not suffer damage, improve food security, and reduce the risk of crop failure. Furthermore, evidence that the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut has contributed to the preservation of natural resources is that they hold values regarding the management of Leuweung Titipan Leuweung Tutupan, and Leuweung Kolot to be well-managed to sustain life and provide for future generations so that their descendants can benefit from natural resources.

In managing the Gunung Situhiang area, the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut only has customary regulations that are passed down orally. The Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut also does not yet have a legal basis that protects the subjects or the customary territory/managed area that is protected by the Indigenous Community of Kasepuhan Jamrut. Until now, a legal basis has only been obtained that regulates the Recognition, Protection, and Empowerment of the Indigenous Law Community of Kasepuhan through Regional Regulation of Lebak Regency Number 8 of 2015.