AN ETHNOGRAPHY STUDY OF KUMELEMBUAI COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN MINAHASA DISTRICT OF NORTH SULAWESI Agus Sholahuddin Faculty of Social and Political Sciences University of Merdeka, Malang, East Java, Indonesia sholahdn1@yahoo.com Jan Lukas L. Lombok Faculty of Social Sciences Manado State University, Indonesia ABSTRACT We have conducted a study to describe and analyze the understanding of Kumelembuai community on the meaning of social values of social culture in conservation of natural resources. Conservation of natural resources by the Kumelembuai community is a manifestation of the growing awareness that the forest or agricultural land is the only source of livelihood for them. The community is very selective in the use of natural resources. It can be seen from the society that they do not utilize forest resources massively. In addition, it can also be seen from the habits of the people in planting crops in intercropping systems. There is a belief in the community that the forest is inhabited by the spirits of ancestors which make the people carefully utilize the forest resources. Keywords: System of value, conservation, natural resources, local ecological wisdom 1. Introduction and Reviews In the process and utilize land, Kumelembuai community always tries to do it by conservation-based process. In addition to system-related socio-cultural values, farming systems remains well preserved, especially relating to the conservation of natural resources. There are two things that are very important and cannot be separated from the process of natural resources conservation in Kumelembuai, which are the influence of education and Christian religious beliefs, which have been entered in this village since 1838 by Christian missionaries from European countries, namely Pastor Karel Herman. Since the 19th century, the education level of Kumelembuai community has been good enough, which is proven by a member of the Kumelembuai community who has completed a study of theology in the Netherlands. It affects the life and lifestyle of members of the community and be a driving force for parents to send their children to higher level of education. Before Pastor Karel Herman came to the village Kumelembuai, Kumelembuai community has embraced an old belief systems (animistic) religion which is known as alifuru. Although they have a system of belief, but the bible lesson which was taught by the Christian missionaries has been received well by members of the community. According Saruan (1991), the acceptance of Christian doctrine in the gospel process, ran well without coercion because there are similarities between Christian and the concept of alifuru belief which has been attached to the community of Kumelembuai. For example, about the concept of God, alifuru belief is called as opo empung (God) or opo wananatas (God which is staying up there). Organized by http://worldconferences.net 586
Public acceptance of the educational system and Christian religious introduction which have been undertaken by the missionaries was because the missionaries did not dispute the public belief with a new doctrine they bring. Instead, they tried to adapt with the existing belief as best as possible. For instance, the education system which has been applied by the missionaries, namely bamurid, is a system of formal education of their teachers who are trying to make the gospel. This pattern is similar to the schools model that implemented in Java, namely pesantren, by the preacher of Islam, but the number of students is limited. Most of those who graduated from the bamurid will be sent as a teacher of a gospel (as evangelists and teachers) to all areas Minahasa and even to Central and Southeast Sulawesi. In addition, every member of the community who is willing to become a Christian and wanted to be baptized must meet the requirements that must be able to read, write, and count. We can compare this system with the system of religious broadcasting at the Amungme (Papua) (Giay, 1996). On the basis of this, this study aims to describe and analyze the relevance of social and cultural value systems of Kumelembuai community in the process of conservation of natural resources, and socio-cultural value system that can be used as a reference for the management of natural resources for environmental policy makers. 2. Methodology Based on the level of its explanations, the type of research used in this study is a descriptive study which aims to describe certain symptoms in the society precisely. This study focuses on the process of land preparation which is based on local values of the system of social and cultural values. The process of data analysis, in general, will be conducted in conjunction with the data collection. The data and qualitative information collected through observation and interviews will be processed using four different ethnographic analysis through ethnographic analysis. The strategy thus aims to reveal the meaning of cultural system which is used by the community. Several types of analysis will be conducted in the research are: (1) domain analysis, which is searching for cultural symbols which are included in the larger category on the basis of similarities, (2) taxonomic analysis, which is looking for a structure of internal domain and forming of contradicted identification arrangement, (3) components analysis, which is looking for attributes that mark the differences between symbols in a domain, and (4) theme analysis,, which is looking for relationships between domains and how domains were linked to the overall culture that is being researched. Overall, the ethnographic type of analysis accelerates the finding of cultural meaning (Spradley, 1980). 3. Finding & Discussion 3.1 Opo dan Foso and their Influence on Environmental Behaviour From the concept of opo, we can identify some cultural values which inspirit the behaviour of Minahasa community, which is contextually manifested itself in variation of contextually appropriate behavior and social context of the local ecological, which are: a. the recognition of a transcendental force which presents in life as sacred, ruling, and enchanting. Relationship between human and this power is realized through opo-opo function which inhabit the places that exist in height, stunning, amazing, scary as forests, springs, mountains and big rocks, Organized by http://worldconferences.net 587
b. the recognition of the value of a balanced life that includes life form unity interrelated and affect the personal environment, social environment, and the physical environment should be maintained balance. This includes the importance of preservation of the natural environment and maintains the balance and integration of the community with the natural environment with respect to sanctity contains, c. the existence of a continuous life and the purpose of life to obtain abundance/wealth, sufficiency of continuous life needs for both personal and the next generations (offspring). This cultural knowledge suggests the importance of available natural resource conservation behavior for the preservation of human life, and the continuation of life after death that makes the natural environment as a place of residence, and d. the existence of value appreciation and respect for older people, elder (leader) who organize the order of living together. This reveals the importance of the social structure in a common life that can guarantee the regularity and patterns of life. Meanwhile, according Siwu (1993), foso means prohibitions or taboos that must be considered to ensure that people can live well and happily. It is inseparable from community belief with regard to opo. Prohibitions and restrictions which are related to the environment are rooted in beliefs and cultural knowledge which, from time to time, have been implemented as a custom which are related to the preservation of the natural environment. Meanwhile, according Lonan (1992), foso is a ceremony that prohibits villagers, within a certain period of time, perform certain activities in the village such as prohibiting to travel and work in the garden, cutting plants or trees and treating forests irresponsibly. 3.2 System of Social Cultural and Conservation Behaviour Knowledge of community members about the legislation governing the conservation of natural resources is minimal. Members of the community did not know much about the rules and regulations about conservation. Even community figures, both formal and informal leaders of the village could not designate legislation rules governing the conservation of the environment and natural resources. However, according to their explanation about what they have been doing in the utilization of natural resources and the environment shows that many of their actions are not contrary to the principles of conservation that inspirit the content of the rule that they do not know. The opo and foso concept contain cultural values that support the conservation of natural resources and the environment, such as: 1. the balance of the personal environment, social environment, and the physical environment as a unit which are interrelated and inter-influence, 2. the preservation of natural resources for the sustainability of human life, for the future generations and for the life beyond death that makes the natural environment as a place of residence, and 3. appreciation and respect to those who are older or elder who organize order to live together (social aspect). A person's behavior is influenced by various factors such as the needs, personality, and background or place of staying which, in the context of natural resources utilization, include geographical and topographical conditions. In addition to these factors, a person's behavior is also influenced by the cultural value and social system. The socio-cultural values system are manifested in social institutions of the society, namely mapalus, which is as one form of local wisdom has core values of maesa-esaan, masawang-sawangan, matombol-tombolan, masiri-sirian, magenang-genagan which mean mutually united, help each other, mutual support, mutual respect, and mutual understanding, Organized by http://worldconferences.net 588
respectively. The system of socio-cultural values is clearly seen in activities of utilizing natural resources. The values were derived from the traditions of the community in the management of natural resources in the context of subsistence. Cultural values system includes knowledge, belief, and religion which has role to direct behavior. Knowledge, which is related to land management, is formed through concrete experience in utilizing hilly land. This experience makes the community uses lumitir and malumun techniques to avoid erosion. Believe and confidences that the forest is inhabited by ancestral spirits make people wise to utilize the forest. Meanwhile, there is also mapalus in the community, as social and cultural institutions which reflect the social and cultural value systems. The mapalus is formed based on the principle of "from, by, and for the community members and is carried out in a spirit of togetherness and balance of rights and obligations. The mapalus in agriculture in Kumelembuai is maranoan, maandoan and kakelian. Kakelian or Kalakeran is closely related to the concept of legacy. The legacy systems which is prevailing in Kumelembuai shows similarities with existing legacy systems in the area of Tombulu, Tolour and Tonsea with the same term, Budel. Budel, in dutch, means legacy or inheritance. The term is commonly used in Minahasa. Maranoan has more than 100 members, while maandan has smaller members. In maandoan, every member gets a chance to work one working day in his land. The utilization of the natural resources is the main livelihood of Kumelembuai community. Most of the people are farmers. They utilize and process the hilly land to meet their needs. Real experience of preparing the land with difficult geographical and topographical conditions of the hilly form their behavior to supports the conservation of local natural resources conservation. The conservationbased behavior includes lumitir and malumun. Both land management techniques are very useful to avoid erosion on sloping lands and improve soil nutrients (natural fertilizer). The lumitir and malumun are wisdom traditions which have been maintained and preserved by the Kumelembuai community. Moreover, the patterns of natural resource utilization and cropping system in the community reflect awareness and conservation behaviors. 4. Conclusion and Future Recommendation In addressing the living needs, individuals are independently or jointly exploit natural resources on the basis of knowledge, understanding and experience in facing of the local ecological challenges so that they can develop knowledge, skills and abilities which are known as ecological wisdom. The traditional ecological wisdom which appears in the form of malumun, lumitir, sowing customs pulinca and bamboo planting in koso and tileng, as well as the planting of shade trees on the roadside, are responses to the topographical and ecological challenges that emerge through empirical experience and advantageous in terms of conservation. The cultural system concretized it in social systems such as activities of mutual aid (gotong royong) in the form of so-called mapalus, maranoan, and maandoan that later produce malumun and lumitir. The social system is a form of local wisdom, which is very useful in the conservation of natural resources. References Organized by http://worldconferences.net 589
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