Integrating Local Culture into Forest Conservation: A Case Study of The Manggarai Tribe in Ruteng Mountains, Indonesia

E Iswandono,A Hikmat,E A M Zuhud,N Kosmaryandi

doi:10.7226/jtfm.21.2.55

Abstract

Ruteng Mountains in Indonesia are inhabited by people from the tribe Manggarai. Local culture of Manggarai community has a role to conservation and it needs to be integrated in the conservation of natural resources. Where conservation is defined as the management of the sustainable use of natural resources, the integration of local culture into conservation will open up a space of the emergence of the creativity and innovation in solving problems of forest conservation. This study aims to explore and describe to what extent the culture of Manggarai contributes to conservation activities in the protected areas and the possibility of the culture to be integrated within conservation policy. The study employs a qualitative research through ethnographic approach. The qualitative data in 2014 was obtained through field observation, interviews, data from relevant agencies, and related literature. The study shows that the Manggarai community has practiced conservation values, norms, and tradition since hereditary. Manggarai culture related to conservation could be integrated into the activities of the protection, preservation, and sustainable use of natural resources.

Highlights

Forest as a whole is cultural environment that becomes the foundation living system that sustains the life of forest communities
Conservation of cultural impact on forest sustainability is practiced by local people when they act as subjects, not objects, in the management and benefits that sustains their survival
If the local community only serves as an object it will exploit forest products commercially and sustainably that leads to forest degradation

Summary

Introduction

Forest as a whole is cultural environment that becomes the foundation living system that sustains the life of forest communities. Cultures around the forest is unique and specific as adapt to the changes for hundreds of years so as to suit the characteristics of the forest. The implementation of conservation programs needs to duly consider the local ethnic culture that will suit the characteristics of the forest. The term 'conservation' consists of the word 'con' (together) and 'servare' (keep/save) who have an understanding of the efforts to maintain or keep in wise use. This idea was proposed by Theodore Roosevelt (1902) who was the first American who argued about the concept of conservation. Conservation of forest management programs should integrate local systems that adapt to the changes for hundreds of years. Conservation theory is universal, but its application was duly unique to each location

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion