PANGKALPINANG -- Indigenous community empowerment program conducted by PT Timah Tbk is carried out sustainably. The empowerment of indigenous peoples is carried out in Air Abik Hamlet, Gunung Muda Village, Bangka Regency.
PT Timah Tbk supports the construction of the Gebong Memrong Traditional Village in Air Abik Hamlet, where Gebong Memrong is the traditional house of the lum people.
The seven Gebong Memrongs will later be used for traditional homestays of four units, traditional halls, galleries, and museums. The building is in the form of a stilt with a base of Ibul wood, with bark walls and a palm roof.
Currently, the construction of Gebong Memrong is almost complete and it is only necessary to complete some equipment.
After supporting the development of Kampong Adat, PT Timah Tbk also facilitated the Mapur Customary Institution to conduct a comparative study to Baduy. This comparative study is an effort to broaden the knowledge of the Mapur Indigenous Institution in managing and maintaining traditions so that it can provide a multiplier effect for the community.
The chairman of the Mapur Traditional Institute, Asih Harmoko, said that he and his colleagues at the Mapur Customary Institution and representatives of Air Abik Hamlet were facilitated by PT Timah Tbk to stay, discuss, and see firsthand how the Baduy community maintains traditions.
"We were assisted by PT Timah Tbk, staying two nights, one night at the Outer Baduy, and one night at the Inner Baduy. There we shared and made friendships as well as learned what steps the Baduy community took in maintaining tradition," Asih said recently.
Many things can be developed in the Gebong Memrong Traditional Village in the future, such as strengthening special crafts so that they can have an economic impact.
"Baduy have unique knick-knacks that can move the community's economy. We can take this as an example, later on, the ladies could make typical 'Orang Lum' crafts, which when people visit Air Abik Hamlet can make this as a keepsake," he said.
In addition, said Asih, the people in Baduy have characteristics that are very close to their traditions. So it has an attraction for tourists to visit.
"This is our homework, we have to strengthen our distinctive features in a striking way, for example in terms of clothes, or headbands, or bracelets, which when in an area must always be used," he said.
According to Asih, his party is grateful to be able to get new insights because the Gebong Memrong Traditional Village will also be used by visitors or tourists to get to know and see the various traditions of the Lum.
"PT Timah Tbk really helped us a lot, from the beginning we only had a dream of building a gebong memarong, now it has been realized, and all we have to do is develop it. Now we are invited to a comparative study to see how the Baduy people maintain their traditions but can also have an economic impact on the community," he said.
In the future, said Asih, the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village could be a tourist attraction to come to Air Abik Hamlet. Currently, they are preparing for it.
"There will be a gallery there, there will be a homestay, and we will also implement a traditional school. We also hope that later this can be independent after empowerment by PT Timah Tbk, the community can feel the economic impact," he said.*
