RAWA LADEH PANJANG

RAWA LADEH PANJANGTHE ROOF OF SUMATERA

On Saturday, 19th February 2005, the weather is good in Kabun Baru, Kayu aro, Kerinci regency, this village is at the steep of the hill and is the nearest place to Rawa Ladeh Panjang in 09.00, Expedition team moved to Rawa Ladeh Panjang. These team are, Wijaya Kusuma, Wira Syahreza, and Mr. Abas.
The first route, we pass through a small path through some farmings, but Mr. Abas feel doubt about route condition, because the route is rather change.
Many of wild cutter of tree and wild hunter make some new path, so the route become cross over. After two hours, Mr. Abas find right route, but the problem had not over yet, because one of our friend got stomachache.
After one hour, through the dark forest. we find a river at 14.00 at Pandan Dewa area. All the journey to Pandan Dewa, we can see a pure tropical forest. A wet forest, keeping many kinds of flora and fauna, according to Mr. Abas explanation Pandan Dewa river come from a name of flower “ Pandan” more than one hundred years old, after take a rest for a moment, and wait for recovering of our friend and then we continue our journey. And in front of us we see sulfur mount and smell its specific aroma.
The journey on the back of the hill is about for two hours. And after that we looking for strategic place for erecting tend so that our friend can take a rest well. At 17.30 we arrive at Sulak besar river and make a camp here and Ladeh Panjang is about two hours. But we decide to continue tomorrow.
The night is so cool, after briefing for tomorrow activity, the feeling of tired and sleepy insist us for sleep. some of our friend said, they heard hard foot steep around our camp. Many kind of imagination appear on our mind. So we still be careful
After 08.00 am we continue our journey to Rawa Ladeh Panjang, and the journey time more than two hours.
Rawa Ladeh panjang is the highest wetland in Southeast Asia. It is height 1.905 m dpl. Most of the surface of this swamp are covered by “ Bento” Grass, this is a place for many kind of animal to drink and eat for example: Sumatran Tiger, Bear, Deer, Goat and many other. And we also find many kinds of birds. This swamp is surrounded by many mounts, for examples, Mount Terambun, Mount Kapur, and Mount Patah Sembilan, there are also, we see two lakes, that are Lake Singkarak and Lake Sakti.
Boedi Poernomo.

Farming at the edge of hill
Basically Kerinci Society are farmers. This activity has been progress for a long time. New era and modernize have bad effect for them so they find new farm to cultivate. The existing of TNKS is threaten by this new pattern. And personal interest be main priority
The cutting of the forest make habitat of flora and fauna are annihilated. We could see many kind of animal, but now we just hear the sound of saw machine every where. It is very tragic.

Pada umumnya orang mengenal Kerinci dengan puncak tertinggi pulau Sumatera yaitu gunung Kerinci (3805 m dpl), Daerah Kabupaten Kerinci merupakan wilayah Propinsi Jambi dengan ketinggian rata–rata 700 – 800 m dpl dan geografis kira – kira 1010 sampai 1020 lintang timur dari Greenwich dan 1030’ sampai 2030’ bujur selatan, terletak dipegunungan bukit barisan Sumatera bagian tengah.
Penduduk Kerinci asli menempati rumah panggung (laheik jajo), dibangun pada sebidang tanah empat persegi panjang yang dinamai parit basudut empat, tatanan kemasyarakatan diatur menurut sistem adat yang masih dominan sampai sekarang. Sebahagian besar penduduk Kerinci merupakan petani – petani yang menggantungkan sumber nafkahnya dari bercocok tanam dan berkebun dilereng–lereng gunung yang subur.
Daerah ini berkembang dengan signifikan di segala bidang, karena banyaknya putera–puteri kerinci yang belajar keluar daerah, Kerinci telah dapat mengejar ketinggalannya dari daerah lainnya di Indonesia, sekalipun penjajahan Belanda masuk ke Kerinci baru pada tahun 1903. hal ini mungkin dikarenakan suku Kerinci terkenal berani dan menganut falsafah alam yaitu alam terbentang dijadikan guru.
Karena cepatnya penduduk Kerinci mengikuti arus modernisasi, kita merasa kebingungan untuk menemukan identitas asli dari adat–istiadat Kerinci, sekarang ini sulit kita temukan rumah adat Kerinci yang berukiran khas dengan berbagai motifnya yang indah dan pantun muda-mudi serta tale lembah Kerinci yang dapat memperkaya khasanah seni-budaya.

Dapat difahami bahwa dasar pertimbangan dari satu generasi kegenerasi berikutnya biasanya mengalami perobahan, hal ini terutama disebabkan oleh nilai materi ilmiahnya, sebagai akibat dari penemuan fakta–fakta baru serta peningkatan pengertian dari penelitian yang mendalam dan lebih luas. Alam pikiran manusia yang terwujud dalam kebudayaan senantiasa bergerak dari zaman–ke zaman dalam mencari persuasi terhadap lingkungan di mana ia berada.
Sekalipun banyak penulis mengenai Kerinci yang telah berusaha untuk mencoba menyingkap tabir misteri yang terkandung didaerah sakti Alam Kerinci, masih saja terdapat benturan dengan kenyataan yang ada, kalaupun tidak ada dikatakan didaerah mungkin halnya sudah berobah pada kurun tertentu.
Maka beralasanlah Depati Ninik Mamak buat mencoba menulis materi–materi tradisional yang masih terdapat ditengah masyarakat dusun atau pedesaan yang diakumulasikan sekitar adat Kerinci dalam Lingkungan Mendapo. Dimana kemungkinan perbedaan pendapat tetap ada antara pandangan cendikiawan dengan pamangku adat, namun hal ini tidaklah menjadi rintangan buat kita mencari jalan kebersamaan untuk pengembangan adat–istiadat didaerah ini.
Adat Kerinci dalam lingkungan mendapo, yang dimaksud adalah bagian–bagian Kerinci yang berdasarkan mendapo asli, yaitu ninik moyang. Seperti Depati orang tujuh Sungai Penuh dan Depati duo ninik rawang mempunyai tanah mendapo. Disini kami memfokuskan kepada kedua mendapo tersebut. Namun buku ini tidak merupakan penjabaran secara luas, karena kedua mendapo tadi mempunyai hubungan kait–berkait rotan saga dengan struktur kedaulatan adat Kerinci seluruhnya. Perlu diingatkan bahwa pengertian Kerinci disini mempunyai makna yang luas, hal ini untuk membedakan dengan Kabupaten Kerinci..

Historical Tradition of buffalo horn of old manuscript

• Hini tutur tambana puyang luah bungkan pandan hiyalah ninik siyak langin datang dari bumi Minang Kabau, hiyalah turun ka kuta panda hiyalah mangambik ninik kami bagalar jayang beranay... ( this historical tradition is kept by Datuk Singarapi Sungai Penuh)


• Hini tutur hurang datang bukit pariyang Padang Panjang puti hunduk pinang masak baduwa pabisan hitu ka kuta lima manis kepada dana banta… (this historical traditions is kept by Depati Sungai Lago Koto Beringin Rawang)


• Hini tutur manunggu bungkan pandan sahulu sahilir sapa manunggu ninik siyak langin sapa bini dayang baranay datang di gunung kembang ninik siyak langin daba di banangkabay... ( this historical tradition is kept by Bujang Pariyang Koto Bento)


• Hini tandauk parang dipati hatur gumi dipati marampat paningkar malin manyurat tutur ninik hurang kuta baringin datang pariyang Padang Panjang hurang batiga badik surang bagalay puti hunduk pinang masak, surang bagalay puti dayang baranay surang bagalay patih sabatang diyan pada dusung banta barayun…lalu ka dusung kunyit Puti Dayang Baranai Kawin dingan tuwan Si Samilullah beranak hurang sabilan baduwa jantan jahasi jahari... (this historical tradition is kept by dipati satio mandaro and datuk caya depati)

EXPOSE THE MYSTERY OF SWAMP MAN

So many wetlands of Kerinci nature, for examples Lake Kerinci, Lake Seven Mountain, Lake Lingkat, Lake Sati, Lake Duo, Ladeh Panjang Swamp and Bento Swamp and the rivers.
There is a unique thing at Bento Swamp, in this swamp there are many kinds of fish can eat as consumption although the water of this swamp are blended by sulfur. Bento swamp are turf area. It is the widest turf at TNKS about 1000 hectare. A part of Bento Swamp is Sungai Dalam Village. Kayu aro District, Kerinci Regency.
Kerinci Regency is an area that has the richness of traditional life and variation of Local community, one of their life are still depend to the nature. Mr. Jhon is one of swamp man who use swamp as his income. Everyday he installs fish trap by his canoe through the swamp and forest. And Mr. Jhon is one of farmers depend his life to that swamp.
One a week Mr Jhon usually can get three “Canting” of fish one “ Canting” is about Rp. 200.000, this man has five wives and four employees. Every employee gets Rp. 10.000 Salary a day.
Social condition of Kerinci people in the middle of globalization is easy to adapt. Generally, Kerinci people get information from newspaper, magazine, radio or television. So their assumption is influence by the media. They do not want to find a realistic fact. Of course this condition make Kerinci people different with their real culture.
Development of culture is not only on visualization level but to morality of society life as reflection of civilize society. Aristoteles said art is imitation of nature and use for education, recreation, contemplation media. It is mean the rule of art as media for creator to give a picture of life that happened in our society and the right stimulating to understand the value of social culture and art.

Culture is human intrinsic values
It oriented to human and its environment.
Art is penetration to support culture development universally as an alternative


The destination of Kerinci Government to blend tourism and culture are interesting package for tourist and also for the artist. Kerinci is dominant with its ethnicity as positive respond for development. Education – art is one of them – is one of main factor in supporting of developing. This asset can be big asset, if there is harmony relation between society, government and the artist, and Kerinci has unique culture, of course this unique culture can be good contribution for Indonesian encyclopedia especially for the culture.
This culture activity explorer must be handle seriously. Geographic position of Kerinci is far away from center of culture development. The main problem of this area are information and communication, this thing will be very potential in keeping Kerinci society tradition for adding about national culture reference.
Art for Kerinci people is life. Because art activity is routine activity, realize or not realize, this condition are continue from one generation to next generation. This thing will be an factual observation as accumulation of talent.

Culture is human intrinsic values
It oriented to human and its environment.
Art is penetration to support culture development universally as an alternative


The destination of Kerinci Government to blend tourism and culture are interesting package for tourist and also for the artist. Kerinci is dominant with its ethnicity as positive respond for development. Education – art is one of them – is one of main factor in supporting of developing. This asset can be big asset, if there is harmony relation between society, government and the artist, and Kerinci has unique culture, of course this unique culture can be good contribution for Indonesian encyclopedia especially for the culture.
This culture activity explorer must be handle seriously. Geographic position of Kerinci is far away from center of culture development. The main problem of this area are information and communication, this thing will be very potential in keeping Kerinci society tradition for adding about national culture reference.
Art for Kerinci people is life. Because art activity is routine activity, realize or not realize, this condition are continue from one generation to next generation. This thing will be an factual observation as accumulation of talent.

NGO – For the Culture of Kerinci

NGO – For the Culture of Kerinci is institution of society was established on 9 June 6, 1999. The main focus of this NGO is to keep the local culture and traditional culture and gives. Its contribution for environment conservation and improve knowledge quality of society in culture perspective as a part of life. In six years of its journey, in the middle of culture crisis for young generation in this country. This NGO is still walking slowly. Slow but sure. And it always studies the culture of society. In doing its activity, this NGO is not affiliation with any party. It just cares about social life. This NGO is always try walking in its way to revitalize traditional culture of Kerinci. Excavation of history and archeology, environment and conservation, local culture approach and the wisdom of local tradition, seminar and workshop, publishing, educating and training for society for improve the quality of human resource. Revitalize spritual culture, religion, custom, art drama, exhibition , documentation.