The Blessed Land: Internalization of Past Disaster into Culture by Sangihe’s Coastal Community

Yoppie Christian,Ario Damar,Desmiwati Desmiwati

doi:10.24815/ijdm.v3i1.17085

Yoppie Christian, Ario Damar + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.24815/ijdm.v3i1.17085

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Abstract

This paper explores how the coastal community of Sangihe Island, North Sulawesi, Indonesia adapted from past disasters through internalization of bad memories. To build an understanding of the cultural construction of this adaptation, this paper uses a cultural ecology framework and information collected through phenomenological study to identify the primary socio-historical information derived from past disasters. The results of the research show that the community has internalized the memories of disaster through material and non-material culture, as well as spatial arrangements of infrastructure to address the multiple threats of volcanic eruption, tsunami and typhoon risks, witnessed by their ancestors. This paper shows that the communities of Sangihe apply embedded knowledge and experience into daily practices. This is one of the models of indigenous knowledge-based disaster risk reduction, which can be a foundation for the present generations outside Sangihe to minimize the impact of disasters.

Highlights

Indonesia is well-known as one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, situated on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ where three active tectonic plates intersect
Little thought was given to the fact that disasters hit less populated regions of Indonesia such as Sulawesi
Sulawesi has long experienced the threat of disasters from by geological and hydrometeorological sources

Summary

Introduction

Indonesia is well-known as one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world, situated on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ where three active tectonic plates intersect. Little thought was given to the fact that disasters hit less populated regions of Indonesia such as Sulawesi. This changed in 2018 when a tsunami and liquefaction event had a catastrophic and fatal impact on Central Sulawesi (Wekke et al, 2019). The conjunction of three tectonic plates (Indo-Australia, Eurasia, and Pacific) both forms the land of Sulawesi and makes it disaster-prone (van Bemmelen 1949). The island of Sulawesi is one of the most geologically active regions in Indonesia and has a complex geological phenomenon. Because of this land formation processes are not yet stable and underwater volcanic activity is still ongoing. In consequence the disaster risk in Sulawesi and Sangihe is quite high (Kaharuddin et al, 2001)

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