Houses Stage Musi, House Natural harmony

KOMPAS / WISNU Widiantoro
A boat crossed the line of houses on stilts at the edge of the Musi River in the Village Upang II, Sub MAKARTI Jaya, Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra, on Tuesday (23 / 2). Residents along the flow of Musi built houses on stilts to avoid flood waters submerge their homes.

Eudes Jannes Wawa and Helena M Nababan

Along the Musi River from upstream to downstream, will be seen a number of houses on stilts at the edge and the river flow. Some well-organized and stood firm, but not because of the rickety little wooden started rotting.

Houses are already tens of years old generally have a living room, bedroom, and kitchen. Some features chairs, tables, closets, and cable color television with satellite dish connected mounted beside the house.

Most inhabitants lived on the second floor. The ground floor is filled only prop house, but used to hang the clothes. High beams on average more than two meters from the ground. "Our grandparents were still alive while also living in houses on stilts. Building the house was deliberately made as safe from flooding. Although water flows at the bottom, we remain safe in the top, "said Ahmad (55), citizen Untang Village, District Ulu Musi, Empat Lawang, Sumatera Selatan. He added that his family has for decades occupied the house.

Browse Musi monitoring team in 2010, the end of February, almost all the settlements in the left and right side of Musi River, starting from Muara Kelingi in Musi Rawas to Rantau Pterospermum Banyuasin district, inundated by water due to overflowing of the river, following the rain that falls during a few days in the upstream region. Height of 1.5-2 meters of water. However, residents remain safe. Their house was virtually no serious damage.

For citizens, in such conditions is difficult, among others, is the opportunity to travel. "For us, the most worrying time not flood the house and the safety of residents. Our position is pretty safe, but could not tap the sap. In addition, rubber plantations were inundated by water. If you do not tap for a few days, we would not have the money to buy food, "explained Sahiman (31), resident of Village Tanjungraya, District Tripe Toman, Musi Banyuasin.

Since the 4th century

The house has become a real stage the most important part in public life of South Sumatra, especially those living on the banks of Musi River and eight other creeks. Developed similar traditions in other areas that have large rivers. In fact, those who live far from the river to build houses on stilts, but its function to safeguard themselves from attack by wild beasts.

Existing houses on stilts on the banks of Musi River, according to Head of Archaeological Rangkuti Nurhadi Palembang, developed since the 4th century AD. It was based on Palembang Archaeological Research Center for the year 2000-2005 as found in the Middle Karangagung Site, Lalan District, Banyuasin District, about 200 kilometers west of Palembang.

There, in a small river which flows the River connecting Sembilang Land and River, in the pole stage house. The house was built around the 4th century AD or before the kingdom of Srivijaya.

"We conclude, in the fourth century AD, perhaps even much earlier, existing houses on stilts on the shore. This can not be separated from the Austronesian culture one skill to make boats and houses on stilts, "said Rangkuti.

Options to build houses on stilts is not separated from the soil conditions in South Sumatra are generally in the form of wetlands, such as swamps, and very little dry land. Dry soil is usually used to place the sacred items and places of worship, such as mosques and temples, or temples, and burial.

Settlement deliberately built on wetlands, especially on the banks of the river, because the river has biological resources, such as fish that can be used to satisfy basic needs. More than that, the river also becomes an effective means of transportation in a relationship with the outside community as well as marketing the produce. Moreover, there are several types of wood that grows in the area suitable home made props and can survive the decades.

The habit continued until hundreds or even thousands of years. This makes the local community has a strong social bond and thickened with a river. They also built a house overlooking the river so the river into the front yard of the house.

That's not all. People who live on the banks of the Musi river also refused to treat wrongly believed because there are always certain things to keep river.

Beams

To build houses on stilts on the banks of the river, people usually use aliases unglin wood or ironwood ironwood in the region. Wood is classified as hard to be eaten by termites so they can survive tens and even hundreds of years.

Ironwood addition, there are Nibung wood, a kind of nut. Wood on the inside has this fiber is also classified as durable in wet soil. However, that is planted in the ground rather than the base, but the end. Base is used to connect it to another timber on the body of the house. Wood is relatively easy to get in the ironwood forest than the now increasingly rare.

Apart from the wisdom of building homes in harmony with nature, one thing of concern is the settlement on the banks of the river are still ignoring the problem of sanitation. The river is not only used for bathing and washing clothes and kitchen utensils, but also become privy. Therefore, it deserved a healthy developed a settlement on the banks of the river as an example.

Another problem is the presence of the smooth road and accelerate the flow of transport. Conditions were a disaster for the rivers. One by one the houses turned to face the ground and started back to the Musi River. This also makes the role of the Musi River is no longer considered important. (agus mulyadi / haryo damardono)