Orang Rimba and The Quest for Religion

In mid-2017, news reported Orang Rimba who converted to Islam. Interestingly, there was a comment from the  Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa who stated that "now, they have recognized God". Here, I would not problematize whether the people consciously or coercively choose to embrace Islam. However, the problem is what make public argue that they need a religion? Does it orang rimba have no religion?

In this essay, I would argue that the beliefs of Orang Rimba is a unique, special and distinct from religious practice in general. Therefore, the beliefs of Orang Rimba could not be aligned with one of the established religions in Indonesia either Islam or Kristen. Here, I convince that the belief of Orang Rimba is indigenous religion.

First of all, to build this argument, I will problematize the world religions paradigm in scholarly discussions of religious studies.  Before going to the debate in academia, I will firstly questioning whether the belief of Orang Rimba can be called a religious or not by discussing the patterns of their practice and belief.

Discussions about belief of Indigenous people in Indonesia are not new. In Indonesia, even this debate has existed since the beginning of Indonesia's independence. Although in fact there is no official definition of religion in Indonesia, some have agreed to specify religion as a form of belief in one God. Consequently, this view will obviously exclude groups and beliefs that do not believe in God. Here, I assume that for this reason, native people's beliefs like Orang Rimba in general public discourse and also in academia become problematic

As part of the community living in the continental region of Indonesia, Orang Rimba (also known as kubu) is one of the inland tribes in Indonesia who live throughout the lowland forests of Sumatra. They spread in many places, such as in Jambi, Sarolangun, Palembang, Dharmasraya and others. For them, forest is not only as a home but also life. They live nomadically from place to other places for new settlement. The nomadic life is very essential for them. Because in their belief after relative's death, they ought to live their home. This practice is known as 'Melangun' meaning grief (CNN Indonesia).

In term of their belief, Orang Rimba is a native people who believe in the cosmological relationship between human and nature. Here, They see nature includes other human beings either died or alive and other human beings such as animals, plants, trees, and also the spiritual force either it is visible or not. Orang Rimba believe in many gods. They recognize the existence of god of sun, god of spring, god of serpent, god of Rice, the god of disease. They also believe in the law of karma and various other sacred objects (CNN Indonesia).

Based on the above description, I see the belief of Orang Rimba is different from the belief in the terminology of the World religion. They do not specifically mention who their god is. However, they firmly believe in the different dimensions and different forms of relationships between human and nature.

On the other hand, that also show the complexity of the belief of Orang Rimba. Some believe that Orang Rimba practice animism and dynamism. This belief is considered as both backward and not religious. Consequently, they must be nurtured and aligned with people who considerately has been civilized and religious.

I think that to understand the beliefs of the Orang Rimba is not that easy. That is why we should discuss the belief of Orang Rimba from the perspective of religious studies. Discourse on religion has been going throughout history. No less scholars attempt to define religion. Jonathan C. Smith for example mentions no less than fifty definitions of religion. Here, I do not want to mention that definitions to calling and concluding the various definitions of that definition of religions. Indeed, there is no single and universal definition of religion as Talal Asad says (Asad 1993).

Broadly speaking, the religion defined so far can be traced in history as part of a long discourse. To name some of these scholars, here will be described historically the formulation of religion in history. 

According to Taylor (1871) and James (1902), religion is defined as a belief in the divine spiritual power and supreme beings. Eliade (1968) defines religion as a Sacred, Freud (1961) conceptualize religion as a projected neuronal illusion, and Marx (1964) regard religion as a symbolic reflection of unjust social rules.

These very essential definitions evolves in modern history. The universal characteristic of modernity seeks to unite and implies a standard definition of religion under the influence of the Christianity as the sole authority at that time. So the Church intellectuals sets the standard definition for religion according to Christianity. Christianity as a theological religion then inspired religion to be associated as a concept of God, Revelation, Scripture and the international community.

In line with the spirit of 20th century of colonialism conducted by the western world to the colonized impact on the hegemony of western knowledge to non-Western societies. Religion is defined, controlled and constructed by governments and scholars for political purposes. The conspirators are not only religious scholars but there is also a legitimizing influence of the politicized power for secular interests.

The term religion that exist and are defined today on a wide scale is also part of imperialism on religion. Religion is constructed and reified by the certain context and circumstance in the long history of modern. However, when the imperialists have departed, scholars identify the way in which religion continues to change and develop even as the colonialists leave.

This is what according to Masuzawa in his book "The Invention of World Religions" as global phenomenon. Masuzawa then asserts that when religion is understood in the very theological sense as taken for granted in public and academia (Masuzawa 2005).

Consequently, that makes religion defined theologically by exploring other non-theological beliefs. Non-Religion which is intended here in the case of Indonesia is distinguished between agama (religion) and adat (costum) and also budaya (culture). Various traditions that cannot fit into the theological categories of religion are considered to be outside of religion.

This problem then reminds us to the rise of religious conversions that occurred in Indonesia in the period of 1965. At that time, the betrayal of Communism in Indonesia was exhausted by the government because it is associated as a forbidden belief. In addition, the beliefs and traditions of the local people were forced to enter the religion recognized by the State at that time (Maarif 2017).

This problem underlies that religion as a single term is understood in the Indonesian context which recognizes six official religions (Islam, Christian, Catholic, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucian) is inseparable from the discursive problem in the academia community and the politicization of religion.

Admittedly, The assumption that the Orang Rimba as unreligious and primitive is evidence of the prevalent strong influence of the essentialist theological definition of religion.

Therefore one might reasonably ask how it could be conceived in contemporary scholarship development on religious discourse. More recently, the idea of indigenous religion proposed by scholars such as James Cox (2007) in his book "From Primitive to Indigenous: The Academic Study of Indigenous Religions" can be taken into consideration.

Cox analyzes critically the history of the study and teaching of 'indigenous religions' as a different term from 'world religions'. Cox problematize the fault and the mistakes that are inherent from some political and essentialist views in the world religious paradigm. He thinks indigenous "refers to its being bound to a location; participants in the religion are native to a place ... The single and overriding belief shared between Indigenous Religions derives from a kinship-based worldview in which attention is directed towards ancestor spirits as the central figures in religious life and practice" (Cox 2007)

Cox avoids the essentialist theological definition of religion. Cox offer a new way to look at the practice of the indigenous religion. We could not conceive it of non-theological belief, or non-spiritual doctrine, or whatever. Now it seems to me that the religion is entirely part of the culture and everyday life that is practiced by society.

In my view,  we need to rethinking about the religion of Orang Rimba. The concept of Indigenous religion provides part of the answer to this problem of defining religion. Thus, to re-understand the beliefs of the Orang Rimba is the process of re-questioning and reconstructing the definition of religion that has been used in public society. The fact that the definition of religion is influenced by historical discourse, is expected to be noticed by the Government especially to recognize their right regardless problematize their belief and practice.

Government must guarantee equality for all of the people. Similarly, our equal attitude in seeing society regardless whether they are religious or non-religious is necessary to bring a justice for all Indonesian people.

References
Asad, Talal. 1993. Genealogies of Religion: Discipline and Reasons of Power in Christianity and Islam. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins Unversity Press.

Cox, James L. 2007. From Primitive to Indigenous: The Academic Study of Indigenous Religions. Ashagate.

Maarif, Samsul. 2017. Pasang Surut Rekognisi Agama Leluhur Dalam Politik Agama Di Indonesia. Yogyakarta: CRCS.

Masuzawa, Tomoko. 2005. The Invention of World Religions: Or, How European Universalism Was Preserved in the Language of Pluralism. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press. bibliovault.org