Happiness, Distilled and Simplified
Last weekend I had the chance to visit an indigenous group called Baduy. The trip was a tiring yet meaningful one. I went with a very random group (i.e. people who I have not travelled with before or only known because of the trip), and we had to drive seven hours from Jakarta, and trekked the hills of Banten for two extra hours. However, I really felt that I learned a lot from the people that we met during the trip, and I could say that the group became quite close-knit.
The Baduys live a very simple yet purposeful life. They purposely isolate themselves from the larger community, living in a mountainous area so they could be in close contact with nature. They believe that humans have to live in balance with Nature, and take responsibility of themselves and the things around them. They also value sincerity and humility; they believe that humans need to act as selfless as they can be, and live a humble life.
Although they seem to be closed off from the rest of society, they are not a backward community. The Baduys travel around the Java island - on foot - to sell the handicrafts they make, or to fulfil the orders of Pu'un (the village's chieftain). Through encounters with people from different tribes, visits to other small villages and concrete jungles, they absorb knowledge and wisdom from other people. This makes them smart, and easy to talk to as they know a lot of things that ordinary people know.
My short time at the village made me realise that happiness can come from the simplest things in life, and we just need to consciously be aware of them. The Baduys children take pleasure from running around the village, playing with water when bathing in the river, and admiring the odd-looking-and-acting tourists in their village. The adults of the clan are very close-knit, and look very content just having conversations with each other, talking about simple things in life: their families, where they are walking and what they are going to do today. They do not worry about their careers, wealth, and the future in general, and they seem to live in the moment.
I also admire how the Baduys obey traditions very religiously, and how they have a strong purpose in life. They could have a more convenient life if they wanted to - use smartphones, have electricity, and ride public transportation - but they choose to live by traditions that have been passed on so that they could live alongside and take care of nature. Traditions and purpose give meaning in their lives, even though they have to sacrifice all the convenience of a modern society.
In a dystopian future where technology prevails and human becomes alienated from himself and humanity, the Baduys could be the reminder that humans need not look beyond their present moment to find happiness. And even when everything has failed us, we could and should still look for a bigger purpose in life, so that life is still meaningful.
Although they seem to be closed off from the rest of society, they are not a backward community. The Baduys travel around the Java island - on foot - to sell the handicrafts they make, or to fulfil the orders of Pu'un (the village's chieftain). Through encounters with people from different tribes, visits to other small villages and concrete jungles, they absorb knowledge and wisdom from other people. This makes them smart, and easy to talk to as they know a lot of things that ordinary people know.
My short time at the village made me realise that happiness can come from the simplest things in life, and we just need to consciously be aware of them. The Baduys children take pleasure from running around the village, playing with water when bathing in the river, and admiring the odd-looking-and-acting tourists in their village. The adults of the clan are very close-knit, and look very content just having conversations with each other, talking about simple things in life: their families, where they are walking and what they are going to do today. They do not worry about their careers, wealth, and the future in general, and they seem to live in the moment.
I also admire how the Baduys obey traditions very religiously, and how they have a strong purpose in life. They could have a more convenient life if they wanted to - use smartphones, have electricity, and ride public transportation - but they choose to live by traditions that have been passed on so that they could live alongside and take care of nature. Traditions and purpose give meaning in their lives, even though they have to sacrifice all the convenience of a modern society.
In a dystopian future where technology prevails and human becomes alienated from himself and humanity, the Baduys could be the reminder that humans need not look beyond their present moment to find happiness. And even when everything has failed us, we could and should still look for a bigger purpose in life, so that life is still meaningful.
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