Did you know Lengkong Kulon in Banten is fighting to maintain its identity? It is a village amidst rapid development. Let’s explore how this village is preserving its traditions.
Lengkong Kulon is in the Pagedangan subdistrict of Tangerang. It is about 23.2 km from Jakarta. That is roughly 14.4 miles as the crow flies. The distance to Serang is about 57.8 km. This equates to 35.9 miles.
Kampung Sawah road leads to BSD City Boulevard. Here lies Lengkong Kulon. The village is known for its strong cultural identity. One example is the Pantun Palang Pintu. This traditional welcoming rhyme greets visitors. It reminds outsiders to respect local customs.
Yuli Sulastri is a local resident. She says housing developments threaten their community. Developers want to buy their land. But the community refuses to sell. They do not want to give up their homes.
Muhammad Faiz is the village head. He explains Lengkong Kulon has 10 community units. Original residents live in RW 01 to RW 06. Housing complexes occupy RW 07 to RW 10. These are mostly inhabited by newcomers.
The village has about 3000 families. Most are original villagers numbering around 2500 families. The village covers 600 hectares. But the original village only occupies 240 hectares. Housing complexes cover the remaining 320 hectares.
Faiz explains the original village has existed for generations. The housing developments were once rice fields. Some locals sold their land to developers over time. This led to some small communities being surrounded and isolated. Some villagers were forced to sell and move.
Faiz admits the original village is disappearing due to development. To combat this locals agreed to stop selling their property. The local government and developers are working together. They relocate those who want to stay in Lengkong Kulon to housing complexes. About 500 families have been relocated this way.
Housing development caused flooding in some areas. The village negotiated with developers. They created drainage systems. The community wants developers to provide comfort to the villagers.
Astra International supports the village through its Kampung Berseri Astra program. This program shows belief in the village’s continued existence.
To preserve their identity Lengkong Kulon villagers maintain local culture. The Palang Pintu tradition welcomes guests. The villagers still use traditional names for their neighborhoods. Kampung Lengkong Ulama is RW 01. Kampung Kubur is RW 02. Kampung Sawah is RW 03. Other kampungs include Cicayur, Cipicung, Kebon Pala, and Pabuaran. These names reflect local heritage.
The community has a strong spirit of cooperation. This was evident when they joined the KBA program in 2016. Their hard work led to achievements. They won second place in the Posyandu program KBA in August 2017.
This recognition has raised the profile of Lengkong Kulon. Faiz hopes to develop the village’s potential. Kampung Lengkong Ulama is known for its calligraphy. It has produced writers of mushaf recognized internationally.
Mohammad Taufan is the CSR Manager at Astra International. He says Lengkong Kulon is near Astra’s business center. Astra believes in benefiting the surrounding community. They identified Lengkong Kulon as a traditional village during their planning.
Taufan explains that Kampung Berseri Astra integrates four pillars. These pillars are education, entrepreneurship, environment, and health. Astra encourages the community to create a clean, healthy, smart, and productive environment. This improves the quality of life.
Lengkong Kulon has received a Bintang 4 rating in its third year. The KBA program hopes this achievement will spread to other areas. Astra aims to assist other communities in need.
Lengkong Kulon exemplifies the struggle to maintain tradition. It also shows the power of community. The village’s spirit inspires us all. It reminds us of the importance of preserving our heritage.