Local Wisdom in Animal Conservation and Animal Use as Medicine of Orang Rimba in Bukit Duabelas National Park, Jambi

B Masy'Ud,N R Felayati,T Sunarminto

doi:10.7226/jtfm.26.1.72

Abstract

Orang Rimba is an ethnic group consisting of several indigenous groups that live in harmony with nature. This study aims to analyze the local wisdom in animal conservation and differences in the use of animals as medicines of Orang Rimba groups (Makekal, Air Hitam, and Terap groups). Data were collected through field observation and in-depth interviews with key persons. The results showed that local wisdom in animal conservation was indicated by the regulation in the use of animals through the stipulation that certain animals considered as gods must not be hunted, and that customary spaces use is prohibited. There were 68 animal species used for various needs, 20 species (29.41%) were used as medicines. The Makekal, Air Hitam, and Terap used 11 species, 9 species, and 4 species, respectively. Parts of animals used as medicines included the whole body, meat, bile, heart, and scale. They were used to treat various diseases such as fever, itchy, antidote, stamina, stomach ache, measles, heat sink, kidney diseases, asthma, and shortness of breath. The animals that were used as medicines included snake sapodilla (Malayopython reticulatus), porcupine (Hystris sumatrae), long-tailed monkey (Macaca fascicularis), javan pangolin (Manis javanica), three-striped squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii), cave bat (Chiroptera sp.), turtle/labi-labi (Dogania subplana), and tapah fish (Wallago attu). The local wisdom of Orang Rimba is indicated to changes such as the use of health facilities and modern medicines instead of animals as medicines and the shift of traditional orientation in animal use to the economy orientation.

Highlights

Every group of people in the history of the development of civilization and culture, especially in the effort to maintain and fulfill their daily needs, always begins with traditional interaction by utilizing natural resources in their environment
In accordance with the research objectives, the obtained data were divided into two data groups as follows: (1) data on local wisdom related to animal conservation including perceptions about animals, customary rules related to the regulation of animal use, efforts to maintain local livelihoods, and cultural changes and their impact on interactions with the community around Bukit Duabelas National Park (TNBD) forest areas; and (2) ethnozoological data related to the use of animals as medicines including the types of animals, parts of animals used, ways to obtain animals, ways to process animals to become medicines, efficacy or benefits of animals as medicines, and ways to cultivate animals
Data were analyzed in the same manner to determine whether there were any changes in local wisdom related to animal conservation and ethnozoological values, and to analyze its relation to the interaction of Orang Rimba ethnic groups with the Bukit Duabelas National Park area

Summary

Introduction

Every group of people in the history of the development of civilization and culture, especially in the effort to maintain and fulfill their daily needs, always begins with traditional interaction by utilizing natural resources in their environment. Rambo (1983) states that human relations with the forest have existed for a long time This relationship is formed as a human effort to fulfill their daily needs and maintain their existence through the exploitation of forest resources. The results of studies in several community groups or ethnic groups in Indonesia who live in or around the forest show that there is local wisdom, namely the existence of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors or perspectives on forests and all its contents that can be interpreted as practice conservation in maintaining and utilizing biological natural resources and their ecosystems as found in the Kerinci community in the Kerinci Seblat National Park (Helida, 2016)

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Conclusion