The Reconstruction of Indigenous Science into Scientific Knowledge in the Natural Color Process from Lurik Klaten

Abstract

Teaching science in schools rarely includes local wisdom. Local wisdom-based learning is more suitable for the regional characteristics and students’ daily life experiences and also supports sustainability and cultural diversity. The reconstruction of indigenous science into scientific knowledge will show the part of local wisdom that is suitable for science learning. This research aimed to reconstruct indigenous science into scientific knowledge from the process of natural color that was conducted in the community of Lurik Klaten in Pedan and Cawas Subdistrict, Klaten Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The outcome of this research was scientific knowledge from the result of indigenous science reconstruction that was based on society’s culture about the process of natural color. The expected benefit of this research was to be the contextual educational resource for teachers of science in the school. The method of this research was qualitative descriptive through visceral interviews, direct observation and document study about the traditional process of natural color. The research focused on natural color production, especially on knowledge of traditional lurik craftsman related to the raw materials of natural color and also the process of coloring lurik. The obtained data were analyzed, verified, and constructed into scientific knowledge and were interpreted to get meaningful information. The conclusion was that there was five indigenous science from natural color production which could be reconstructed into scientific knowledge and also appropriate with several competences in science education. Keywords: Indigenous Science, Natural Color Process, Lurik Klaten