This book can be seen as an attempt to understand what the Baduy mean by these words. In January 1977 the Baduy storyteller Sajin recited the text ‘Singing is a medicine …’ (see Section 6.5). Social and economic developments affect their ascetic life, in which they grow rice on non-irrigated fields and make music during the rituals according to the rules passed on by their ancestors. In their small village in West Java, Indonesia, Baduy musicians perform elements of their identity, their culture, and their long history during a time of rapid change. On the whole, the Baduy encouraged me to record their music and dance for documentation purposes. That had changed in 1992, when the Baduy authorities allowed me to stay in Kanékés for three weeks and also to record music during the ritual for planting rice. During my first two visits in 1976 they only allowed me and my companions to stay in their village for a few days. This is an important reason why so little has been written on their music. The Baduy practise asceticism and they do not easily give permission to do research in their land, which is sacred to them.
