Nusa Penida: Tri Hita Karana In Action (Bali Advertiser)
The ancient Balinese lived what now seems to be only a philosophy in the Hindu Balinese religion: Tri Hita Karana. Tri means ‘three’, Hita means ‘Welfare’ and Karana means ‘Cause’. The three causes of ‘Welfare’ or living a life of sustained well being lies in developing a conscious relationship of reciprocity between human and human, human and God and human and Nature. In essence one part of the triad cannot exist without the other. All three are separate atoms existing within the larger molecule of the One. The vapid, rapid and short view development of Bali serves to further separate its people from Nature and breathing life into the philosophy of Tri Hit Karana.
However on the tiny island of Nusa Penida, a one hour ferry ride East of Bali, through the unanimous agreement of the island’s 40,000 inhabitants in an unprecedented action, wildlife and habitat protection were added to the 41 village community laws. This commitment brings the philosophy of Tri Hita Karana into renewed action. The catalyst for its revitalization is veterinarian, eco-conservationist and founder of the Friends of the National Park Foundation Bayu Wirayudha. In 2004 he was seeking a safe environment to re-establish the endangered Bali Starling back into the wild. Nusa Penida with its dry, limestone plateau was the perfect habitat to rehabilitate and release Bali’s emblem bird. The entire island is now a designated bird sanctuary. It is not protected by fences or armed guards and yet the Bali Starlings are no longer poached for the caged pet bird market. Nusa Penida is Indonesia’s first bird sanctuary located within dense human population.
Bayu practices and teaches ‘holistic conservation’- Integrating wildlife conservation with habitat restoration with local-community wellbeing. “We first identified the need to involve and engage the community in this vision as well as to develop alternative and sustainable livelihoods simultaneously providing conservation education.” How people generate the finances to sustain life is the driving action in any community. Many Nusa Penidans leave the island to go to university and work in cities. In order to understand the value of returning the starlings to life in the wild as well as developing a sustainable co-habitation for humans, plants and wildlife those who have lived for generations as seaweed farmers, cotton and cattle growers, and fisherman need to experience an economic benefit to eco-sustainability.
In return for choosing to create a safe habitat for the Bali Starling and conserve natural resources the FNPF give scholarships to selected children to ensure their education. The foundation gives higher priority to scholarships for girls. “We believe educated mothers will in turn bring change to the next generation,” says Bayu. Villagers are encouraged to pick up trash and take it to the recycling plant for cash. The many international volunteers who pay to stay and work in the Bali Bird Sanctuary programs financially fuel the local warungs, local guides and weavers. FNPF also offers Balinese dance lessons, conversational English, supplies weaving groups with natural dyes harvested from FNPF donated trees, distributes free saplings, conducts conservation education and the training of farmers in financially viable, sustainable farming methods.
Nusa Penida is a natural limestone plateau with gorgeous cliffs, mountains, waterfalls, caves and natural springs. It is hot and dry. Bayu tells me that to his knowledge there is no record of humans even living on the island before the King of KlungKung decided to banish political criminals with their families and devotees to Nusa Penida. Bayu’s theory for why the island possesses only 5% tree cover (30% needed for a healthy bio-diverse climate) is that the political factions, all Balinese, only knew how to farm. They clear cut the trees thus creating an arid atmosphere. Without trees the rains do not come. To date FNPF plants about 17,000 trees a year with a survival rate of 80%. With no streams and rivers for irrigations, rainwater catchments are built to water crops. By planting trees for medicine, wood, fodder, carving materials, fruit, dyes, honey production and other uses, sustainable harvests can contribute to greater prosperity in the community simultaneously changing the climate of the island.
Mike Appleton, a native of England speaks fluent Bahasa and is the resident ‘man who grows vegetables’ at the BBS. He tells me that “One of the reasons why Nusa Penidans do not grow their own vegetables is that they sweep up all of the dry leaves and burn them. These leaves provide needed nutrients to the soil.” Mike has created a bountiful organic garden that trains locals how to use the leaves to make compost, revitalize the soil and grow their own tomatoes, beans, watermelon, basil and other vegetables, currently shipped from Bali.
Mike’s mantra to encourage Nusa Penidans to plant an eco-sustainable future is: “Plant for yourself, plant for your children, plant for your grand children…but plant now.” FNPF is continually planting seeds of eco-sustainable consciousness. The foundation started an annual conservation education competition for junior high school students. The competition has been included in the Indonesian Independence Day celebrations since 2005 and attracts thousands of peoples to witness the final competition. (Imagine: The entire island of Bali showing up to witness children demonstrating the many ways that government, resorts, businesses, schools, families and communities can work together to create a society in which the Divine in all matter is what truly matters.)
Nusa Penida is all about Nature. The clean air invites your breath to relax into your body and the earth rises to greet your feet. Taking a jalan-jalan along the beach the men, women and children smiling and waving feel as if they have known you for years. Black pigs freely root through the coconut, mangrove and banana tree jungles. Goa Giri Putri is a massive natural limestone cave, a sacred Balinese temple that receives hundreds of Balinese a month. Giant Manta Rays play in crystal clear aquamarine waters. Scuba divers can enjoy meeting the mysterious Mola-Mola fish on their annual visit from July-December. The island is ringed with wood frames for seaweed farming and beyond the frames are rich coral reefs for snorkeling. Crystal Cove is an ideal white sand swimming beach where snorkeling boats from Sanur stop for a day’s outing. The currents surrounding the island have created a natural protection for what the locals say Nusa Penida is: Sacred Ground.
The success of the holistic conservation model is leading the island into a new phase: Eco-tourism. I asked I Made Putra Jelantik, a son in the Royal Family of Nusa Penida, a businessman living in Jakarta who is building what he calls the first ‘Eco-Green Tourist Hotel’ on Nusa Penida what is he doing that makes his hotel ‘green’?
“I am limiting the size of the hotel to twelve rooms with a permit for a maximum of 34 people. All of the workers are local. There were dangerously tall coconut trees on the land. Those are processed, here on the island into timber for the buildings. A well is dug for water. Electricity is from the company on the island and there is also a generator.” (Where is the solar power?) Limestone from the island forms the foundation for the road leading into the compound of the Ring Semton Inn. I Made is offering a prize for the cleanest Banjar in Nusa Penida and is also taking a keen interest in Mike’s organic garden.
Land is a very valuable resource, more valuable than gold. On Bali sons are selling their rice fields faster than Mc-Donald’s can serve hamburgers. Land to grow food and water to drink are dwindling all over the planet. If we don’t change directions towards living within a holistic conservation model, it is plausible wars will be initiated over food and water. FNPF has developed a great infra structure for Nusa Penidans to continue to value and revitalize the land in a harmonic relationship with humans. What choices do Nusa Penidans need to make for this eco-tourist destination to sustain the special balance between human and human, human and God and human and Nature on Nusa Penida?
Bayu serves to counsel communities on how to take this next step. “In Bali, a resort is built by non-Balinese. The workers in the resort are not from Bali. As a result the people living around the resort remain in poverty and become jealous. Hire and train locals to build and work in the resort.” He also suggests developing rules for building structures in alignment with the eco-system. The FNPF is developing home stays in different villages for eco-tourists to become a part of the community. I Made is counseling men to not sell their land to just anyone. He does not want Nusa Penida to become “Bali Chapter II”.
In asking I Made how he plans to prevent ‘Bali Chapter II” - What are your long range plans? How will you market this hotel? Does the KlungKung government have tourist development plans for Nusa Penida? Are you influencing the laws for eco-tourism development on Nusa Penida? If your hotel is not economically successful…will you build a golf course or take the seaweed farmers out of their frames and teach them how to sell Mojitos on the beach?-He suddenly has people to talk to, places to go and said “You know my views.”
In the short span of two weeks the hotel, restaurant and reception building rise to stand firmly on their limestone foundations. All are concrete and wired for air conditioning. The hotel forms a U shape. There are 6 rooms on either side of the U with doors opening towards the middle of the U. There is no ventilation in the bathroom. The coconut trees make the doors and the bed frames. A large window opens up onto the forest. Leaving the room, closing the door behind a few feet in front is the door to another room. The hotel feels like a standard, lifeless motel on any roadside in the Middle of No Where U.S.A.
How is this hotel notthe beginning of “Bali Chapter II?” Eco tourism is a trend. A name can be placed on any object. Yet if the content does not match the name, how successful will this business venture be? I Made impressed me as a businessman who is entering into brand new territory without clear navigational direction. Although the islanders have reinforced their sacred ground by amending its awig-awig and adat traditional laws, regarding wildlife and eco-conservation perhaps now additional laws need to be made regarding eco-tourism development. The island is under the governing auspices of the Klung Klung regency, yet they also possess the autonomy to establish community based eco-conservation regulations that have the potential to develop Nusa Penida with an eye to its effects on the “Next 7 generations”.
There is a very special spiritual energy on Nusa Penida. A visit to Nusa Penida is a return to a time when we lived directly in alignment with the divine blueprint of Nature. The more simply we live, the more ease and grace in our lives. When you visit, take plenty of cash because the local ATM seldom works. You will find great Nasi Campur for 8,000IDR and request a fisherman to grill a fresh fish. Call Agus: 081747941761-to stay in a guest room fitting Bali standards. There are signs in the villages for home stays or contact the Bali Bird Sanctuary. The Ring Semton Inn will be available in January. Honor the sacred ground of Nusa Penida and in exchange, Nusa Penida, its people, wildlife and environments will welcome you home to your heart.
To contact the Bali Bird Sanctuary and FNPF: http://www.fnpf.org/what-we-do/nusa-penida-bali/wildlife/bali-starling-conservation-project www.fnpf.org
Om Swastyastu
To contact the writer: tarakhadro@yahoo
