Myths of Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Sri on Sundanese Ethnic: Efforts to Reconstruct the Values of Environmental Conservation

Abstract

The local Sundanese myth of Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Sri is very well known in West Java, Indonesia. Originated from oral stories pass from generation to generation, the myth was then written in the manuscripts to preserve its existence. Many farmers in the countryside in West Java believed that Nyi Pohaci exists and protect their growing plants. Therefore, the farmers held a ritual ceremony to honor the figure. This article focuses on studying how the story of Nyi Pohaci is constructed to preserve the environment among Sundanese ethnic. The data are taken from the story of Nyi Pohaci in local Sundanese manuscripts including the literature review on the ceremonies. These documents were found strongly related to the myth of Nyi Pohaci in Sundanese ethnic who live in the countryside. This qualitative study was combining the philological theory proposed by Djamaris (2002) and the social construction theory proposed by Berger and Luckmann (1966) to explore the myths of Nyi Pohaci Sanghyang Sri regarding the environmental conservation in Sundanese ethnic. The results of this research show that the story of Nyi Pohaci has been constructed so well regarding ecological preservation by the Sundanese ethnic in the countryside of West Java, Indonesia.