Islands of Faith (Semesta)

INDONESIA IS A COUNTRY WITH THE THIRD LARGEST TROPICAL FORESTS

AND THE SECOND LONGEST COASTLINE IN THE WORLD.

THIS ARCHIPELAGO PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE,

AND THIS COUNTRY WILL ALSO BE AFFECTED BY IT.

INDONESIA AIMS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSION TO 29% BY 2030.

WITH ITS DIVERSITY IN FAITHS, CULTURES, AND LANDSCAPES,

SOME DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR OWN UNIQUE WAYS.

THESE ARE THE STORIES OF SEVEN COMMUNITIES FROM SEVEN PROVINCES.

NYEPI IS A DAY OF SILENCE AND MEDITATION FOR BALINESE HINDUS.

IN THE DAYS BEFORE NYEPI,

PURIFICATION RITUALS ARE PERFORMED ACROSS THE ISLAND.

Before we celebrate Nyepi,

every village carries out purification rituals, called Melasti.

Some do Melasti at sea, some at water springs.

Melasti comes from two words.

Male means impurities.

Impurities of body and mind.

Asti means cleansing.

It’s a process of cleansing ourselves and our environments, physically.

Also spiritually, with rituals.

Afterward, we do the Ngamet Amerta.

Amerta is the source of life.

After the Melasti ritual, we return to our temples.

We prepare offerings

and sprinkle holy water over the congregation.

Here they are.

All male groups?

Please continue.

It’s full now.

This is a universal thing, not just for Bali.

When we do our rituals, we are not only doing it for Bali.

It’s for Buana Alit and Buana Agung.

Buana Alit is people, the microcosmos.

Buana Agung is nature, the universe.

Good day.

Be patient, it's a traffic jam.

There are three basic natures in life: Buta, Kala, and Dewa.

Buta is the passive nature. It’s less active in life.

Kala is like the animals, active but uncontrollable.

Dewa is the controlling nature. It blesses and protects.

Balance is the key in life.

We achieve balance through control.

Buta, Kala, and Dewa are inseparable.

Without one, all will perish.

Control is in the hands of human beings.

That’s why we are God’s superior creation.

We have intelligence.

Also, we have to control the balance within ourselves.

Being out of control will lead to destruction.

And that is the expression of Buta and Kala's nature.

During Nyepi, we must not do anything.

After hard work, for example, we need to rest.

If we have a good sleep, we will wake up fit and refreshed.

Because during sleep, all the elements are rejuvenating.

During Nyepi, Nature is restoring itself.

Although it’s only one day in a year, the impact is incredible

on the macrocosms and microcosms.

Whether we realize it or not,

the vibration aligns itself in Nature’s breath.

DURING NYEPI,

PEOPLE IN BALI ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOMES.

THEY ARE ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS FOR 24 HOURS.

THAT DAY, EVEN THE AIRPORT IS CLOSED.

Life is very simple, really,

if we can just take time to contemplate.

NYEPI SAVES 30,000 TONS OF CARBONS FROM THE ATMOSPHERE,

REDUCING THE ISLAND'S DAILY EMISSIONS BY A THIRD.

SUNGAI UTIK, WEST KALIMANTAN

There’s a trace here.

Looks like they ate potatoes.

I think they went that way.

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES MANAGE SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST FORESTS.

WITH RAPID DEFORESTATION,

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ARE OUR BEST HOPE FOR FOREST PROTECTION.

Where did you get boar?

In Sungai Mawang.

So far.

Yes, it is. I got one boar.

-Is it big? -Yes, it is.

I live in Sungai Utik.

The previous generations left us the forests to protect.

On the map,

Sungai Utik is

9,454.54 hectares in size.

There are several zones in Sungai Utik.

This is Kampong Taroh, the Sacred Forest.

The government calls it the protective forest.

This is Kampong Endor Kerja, the production forest.

This is where we get our building material.

This is Kampong Galao, the supply forest.

The yellow one is Utilization Zone.

For our daily lives.

This one is our residential area.

The message from our ancestors, who owned this place,

whoever still lives here in Sungai Utik, they own the place.

Whatever is in the forests, we own it.

That’s why we are protecting it.

Thank you

for your attendance.

We will discuss the event preparation.

PROMINENT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES & ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST

Apay Janggut cannot join us this evening.

We pray for his recovery

and our well-being.

We will figure out how to finance the gawai.

Let’s not worry about money.

The forests provide us everything.

Medicines, ritual needs, we get it from the forests.

We get our vegetables from the forests.

The forests provide us food.

Our forest is like a supermarket.

We have rules for getting our supplies from the forests.

We can’t take anything irresponsibly,

without permission or agreement from the community.

We agree that a person

can cut down three trees per year.

With many illegal logging in other areas,

we are getting more responsible for our forests.

I think, if we don’t hold on to our ancient beliefs,

we will eventually lose our culture and tradition.

Including forest protection.

Experience has taught us

about the impact of illegal logging

on the neighboring villages.

They exploited their forests.

There was nothing left.

They had nothing.

The territory was no longer theirs.

They couldn’t hunt. They couldn’t grow things.

The water was dirty.

But our community refuses to let go of our territory.

We can still hunt.

We still have our forests.

Our water springs are well-protected.

The forests include the water springs.

Water is our source of life.

There are animals we’re not allowed to hunt.

Such as hornbills and orangutans.

We can hunt boars, deer, and mouse deer.

We can’t cut down trees in the Sacred Forest.

We can’t take anything from it.

The Sacred Forest consists of sacred areas,

like graves, big trees,

and water springs.

We have to protect them.

It’s hard to get fish now, unlike the old days.

Hunting used to be easy.

How is your uncle Apay Janggut?

They say he’s not well.

I’m scared. My uncle is old.

He’s over 80 years old.

Hopefully, he can join the gawai.

Gawai is the harvest celebration.

Harvesting started from February to May.

This year’s harvest is better than last year.

So, tomorrow,

the invited guests will come.

Those who are not invited will also come.

We have to welcome and serve them,

according to our tradition.

If the guests stay until late, we shouldn't go to sleep.

Serve them drinks.

We will serve the guests together.

The young ones should be

the ones to serve.

APAY JANGGUT, A COMMUNITY LEADER IN SUNGAI UTIK,

HAS BEEN AN ADVOCATE TO PROTECT THEIR FOREST.

Apay Janggut once said, "The land is our mother,

the water is our blood.

When the land is used up, the plants will not give us seeds.

We have to protect it."

We, the Sungai Utik people,

are extending our invitation.

We are calling the Highest Spirit.

We are calling the God of Birds.

We are calling the God of Land.

We are performing the Gawai ritual.

Please don’t come empty-handed.

Bring us the Stone of Knowledge.

The Stone of Fertility and Prosperity.

We are asking for fertile land.

May this year bring us more fortune than last year

and let us harvest our rice.

IN THE LAST CENTURY, BORNEO HAS LOST 50% OF THEIR FORESTS TO DEFORESTATION.

GLOBALLY, THE PROCESS CONTRIBUTES 15% OF EMISSION THAT CAUSES CLIMATE CHANGE.

BEA MURING, EAST NUSA TENGGARA

Ladies and gentlemen, dearly beloved.

This morning, I have a message for you all.

It is about the problem we are facing now.

About our Earth.

Pope Francis,

in his encyclical Laudato si’,

praise be unto You.

Pope Francis talks about

taking care of our home,

taking care of our Earth.

Our Earth is in bad shape

because it is changing.

We have to love and protect it.

Let’s protect the flora, the fauna, and the land