Category: Cibening

Teaks plantation looks brownish from the distance, because drought season made Teak leaves dry and fall, and when we come up to the plantation we find the ground covered with dry leaves and the tree trunks look strong.

At the end of December the scene started to change, there was a slight greenish color from the top of the Teak trees, because young leaves began to appear, and when we approach to the land, the air is fresh and soil is wet.

At the end of the year, before the new year, the beautiful scenery will always be beautiful in the Teak plantation, the animals sound loudly welcome the rainy season.  Not only birds, monkeys, crickets, grasshoppers, chickens and goats, but the sound of frogs gives a sign that it is going to rain soon..

The guardians & their family pray for to the new year, they are always eager to welcome this blessed rainy season, because they know that Teak trees and other trees will grow and bring prosperity for their family and the people in Cibening village.

There are two bridges in Cibening village, the two bridges are not wide but the four wheels vehicles & mini trucks can across.

A few months ago, one of the bridges was broken, land slide made the foundation damaged and a crack at the top of the bridge.

Based on the government’s program, the bridge will be fixed next year after National Budget is released about April next year. It does not help the people in Cibening village, they need the bridge urgently, because they need to bring their cassava, banana and padi to the market to sell.

Finally they decided to collect donation from the community to buy materials and Goldteak also participated by donating cement. Every Fridays when the guardians are off they join the community to fix the bridge. It is expected that the bridge will be ready and can be used again early next month.

The end of October is the peak of the dry season, it feels hot during the day and feels cold at night.The river has no water, it is dry and only big stones appear on the riverbed. The well water starts to run out, every day people only get a few buckets of water, they have to go down the hill to get water from water springs.

From a distance, Goldteak plantations looks brown, the leaves are dried and the trees are almost bold. The trunks look strong and healthy because during the hot season, they receive plenty of sun light. The color is bright golden brown, have no marks of decease and the roots are on the ground also look strong.

Since the plantation was opened, Parid and his family live in the bamboo house in the plantation, more than 10 years, now the house needs to be repaired on the floor and roof. After finish working or on Fridays when they do not go to work, his friends come and help him to fix the house.

The height of summer is in October, natural signs are very visible in Teak plantation, we can see the leaves dry and fall out, the ground is covered with dry leaves and the soil is no longer visible. Trees have bare trunks and look brownish, only branches and twigs at the top are still green. Nature makes them strong with much sun light.

During the dry season, the air smells of dry leaves and the wind blows with humid air. Not like in Spring, the air is fresh and the wind blows gently.

We need to bring a bottle of water when we check around the plantation, go up and down the hill makes us thirsty & sweaty.

The Durian tree looks healthy with flower buds clustered. Expecting strong before the rain will knock down lush fruit.

In the rainy or summer season, Goldteak plantations are well maintained and cared for, workers sweep dry leaves and clear weeds that interfere with tree growth.

“One day of rain far surpasses a whole year of drought” (Malawian proverb)

The Dry Season arrives earlier and is predicted to be longer. Water reserves in the wells begin to decrease, and there are some that start to dry.

Workers look for spring points as they clean dry leaves.
Teak plantations will look brown because the leaves cover the ground around the teak trees.

The day feels long with temperatures hotter than usual, each worker always carries a drinking bottle while checking around to clean the dry leaves that are spread throughout the garden.

There are two new water spring found uphill, the water is not much but can be collected for drinking and the other one is new well which has more water.

Until now there are 12 workers who are guarding the Goldteak plantation in Cibening village and one who is guarding in Bumisari village. All workers are married and have children:

1. Zaini Lutvi & his wife Rahmah Sobariah have four sons; Rama, Adli, Abyan & Alvin.
2. Parid & his wife Papa have nine children, some are married, three of whom still live with them, Upi, Fitri & Piras.
3. Budi/Embut & his wife Tati have three sons, Hendrik, Acep & Maulana.
4. Kusnadi & his wife Cucu have four sons; Lukman, Dimas, Putra & Hafis.
5. Ajat & his wife Isam have one daughter, Rena.
6. Aji & his wife Inang have two children, Ela& Ega.
7. Ater & his wife Anis have two children, Dadan, Seni & Yanti.
8. Maman & his wife Yati have only a daughter, Susi.
9. Kudil/Deni & his wife Elas have one daughter, Tina.
10. Caci & his wife Iis have four children, Aryandi, Lisna, Sela & Seli.
11. Bana & his wife Sopi have one daughter, Nabila.
12. Sidem/Beben & his wife Lati have two children, Rita & Akbar.
13. Deni Haryadi & his wife Neng Rosdiana have two daughters, Dini, Delita & Agis.

(pictures based on list)

Eid al-Fitr is a celebration of the victory of faith after fasting during the month of Ramadan, the holy month to train discipline & to control the life priorities.

Eid al-Fitr is also popularly called Lebaran or means having a wide heart. So besides asking forgiveness to Almighty God, also apologizing & forgiving others.

The Lebaran tradition is also interpreted as going back home, to visit the parents, families, relatives, neighbors or friends. Lebaran means also festive season, people always prepares cookies and traditional meals, every regents has different tradition. It also means people wear good & nice clothes, not always new but the best one they have.

Workers at the Goldteak plantation also did the same, after fasting for a month, they celebrated Lebaran with their families & relatives. Lebaran bonus/allowance and salaries were given by the company early and they use it for Lebaran preparation. Cibening Village was colorful and full of joy.

“Happy Eid Al-Fitr 1440 Hijri”

There is a different feeling of joy when we see green and healthy trees and see happy workers. Passing through the trunks of the Teak trees and feeling the wind blowing make Summer is warmer.

When the rainy season arrives, the leaves of Teak have greened the hills, the water flow between the trees will end up in the river which continues to be brought to the villages below.

The trees grow bigger and look very healthy, there are no signs of being attacked by the disease. The task of workers who clean weeds that grow taller, makes the trees relieved to breathe. The soil is open to receives sunlight and water and nutrition is more than enough to make the trees grow naturally.

The happiness of the workers is when they realize that they have made the trees grow healthy and big.

Basically Cibening’s land is dry, the soil consists of mixed stone and sand. And the plants grow on it do not look green. People plant padi, cassava and corn to get income. They plant special padi, Gogo Rancah, which grow in dry season on the hill with little water. They plant cassava and corn together but they harvest in three months and the cassava they have to wait until 8 months.

The hill was originally covered with plants and natural wild trees, has turned green by Teak, Mahogany, Acacia and fruit trees Mango, Rambutan and Durian. At the end of the summer, some hills appear brownish but when it rains the hill turns green.

Cibening Village is not an arid village anymore, there is water flowing in the summer. People like to grow cassava, corn and papaya to support their income in addition to planting rice in the fields.

The rain fall every day, during the day or night. Water runs from the hill to the river and when the water brings stones, the river banks can not protect themselves from erosion.

The bridge without borders has been partially broken, and now the bridge with the barrier is broken too, people can not pass the bridges by car.

The community makes a shortcut under the bridge to be able to cross the river by two-wheeled vehicles, while waiting for the regional government to release the development fund.

The two bridges in the middle of the entrance to the village are very vital, because people should pass the bridges to enter the village.

The community hopes that the government will immediately release the funds to rebuild & fix the broken bridges.