The complexity of integrating indigenous knowledge for ecotourism planning: a case of Mude Ayek's customary forests, Indonesia

Abstract

This study presents how indigenous peoples participate in ecotourism planning, how their knowledge is tested and challenged to deal with knowledge for developing ecotourism, and what are the challenges in engaging indigenous peoples and their knowledge in ecotourism. It employed an indigenous qualitative research strategy by conducting semi-structured interviews with representatives of indigenous peoples, government, and non-governmental organisations (NGO) participating in ecotourism planning in Mude Ayek's Prohibition Customary Forest. The results of the study show that despite being involved, the dispersed knowledge of indigenous peoples has been integrated and utilised in forest management as a product of ecotourism. However, in forest ecotourism management, indigenous peoples find obstacles either from themselves or from the confusion of other stakeholders in integrating it. The practical implication of this research is that it is necessary to build a complete picture of local knowledge, which is no longer implicit but must be written.