The Indonesian Baduy Tribe: Weaving as a Connection to the Land

One fundamental principle of indigenous populations is that land is sacred. The land is a source of life, a provider of nourishment and a connection to ancestors. As such, indigenous people have a deep respect for the land: they do not extract more resources than what is needed to sustain life and in ways that do not harm the ecosystem. Respecting land preserves interconnectedness and harmony between human beings and nature.

Kanekes village, Java. home of the baduy tribe © Fadhlurrohman, 2023

The Kendeng Mountains in the Indonesian Island of Java (province of Banten), located only a few hours from Jakarta, are home to the Sundanese Baduy tribe. They believe that land is a divine gift ‘entrusted’ to them, and it is their duty to preserve and care for it. Mountains must not be destroyed, forests must be preserved as well as rivers and valleys. This small population of 11,700 individuals (as of 2025) living within the Kanekes village is self-reliant and lives in complete harmony with nature. In their Sundanese dialect, the word for land is Taneuh Titipan, which literally means Entrusted land. To preserve their ancestral customs and beliefs, the Baduy protect themselves from the outside world; they are one of the rare people today to live intentionally in isolation. 

The Baduy tribe's way of life follows traditional customs and spiritual beliefs based on the Sudan Wiwitan, a faith which is rooted in animism and which has been influenced by Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism over the centuries. They are divided into two groups. The Inner Baduy (Baduy Dalam) live deep in the forest in houses made of bamboo with palm leaf roofs, facing South. As the interface between the external world and the Inner Baduy, the Outer Baduy (Baduy Luar) have a way of life that is more open to the outside world. They live closer to the boundaries of the village, and are increasingly exposed and influenced by the outside world. 

Besides traditional farming which provides food, weaving is one of the ways to maintain the connection with land.  The requirement to weave is written in the Baduy code of conduct (Pikukuh) and which can be translated as follows: “Birds live by their wings / Fish live by their fins / Humans live by their intellect / Reason, work, and speech / If you cannot weave words / You must be able to weave skills.” Weaving is an activity performed exclusively by women following ancestral principles and cultural inheritance occurs via enculturation and socialization. Parents teach their children values and skills. Children learn by doing from peers on porches, a process called Sosompang. Transmission starts at three years old, using simple bamboo tools, with learning progressing from play to full weaving mastering.

baduy woman weawing a tenun lumbung. © Fadhlurrohman, 2023

Every household built its own loom called Tenun Gendong. Made of wood and bamboo, they follow a manual hand-weaving technique and use non-mechanical looms, called Pakara Tinun. The process involves stringing the warp and tying it to the loom or making tubular cloth. The weaving process includes lifting the shuttle, sliding it back and forth, locking the weave, and inserting the weft, combing the result, and repeating.

Traditionally, in the Inner Baduy community, the yarn is produced from young Pelah leaves, resembling the salak tree, whose fibers were boiled and spun. As agriculture progressed, they began cultivating cotton. Yarn is boiled with rice water before use to ease spinning. The Outer Baduy weavers sometimes use factory-made thread. Motifs are inspired by nature and plants including Tajur Pinang, Suat Kembang Gedang, Poleng Kacang Herang Carang for men, and Kacang Herang Kerep for women. The Inner Baduy motifs are exclusively plain black and white reflecting a philosophy about purity and concentration. Black is primary and white represents inner purity coming from light. The Outer Baduy use mostly blue, black and white.They are gradually including more colors reflecting nature’s diversity. Textiles are made for daily clothing needs, and are also used as sashes, veils, breast cloths, headbands, and baby carriers. Textiles also play an important role as ritual complements during traditional ceremonies like Kawalu, Ngalaksa, Seba, rice planting and birth events.