Culture remains; environment is preserved: ancestral heritage and social awareness in Bobos Village

Bobos Village is now picking between what is lost and what grows. Ancestral cultural heritage like the mask dance, once the pride of Bobos Village, has slowly faded due to the lack of successors. This artistic tradition now lives only as a story tucked away in memory. However, the spirit of culture continues to live on. Bobos Village still preserves one ancestral tradition: Ngunjung Buyut. This annual ritual is held to honor ancestors and offer prayers for a good harvest and continued blessings. As a moment of togetherness and respect, the ritual shows that the cultural roots of Bobos Village remain strong.

Residents carry out this ritual solemnly, usually at sacred places like ancestral graves or traditional village sites. They bring offerings, crops, and ceremonial items as part of the ceremony. This activity is not only full of spiritual meaning, but also a tangible form of community solidarity and mutual cooperation. This tradition helps preserve values like respect for ancestors, gratitude for harvests, and a strong sense of community. Although the mask dance is fading, the spirit of local art still lives on, though now in simpler, more modest forms.

On the other hand, Bobos Village shows strong environmental awareness through active participation in gotong royong, or communal work. Once a month, they do a set routine; residents gather together to clean public areas and sewers. Not stopping at gotong royong, waste management in Bobos Village deserves appreciation. Bobos Village has a neat system, starting from waste transportation carts, collection bins.

This activity provides a space for social participation, where each resident takes part directly in protecting their shared environment. In addition to maintaining cleanliness, this activity also strengthens relationships between residents. This awareness grows not because of coercion, but because of love for their hometown.

While the mask dance tradition may have faded, Bobos Village still holds on to the culture that remains. The residents’ efforts to care for the environment show that culture isn’t always about performance sometimes, it’s simply a way of life.

By Sindi Nur Alpiyah