My Name was Granted by God⠀

For “Orang Rimba” (people who inhabit the jungle), a name is not something to be taken lightly. Only the elders are entitled to grant a name after “a consultation” with the Gods of The Jungle.

This God’s given name is also poetic. On the first slide, the girl’s name is Mendelau, which means beckoning or shining. The one on the second slide, is Meruan and on the fourth one is Nande. All of them are beautiful, aren’t they?

We could also find names like Gentar, Pengarang Gading, Bepuncak, Besati, Bungo Padi, Mergo Bungo, Merigu Meruni, Besidam. It is not easy to distinguish between jenton (male) and betina (female) in Orang Rimba tribe based on their names. “It is all the same, whether it is jenton (male) or betina (female). Our names were granted by Dewo (God)” they explained.

The jungle is the life itself, the heartbeat of Orang Rimba. Every newborn will get two trees. One is tenggeris, representing the child and the name of the newborn. Another one is sentubun tree, a place where the placenta is buried around its roots.

That is why when the trees in the jungle are taken down by illegal loggers and companies (for oil palm or rubber plantations need), the life of Orang Rimba was in disarray. The sky used to be covered by lush leaves, suddenly becomes white and bright. The jungle is so essential that Orang Rimba has a poem, “Piado (there is no) rimbo, piado bungo. Piado bungo, piado dewo.” – there is no jungle, there is no flower. No flowers, no Gods.

The girls in this jungle, unfortunately, have yet to enjoy alternative classes created by the KKI Warsi facilitators. The local custom have not granted the girls with freedom to learn. Once they enter the naik kemben ceremony, to celebrate puberty, they are strictly prohibited from attending school.

It is true, changes are not sudden. 1998 was the beginning year for KKI Warsi to assist Orang Rimba with education programme. The pioneer was Yusak, none of the children was allowed to learn. Neither the boys, nor the girls. Yusak’s first pupils were only a few boys.

Now, Gentar (one of the first pupils facilitated by KKI Warsi in 2000 with Butet Manurung) has already had four kids – two of them are girls. “Akhe (I) will not forbid my daughters from going to school, all the way to university if they must,” Gentar said.

Nande, Belindung, Basante, Meruan, Mendelau, may the changes for a betterment come in no time for you….

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PUBLISHED BY Puan Indonesia
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