The Village

Pematang Kabau, situated in the province of Jambi in Central Sumatra (Sarolangun district), is a village inhabited by approximately 3300 people. It is located in the vicinity of the Bukit Duabelas National Park, a relatively small national park spanning about 605 square kilometers. The park's northern section is composed of primary rainforest typical of tropical lowlands, while the remaining portion consists of secondary forest. The indigenous Anak Dalam tribes ('people of the forest'), partly still live in this park. Pematang Kabau village is recognized as a "transmigrant" settlement, where a significant portion of its residents are individuals who have moved from other regions of Indonesia, primarily from Java. While the area was originally characterized by rubber plantations, the landscape has transformed, and currently, around 70% of the agricultural land is occupied by oil palm plantations, followed by rubber plantations covering 20%, and rice fields covering 10%.