Grounded in Tangkahan

Author: Rika Nauck

‘If a man does take a journey, he will have a story to tell’. This rather literal translation of a German proverb from the 18th century describes so nicely the old fashioned feeling that I experienced on my 2011 trip to Tangkahan.

Tangkahan! What a wonderfully exotic name, so full of promise. Although I learned about it from such a modern thing like the internet, I still felt like an explorer: I would see the rainforest for the first time in my life, hear the sounds, taste strange food, and smell the flavours of a completely different life.

And thus, a story to tell, I have!

I have been travelling before, not just in my own country, but to wonderful places elsewhere in the world. So, what is so different about this place in northern Sumatra?

The initial fascination surely came from the fact that the website offered a trip to see elephants and orangutans. How cool is that? The two types of animals, which caught my imagination since childhood days, both in one place! By the time all the arrangements were made I was fully primed for the wonder that hit me. Whoever truly fell in love, knows what I mean: One single moment in which the rest of the world does not matter anymore, in which the tears flow and one just knows…! That was I, standing above that river and watching this wall of green in front of me.

When the early night fell at Green Lodge, the generators allowed for the lights to switch on, and people would just sit, talk and play games, someone might get the guitar out and sing… and then the generators would die, the night would take charge, voices talking more softly, fireflies taking rains and the rainforest would become the host of the lodges.

But there is something else about Tangkahan. There is a shy confidence, if such a thing exists.

See, this is land that got in contact with our type of civilisation only some 200 years ago; around the same time when the above proverb was coined, when mainly men travelled, and when the purpose of travel was either to bring new wealth to the old world, or to spread the word of God. All over the world the destructive footprints of those activities are still visible, and although these days it is called globalisation and business, not a lot has changed. Local people are still used as cheap resource, and some of the methods used to keep them dependent are not too far from slavery. Land only gets respected when it brings profit and hence indigenous habitat gets destroyed together with the culture of the people living there.

The Karonese people of North Sumatra used to own that land; they defined themselves via the land rather then religion or nationality. To make a living they were then forced to work in the palm oil plantations or to log the forests, which used to give them everything they needed. And now the people of Tangkahan are claiming back control and other villages are following.

Eco Tourism is their new business, and that means they have to catch up fast. Quite a task for people who live in a place that Google Earth doesn’t find, and who, if they get lucky with the weather, have a good four-hour car ride to the next hospital.

It would be easy to take the ‘good-doer’ approach, to barge in with all our old world knowledge and money. It is exactly this ‘know-it-all’ approach, which neglects to allow the local people to take charge, causing charities to fail ever so often.

The Tangkahan people however, take charge, and they have strong alliances. Some ten years ago an Australian zoo keeper, just leaving her teenage years behind, visited for the first time … and went back year after year. She learned the language, learned about the culture, the destruction of the environment, and the needs of the people. Her name is Jessica McKelson, and she later would become the director of RAW Wildlife Encounters, the company I have been travelling with.

RAW is creating business in the area in a very controlled and responsible way. It is a company demanding high standards for hospitality, accommodation as well as ecology, and for that, fair wages are paid. Additionally RAW sponsors projects and grants, creating triple-win situations for the business, their travellers and the people of Tangkahan.

THAT is the big difference! Yes, my trip was more expensive than any other trip with the label ‘eco’ on it, but I could see there and then the impact of my money. I basically lived with the people. I got invited into their homes… and then I saw how the others worked and lived, the ones whose villages were in the middle of plantations; the ones who didn’t have that wonderful asset called rainforest. I gained a lot of perspective.

And this is not even my story. This is the background in front of which the stories unfold drawing me back to Tangkahan.

Drifting down a river in a tube made from a lorry tyre, just me sitting on top of the water navigating the shallow rapids. From far the shrieks of the others when the water hit their faces, then gentle drifting again, water buffalos, people minding their business, monkeys hanging from branches, drinking. Me-time with Tangkahan! Then we stop at pebbly beach, wet and happy we are about to meet ‘the English school’; about 20 children and their teacher are introducing themselves and singing for us – and my first thought is: What if it rains? Later that day I talked to Kristin, Jess’ right hand in Tangkahan, asking her for her biggest dream and her response was: A proper English school with a roof and a library!

Another one…The smell of the elephants, the noises they make when they ruffle the grass and the bushes, the tenderness of the trunks when sniffing for food, the warmth of their skin, and the tender assertiveness of the mahouts, guiding them over the most challenging terrain. How amazed was I on our last evening when one of the mahouts apologized for being rude. We all gave our final appraisals and farewell, and he apologized because he felt that at times he might have been too harsh to us when the situation demanded care for the elephants or vigilance for safety. He apologized for his bad English not allowing for the right words in stressful moments. I always thought of him as calm, wise and polite, I however could understand his wish for reliable communication. He closed his presentation with the words: I would like to learn better English, but I don’t know how.

Learning… learning is a big scheme that I found everywhere. The Tangkahan people are smart and have a thirst for knowledge, and they want the knowledge for the best of reasons: To be able to take their own decisions to sustain better lifestyles, and to sustain their environment.

Love for the land, the dream of a young lady, and the appreciation for a wise man are only some of the powerful threads which keep me grounded in Tangkahan. In April 2012 I will be back to meet again those incredible people, who have become friends in such a short time. I will be back to learn more about their land, and the challenges they are facing. I stayed in touch with Kristin, and we are working on her dream… We have big plans and first steps are made to upgrade ‘The English School’ to the ‘The Tangkahan Education Centre’, and to integrate it legally into the Tangkahan concept.

And we will have to find ways on how education can ‘pay for itself’. Until then, we might not entirely get away without donations… and hence I am working on creating a charity. But this will be an entirely new story!

Rika is a businesswoman, writer, inquisitive traveller, and Raw Supporter. She resides in the United Kingdom.