nto the pace of modern history, the Baduy must reinterpret the Pikukuh Adat. While the Kanekes cultural heritage is existing as it is now, there may be a modern university in the village of Cikertawana or the Cibeo Institute of technology. (You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one.) And most importantly, they may speak English as well. My understanding the way the Baduy translate the adages is that they just make a textual interpretation. The adage "Lojor teu meunang dipotong, pondok teu menunang disambung" (In English, what is Long should not be shortened and what is Short should not be lengthened) make them think that no one should be able to read and write! I imagined one of the Baduy leader read my story and tried to reshaping his mindset as to reinterpret the adage. If they translate the laws to the extend of accommodating the changes, at least let the children learn how to read and write, the next generation of Baduy will pace the history differently. I am not in the position to talk the technicality of the social transformation of the Baduy towards its modernization, Indonesiazation or event westernization. Instead, I'd like to note that the people of Kanekes must be approached somehow to prevent them from losing their perpetual balance. The Kanekes culture is a set of properties that must be preserved, reshaped and reinforced.
However, preserving the Kanekes heritage does not mean that they must stay as it is now. Neither does it mean keeping us away from them, nor keeping them illiterate. Preserving them means that we protect the Kanekes identity, the land where they live, the culture that shapes their life from the bombardments of outer cultural waves that influx the Baduy boundaries. Making the children of Baduy literate is one of the process that preserves the Kanekes identity. Literacy will equip the next generation of Kanekes to shield the identity and to adopt proper reaction to the shocking future. Those whoever interact with the Baduy, the local government, the Banteners and even the travelers who are on Saba Budaya Baduy vacation, must responsibly take the initiatives engagements to actively support the actions of preserving the Baduy heritage. Save Baduy <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Baduy/129588390407447> . It is advisable to put the Baduy culture issues into the local content of educational curriculum of Banten Province. The preliminary works of presenting the Baduy culture can be seen from several published school textbooks of sociology. It is also a good movement to build a society that learn the Baduy and spread the issues. What can be learnt from Baduy? Take some examples, how can they (their culture) manage to record in human history of leadership that no Baduy 's leader is corrupt? How do they come to a firm decision that they implement a political economy not to sell the harvested rice to outsider but they force the 'citizen' to buy from outside? How strong are they politically to reject any government development program proposed to the villages? They proved you were wrong! They did it. Sumber, Visit Baduy Village <http://visitbaduyvillage.com>
