The Kasepuhan Banten Kidul are a traditional Sundanese community of approximately 5,300 people, who live in the southern part of Gunung Halimun National Park, in the Indonesian province of West Java. Mount Halimun Salak National Park is located within the borders of the Sukabumi Regency, Bogor and southern Banten province. The Kasepuhan is called "Kasepuhan Banten Kidul" (Kasepuhan of Southern Banten), and their main village is Ciptagelar in the Cisolok subdistrict (kecamatan) in the western part of the Sukabumi Regency. The current head of the community, Abah Ugih, inherited the position of leader when his father, Abah Anom, died at the age of 54.[1]
The word kasepuhan is formed on sepuh, which means "old" in the Sundanese language. It refers to a way of life based on ancestral traditions and, eventually, to the local community that lives according to these traditions.
According to oral information, the Kasepuhan have lived in this area (Banten Kidul or South Banten) since 1368. The ancestors of the Kasepuhan are said to have lived in the area of Bogor, east of Mount Halimun. At that time, their ancestors were part of the Sunda Kingdom, that encompassed the province of West Java and Banten.
The people of the Kasepuhan claim they are linked with the Baduy, another traditional group in West Java. The main belief system of Kasepuhan people is Sunda Wiwitan. Nowadays, the Kasepuhan are influenced by Islam. However, they do not strictly follow all the rules of Islam but rather combine their beliefs with animism and Sundanese traditions. Just as their ancestors, they have combined several traditions and religions with their own Kasepuhan tradition; that is, they are influenced by Islam, Sundanese traditions, Pajajaran traditions and thus Hinduism and also animism.
The main ritual of Kasepuhan community is Seren Taun, or rice harvest thanksgiving, as well as marking the new agriculture year in Sundanese tradition. Seren Taun festival is also celebrated by other Sundanese traditional communities in other areas, such as Sundanese community in Cigugur, Kuningan.[2]
The Kasepuhan history existed since 1368 (note: the years allowed to write down); their beliefs before that time are still there, but enough to let other peoples know only from that time. The areas of the kingdom called "Banten Kidul" were territories before the government age, and now this Banten Kidul area is divided into three regency areas (Lebak, Bogor, and Sukabumi). The peoples in Kasepuhan still living in the tradition and ancient cultures role of custom, following what the ancestor said for their life and living on rice plantation. the rice they have to plan is only rice seed from the ancestor (data 2014: there are 167 original varieties) planted till today and more than 300 new varieties from natural mixing on the rice field.
By far the most important way of subsistence for the Kasepuhan is agriculture, which can be split into two categories: huma (dry rice cultivation) and sawah (wet rice cultivation). the Dry system rice plantation is the original way plantation from the ancestor, and since the Dutch time, they have had a wet system rice plantation called "Sawah".
About 85% of Kasepuhan agricultural land is sawah, 10% consists of ladang, and 5% kebun. There is a strong emphasis on eco-friendly techniques within the community and the other land is Forestry, living in the forest, also received a message from the ancestor to keep the tradition safe and make distance with the city from outside influence, They have three categories forestry: Leuweung Tutupan (forbidden forest), Leuweung Titipan (forbidden forest), Leuweung Garapan (the plots forest), and the people living in the plots lands.[3]