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NARRATIVE TEXT
Luh Ayu Manik Mas, Love the Forest
BASAbali , I Made Sugianto
Gus Dark
Mid-semester, after the rains, Luh Ayu Manik and her friends went camping by the seaside.
After placing their clothes and food, the students ran to the seashore.
They were all very excited to play in the sand and waves.
Luh Ayu Manik told her friends not to go too far out
because of the strong winds and big waves.
The sky was overcast with a threat of rain.
She called to her friends to get out and shelter in the communal hall (wantilan).
After sheltering in the hall the rain began to pelt down.
Continuous thunder and lightning resounded throughout the sky.
Lightning striking the sea was clearly visible.
Luh Putu Suastini shivered with fear on hearing the thunder.
She remembered the accident that killed her father when he was struck by lightning
when he was planting rice in the rice field.
Luh Ayu Manik calmed her friends so they would not be afraid.
Perhaps there was heavy rain in the mountains
to the north causing turgid waters downstream.
Many trees were carried away by the rains.
Luh Ayu Manik passed her time by opening her Instagram.
There was news of a large flood and a bridge that had been washed away
by the devastating rains.
Luh Ayu Manik was sad when she heard of the bridge
having been washed away by the floods.
The villagers would surely have difficulties going anywhere
without being able to ford the river without the bridge.
She saw on instagram that logs had been tethered in the river.
The logs had piled up with rubbish.
Perhaps the trees had been felled for housing and the land cleared for farming.
The trees that had been felled and carried away by the flood waters had careered into the bridge downstream causing it to collapse.
Luh Ayu Manik told the news of the incident to her friends.
The students of second year junior high agreed to plant trees,
like ’cempaka’, ’bunut’, ’lamtoro’ and other varieties.
The aim was to make the forest verdant.
After their school reports were issued,
Luh Ayu Manik gathered together her friends
that had agreed to plant trees in the forest. All of her friends were ready.
A few trees had indeed already been made ready to plant in the forest.
They had all agreed that the next day they would climb the mountain.
The boys among her friends brought shovels, hoes and also ’panyong’
whilst many of the girls brought trees to plant.
To overcome fatigue, the students sang songs on their hike up the mountain.
A cold breeze chilled them to their bones.
The way was slippery and the students took care, not willing to make light of the situation.
If they were to lose concentration they were liable to fall.
The students were happy to see the rural environment.
From above, the houses of the village were clearly visible.
The sea itself was visible from the base of the mountain.
On the edge of the thick, still verdant forest, birds sang as though
they were communicating with the students on their way to plant trees.
On arriving in the forest they were all surprised - the forest had been clear felled!
From outside of the forest all appeared verdant
but once inside, the forest had been devastated.
There wasn’t a tree in tact, only the trunks remained.
Perhaps criminals had stolen the timber.
Luh Ayu Manik was sad because, despite having a forest ranger post,
thieves were still able to operate. Were the rangers in fear of the thieves?
Were the forest rangers pretending to be deaf and blind whilst
the thieves were felling the trees of the jungle?
She wished to raise this issue with her uncle who had become a forest ranger.
Her friends were also sad at the sight of the devastated forest.
Luh Ayu Manik, along with her friends, began to plant trees.
They all worked hard.
After all had been planted, only then did they take a rest
and each partake of their refreshments.
All were happy and enjoyed their rice meals.
Luh Ayu Manik suggested to her friends
that they should hike up the mountains more often.
The aim being to water the newly planted trees to keep them alive.
In this way they would not only get to plant them like the officials
but also keep them alive by regular watering.
Don’t follow the officials’ example of planting
to create an image of being a caring and committed environmentalist.
As far as possible be dedicated so that the planted trees grow and thrive.
All agreed to regularly return to the mountain to water their trees.
On arriving home, Luh Ayu Manik was worried.
She was still haunted by the vision of the devastated forest.
She couldn’t believe the fact that the forest had been clear felled.
What’s more, the clear felled forest was a protected forest.
Where were the forest police?
There were no police manning the posts.
From the time the students began planting til they left for home
no forest police had been sighted.
The government also had forest rangers (Polisi Pamong Praja)
– weren’t they supposed to patrol there?
She had a desire to enter the forest.
She wished to know who it really was that was felling the trees.
If she found out she would report them immediately to the police
so that, with this evidence, action could be undertaken to apprehend the culprits.
Luh Ayu Manik had a great urge to hike up the mountain
in order to photograph the culprits who were stealing the timber.
Any photos would be given to the police.
She wished to end this crime that was destroying the forest.
If the felling of the trees was not stopped
then the inhabitants further downstream would suffer the effects of flooding
when the wet season arrived.
Farmers would be unable to plant their rice
due to their fields being dry from lack of water.
The drying of the river would surely create problems
for those in search of drinking water.
If all the springs dried, only tears would be left.
Luh Ayu Manik went in search of Luh Putu Suastini
so they could hike up the mountain together.
They both took buckets.
The whole way Luh Putu Suastini was ever ready to photograph the natural world.
She was also keen on taking ’selfies’.
She was preoccupied with her photography
– the photos being uploaded on instagram.
Many of her friends responding with the heart image as a way of showing their happiness.
Quite a few enquired as to the location of the photos.
The place, they said, was beautiful.
This encouraged her even more to post ’selfies’.
However, perhaps due to poor reception her device’s batteries weakened.
After arriving on the edge of the forest they could clearly hear
the sound of a chainsaw cutting timber.
Luh Ayu Manik and Luh Putu Suastini were startled by the noise.
Surely the criminals were already felling the trees in the heart of the forest.
They crept slowly along looking for the person cutting the timber.
From between the branches of a large tree the high school students observed.
They could clearly see a man felling trees with a chainsaw.
Luh Ayu Manik put her hand into her pocket to get her cell phone.
Because she had been too hasty in going to the mountain
she had left her cell phone at home so she borrowed Luh Putu Suastini’s cell phone.
Luh Ayu Manik observed the man’s features
who was cutting the trees by using the cell phone’s camera.
Unfortunately, as she started to photograph, the cell phone’s battery died.
Luh Ayu Manik was peeved at not being able to photograph the thief.
She was angry with her friend for taking too many ’selfies’
which had caused the cell phone’s battery to die.
However, Luh Putu Suastini wasn’t taking any of the blame as she felt
that it was Luh Ayu Manik’s fault for leaving without her own cell phone.
Although she was unable to photograph the criminal,
she could clearly remember the thief’s appearance.
She was going to report to the police.
She so wanted to report the matter and hoped
that the police would be able to compile an identikit picture in order to arrest the thief.
At the police station, Luh Ayu Manik and Luh Putu Suastini reported
the features of the person who was felling the trees.
Unfortunately, the police said they didn’t believe them and reminded them
that, ’Lying was a sin.
You mustn’t lie and whats more report that there was someone stealing timber!’
The police said that illegal logging was against the law.
Whoever was proven to be stealing forest timber would be arrested and jailed.
Luh Ayu Manik felt that he words of the police had two meanings
– if the thieves were found they would be jailed,
but if they weren’t caught red handed they would be able to get away with
whatever they so desired.
Weren’t the police going to investigate even though citizens had reported the matter.
Luh Ayu Manik went home peeved.
It seemed hopeless to have even reported the illegal logging.
The police said that it was difficult to report a theft without evidence.
This would be rather awkward and could result in the person
making the report being reported!
Luh Ayu Manik wasn’t going to give up.
She was going to prove that what she had reported was true.
She was going to make the effort in order to show the culprit
that what they had done was wrong and against the law.
Luh Ayu Manik made a plan of attack with her friends.
Made Anjasmara proposed to scare the thief by dressing up in the clothes,
and dancing the mask dance of Rangda, the demon witch of mythology.
They all agreed with Made Anjasmara’s suggestion.
If Rangda was to appear in the forest surely the thief would run helter-skelter
to save his life.
At the appointed time, Luh Ayu Maik along with her friends hiked up the mountain.
They all had their respective roles in carrying out the plan to scare the thief.
Made Anjasmara was to play Rangda, Ketut Suprabawa Kabinawa was to wear
the mask of Celuluk, Rangda’s gruesome looking sidekick,
whilst the others were to prepare the rope to snare the foot of the thief
when he fled to save his life.
Luh Ayu Manik was certain the plan would go smoothly.
After-all, they all thought, who wouldn’t be afraid to run into
Rangda and Celuluk in a forest?
When they arrived on the edge of the forest,
they could all hear the noise of chainsaws
- Made Anjasmara and Ketut Suprabawa Kabinawa put on their masks and garb.
Their usual handsome selves was transformed into a scary sight.
They both walked slowly in order to scare the thief.
The marked man was startled, screamed and took off for his life.
He tripped on the rope entrapment and fell.
He screamed for help from his friends but they couldn’t hear
because of the noise of the chainsaws. ’Celuluk’ approached and grabbed the man’s waist.
The thief was angry on being disturbed and lifted his chain saw.
’Celuluk’ took off when he was chased to save himself
from being cut into pieces by the chainsaw.
The timber thief’s mates entered the chase causing Luh Ayu Manik
and her friends to take flight in all directions to save themselves.
If a fight ensued they would surely lose because the gang carried weapons.
’Celuluk’ tried to run but unfortunately was tripped by the rope,
the trap that had been set by his friends. ’Celuluk’ screamed for help.
The thief laughed heartily. ’Celuluk’ was increasingly worried as
the chainsaw came closer to his face.
On seeing her friend’s dangerous predicament,
Luh Ayu Manik looked for a place to hide so she could change her appearance.
Suddenly she became beautiful, adorned with a golden crown
and golden arm and hand ornaments.
She held in her hand a weapon with supernatural powers (sakti).
The weapon was used to strike the wrist of the thief causing
the chainsaw to fall from his grasp.
The thief was enraged and, quickly approaching, began to punch and kick.
However, the beautiful woman quickly turned and destroyed the thief’s weapon.
The robber collapsed.
The thief lunged with an axe but the beautiful woman easily avoided it.
On seeing an opportunity she struck the thief’s heart.
The thief with the axe was defeated.
Whilst tying up the three thieves, the woman announced her name.
She was Luh Ayu Manik Mas.
After tying up the thieves she again entered the bush to look for
a place to change back into Luh Ayu Manik.
She then yelled for her friends to help keep watch on the thieves who were tied up.
Then Luh Ayu Manik called her uncle, the policeman,
to arrest and escort the timber thieves back to the police station.
Her uncle arrived along with his colleagues in the forest.
The hands of the three thieves were handcuffed.
The policemen offered their congratulations to Luh Ayu Manik and her friends
who caught the thieves.
All the students were said to be environmental heroes.
If the thieves hadn’t been apprehended and jailed,
what would have become of the forest?
If the forest had been cleared, surely the river downstream
would have been subjected to flooding in the wet season
and made it difficult to obtain water during the dry season.
The police, along with the community, planted shrubs
so that the earth would be cool and shaded
– the clearing of a forest would surely result in calamity.
Modeled after traditional Indonesian shadow puppet storytellers and co-developed with the community and a team of local artists, our digital schoolgirl/superhero will have conversations with children, environmental experts, elders and others around environmental and social issues. Luh Ayu Manik – an 8th grade schoolgirl from Bali who incarnates into Luh Ayu Manik Mas – is a courageous, agile, fast and strong Indonesian superhero who uses her powers to help sustain the natural and cultural environment of Indonesia.
This book was made in partnership with BASAbali.
BASAbali is a collaboration of linguists, anthropologists, students, and laypeople
from within and outside of Bali, who are collaborating to keep Balinese strong and sustainable.
For more info, visit www.basabali.org
AUDIO BLOG
- Meeting 1
- Focus Sentence :
- Vocabulary (Synonym/Antonyms)
- Grammar review
- Project
Jawablah pertanyaan-pertanyaan berikut dengan jujur dan bertanggungjawab!
| No. | Pertanyaan | Jawaban | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | Saya mengetahui arti kata-kata pada pada teks di atas |
Ya | Tidak |
| 02. | Saya bisa mengucapkan kata-kata sesuai dengan audio/video yang disajikan |
Ya | Tidak |
| 03. | Saya bisa memperagakan percakapan dengan membaca teks yang tersedia |
Ya | Tidak |
| 04. | Saya bisa memperagakan percakapan dengan sedikit membaca teks |
Ya | Tidak |
| 05. | Saya bisa memperagakan tanpa membaca teks |
Ya | Tidak |
| 06. | Saya bisa memperagakan tanpa membaca teks disertai dengan variasi baru atau pengembangan teks |
Ya | Tidak |
| 07. | Saya bisa membuat karya video terkait dengan percakapan yang diperagakan |
Ya | Tidak |
| 08. | Saya bisa membuat video dan telah disosialisasikan pada sosial media yang saya miliki |
Ya | Tidak |
Bila ada jawaban "Tidak", maka segera lakukan review pembelajaran, terutama pada bagian yang masih "Tidak".
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