Indigenous Knowledge Management Perspective ofSocial Ecology Mined Land Towards Green Era

By : Wahyudi Himawan1) and Indera Ystian 2), Alfitri 3 )

1. Doctoral program in environmental science graduate program Siriwijaya University2. Bioecological in Sriwijaya University

3. Social Program in Sriwijaya University

AbstractIndigenous knowledge is a knowledge which is rise from value of life and culture exist in aregion, indigenous knowledge system (IKS) that is formed from Indigenous Knowledge trustedcontains of many local knowledge that can be tested as Indigenous Knowledge and can solvemany kind of environmental problem. Natural environment, sometimes be judge as the factor ofproblem rising in human life, but it still provided some potential solutions as the problem solverof the future problem. This is very important to understand some various kind of culturalheritage and local knowledge, mostly which is save in mined land management by peoplearound the region to create harmony between people and their environment. This researchintends to recognize again about local knowledge as the ecological indigenous blossom themined land.Indigenous Knowledge which is studied is about Indigenous Knowledge System can be thefoundation in doing local service system, local knowledge which is tested in this research takenfrom the paradigm expression and social action scheme around mined land. Result from thisresearch may become continuously building concept to reach green era and also becomeguidance for regions which have the same mined land.

I. Preface

A. BackgroundThis article is going to review the process of transfer of knowledge as an indigenousknowledge which is exist in the environment around tin mined land as the ecologicalindigenous knowledge of human to adapted with their environment. The research aboutenvironmental problem arise is an effort of socioecological knowledge. In epistemologyand axiology as the foundation ethic and aesthetic, also ontological side how the basicknowledge being relevant in creating local knowledge which may balancing ecosystemin green development.The beauty of the beach in Bangka Belitung island really fascinating, by the expanse ofgiant granite making the entire landscape look unique when it compare to anotherbeach in Indonesia. But when we are crossing Bangka Belitung from above, many bigholes everywhere, those are tin mined land which are exist hundred years ago alsonewly mined are even still operating tin mined can be seen. This view is not change so

much until now, even illegal tin mined which is known by unconventional mined makemore worst.Not only that, puddle former of the tin mined also draining dirty water and containingchemicals that become source of human illness. For example, Sungai Rangkui which isdraining in the center of Pangkalpinang, long time ago, this river is so useful, manypeople use the water to take a bath, washing clothes, and also fishing, many fish livethere when this river is still in good condition. But after unconventional mined land inthe headwater of the river being operated, Clearwater turn to be so dirty, and alsocontaining mud from unconventional mined.People paradigm consider that the tin mined could not be greening just like beforemined, or also be engineered to be some artificial land which contain new balancing.Need long time and modern technology, also expensive cost to rebuild, according theirperspective, local knowledge were not so useful in managing tin mined land.It seems that we have to learn from Phuket Island in Thailand, just like Bangka Island,Phuket also a tin mined land, but after 16 years, tin mined are closed, the people live inpeace and happy from tour and tourism.Phuket Island bring out some idea about how local knowledge local knowledge aroundtin mined can be integrated policy management to increase people prosperity aroundtin mined land according to local knowledge of citizen.

Some questions arise after, and need to be examined are:1. How is Indigenous Knowledge arise as the point of socioecology around tin mined

land2. How IKS can be the foundation in managing policy of environment3. How is the strategy of managing policy to act in the environment around tin mined

land which is based on Indigenous Knowledge to lead to the green era

B. Purpose of the Research

The purpose of this research is to answer the questions above, those are:

1. Knowing Indigenous Knowledge as the socioecology on citizen around tin minedland

2. Knowing and searching model integrating Indigenous Knowledge system inmanaging environment local service system tin mined land

3. Making mined land management strategies based on Indigenous Knowledgetowards green era

II. FrameworksDevelopment, poverty and environmental damage become three things has relationship toeach others. That relationship can be unidirectional or reciprocal overview of ecologicalrelationships between a causal relationship. Development is a form of social planned

exchange and it should be a government perspective in increasing public welfare and reducepoverty, poverty in socioecological perspective is public has not enough access in managingnatural resources and in the implementation many development program of governmentonly about local revenue and ignoring the environmental aspect. (Masyarakat dan IlmuPemerintahan Indonesia, Desember 2013).As example, granting mined license, granting smelter license permission tenure on employerand another licenses on natural resources management which contributing environmentaldamage.Employer attitude has force people to do something to survive, even it comes to dangerous.Just like unconventional tin mined land had buried alive some workers (Bangka Pos, 2009).Social reconciliation in concept of ecological modernization towards green era and itbasically on people participation and based on Indigenous Knowledge exist as IndigenousKnowledge System trusted as the solver and even increasing economic growth and publicwelfare. Ecological modernization concept is gradually process and development ofecosystem, ecological system or social system towards new balance that is about theharmony of social balance and ecology, the unbalance between social and ecology washappened because of utilization of natural resources and positivism perspective though thatthinks about science as the universal and absolute right. However, out of science, was exista local knowledge system which so empiric and able to be the guard and guide of theharmony.Green social theory with gradually development try to pay attention on the effort andovercome the problem of the separating human and nature (Barny, 1999), graduallydevelopment often synonimized with ecological modernization which discussed in firstseminar in WCED (World Commission on Environmental Growth and Development, 1998).Ecological modernization from social perspective is socioecology the interaction betweenhuman and nature towards harmony.In this research, we use socioecology which means that development can be used bynowadays generation or future while maintaining harmony between social system andnatural ecology system assumptions used in socioecology is growth of social economicwhich is recounciliated with ecological sustainability.Tin mining land is a complex process , causing not only the damage of ecology, but alsocausing conflict of access to that natural resources also trade off between people who havepower over that. Technical approach to make evaluate and environmental recovery of tinmined land (Kolong) which is only use technology and done gradually was turns out to looselegitimation and intention from people. The attention turns to exchange form becomeparticipatory valuation approach and integrated to as socioecology participatory approachintegrated with socioecology based on indigenous knowledge will apply some source oflocal knowledge with accurately drawing complex socioecology process.

III. DiscussionIn environment sociology perspective, nowadays condition was happened cause of peoplefailed in managing relationship (socioecology) nature environment and the builtenvironment. Built environment tend to build and give some responsibility to ecologicalenvironment and the affect is disturbance of harmony of natural harmony. Each naturalenvironment has special character which can be the source of the problem in human life,but it is fair to say that human has that wise and ability to repair their environment,although the characteristic of nature can be the problem to the human life.

People live in different natural environment, such as mountain, snowy land, forest, dessert,rocky mountain, beach and on surface of water, river or sea. Amos Rapoport (2006:179-180)it’s identified at least exist about 1.278 built environment was built because of differentcondition of environment.

Bangka Botanical Garden and Hutan Pelawan are some example of built environment toshows how traditional people can live consistently with their built environment. Nowadays,it seems that natural harmonic condition and built environment no longer exist, it seemsthat people try to conquer nature, so that’s why this research aim to know about the formof expressions of knowledge as the knowledge point as the indigenous knowledge to returnback the damage of built environment towards a new condition that can give new harmonyand advantages in economical side and continuously socioecology development.BBG and Hutan Pelawan can be used as a model to understand how indigenous local systemwas created. The study do by seeing samples best practice in managing tin mined land whichsuccessfully done by qualitative descriptive method with action research in Bangka BotanicalGarden and Hutan Pelawan.

A. Best Practice: Bangka Botanical Garden (BBG)Johan is native people of Bangka Island, he was so worry about the nature condition andpeople paradigm which assumed that tin mined land was wasted at all. But based on hisexperience when he was making trip to Phuket Thailand, Johan then determined tochange tin mined land in Pangkalpinang around Pasir Padi Beach to change become aland which has an economic, ecology and social side. With great intentions to makechanges, Johan then looking for some references to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailandhow to improve the environment at low cost efficient and give much advantages. Pointof local knowledge, said by Johan is “if gold become gold is ordinary, but if trash turn togold that is great”.This is real indigenous knowledge truly built, and it exists in every people around tinmined land. But, lack of motivation and brave, indigenous knowledge not rise at all;Johan is the brave one to raise it.Johan start his big steps in 2005, before he was a businessman who own a tin smelter,when he started his business, he was accused as that the wasted from his smelter waspoisoned and harmful. He tries to show that it’s wrong. He makes a pool then filled fish

there, fish are alive and still can be consumed, then he planted tomato and chili, flushthem with wasted from the smelter, the fact, they still can produce healthy fruit andsafe to be consumed. Not satisfy with his little success, Johan plant again and use largerland in tin mined land, he plant cashew nut, sengon, Ketapang and Pucuk Merah in tinmined land, side the beach. But the people around not support him anyway, theydestroy the land again because tin price are rising, and that land still deposit containingtin.Apparently tin mining in Bangka Island is unique, when tin price rising, everyone mining,and when the price down, they leave. When Johan and his plant on mined land, theystopped by people who though that Johan want to take their land, Johan determined tocreate a special area to be a sample of environment improvement on tin mined land,Johan says that characteristic of Bangka people is not bothered, has to be changed andgive examples of concrete proof of his success first then duplicate. The area is thenamed BBG (Bangka Botanical Garden) an ecoindustrial park concept.Johan start developing BBG with 3 Balinese cows, 6 milch cows, and 14 calfs, the dungused as compost to neutralizing water in aquaculture ponds to be built. Compost alsowill get back the soil nutrient need by plants before it, nutrient content of the soilrelatively few, because before it was dominated by tailing and wasted from mining, theland contains C-organic very low, only 2% so this land is not productive.Synergy between cattle breeding, environmental improvement support by experts fromlocal government and central government also Balai Inseminasi Buatan (center forartificial insemination) fish breeding center institution Jawa Barat, and anotherinstitutions, resulting cow manure treated and change become biogas, and compost orliquid fertilizer, liquid used to wash contain micro plankton placed to feed fish, grassplanted utilized cow manure as fertilizer and the result for cows back, an ecologicalmetabolism concept.Now, although it only greening about 100 Ha, the target is about 150 Ha from 300 Haowned land which got from local government of Pangkalpinang, consist of tin minedland, BBG now owned 400 cows, produce 450 Tons compost per month and alsoproduce liquid fertilizer from cow manure up to 500 Littre per days, from 80 milch cows,produce 160 Littre milk per day, BBG also spreading 700 glass of fresh cow’s milk tosome school in Bangka twice each years.From agriculture, BBG concentrated to produce dragon fruit, and resulting 90 kg per oneharvest in a 1.6 Ha land, some ornamental plants and original forest plants from Bangkaalso exist there. BBG also try to plant Date, in a 1.8 Ha land and plant orchid andPelawan which almost extinct.Johan mission is to make BBG as a research location, sport education, tourism, and themost is can be the role model to motivate another region to fix the post mining land. Soas to create ecological modernization, economic and people perspective about tinmined land change become “wasted become blessing”

Now BBG most visited by student from kindergarten until senior high school. Johan nowpioneering training institute greening program and empowerment environment tostudents, Johan wish that will be rise young generation who love environment.According to Johan, result from BBG more promising economic benefits as well as socialand ecological sustainable rather than plays in smelter, because it’s more important andneeded. So gradually development towards next generation can be exist not as like tinsmelter which only make benefits businessman in fact are foreigner who act as financierand loot our natural resources even make wound to our living place.

A. Best Practice 2; Kehati Garden Namang VillageDifferent with Johan, Zaiwan, Headman of Desa Namang is a hero of environment whogot Kalpataru award from the Ministry of Environment by his pretty cool idea to make a52. 4 Ha land, now increase about 252. 4 Ha land, that land used to a tin mined landsuccessfully change to be a rice field with especially plant brown rice, also producingPelawan Bitter Honey and Pelawan Mushroom. The question rising is how relationshipsare formed Indigenous Knowledge System in rural communities Desa Namang on minedland in the context of ecological modernization (socioecology)?On Desa Namang has develop a protected forest areas which some part is used to be atin mined land, that area is about 252. 4 Ha that area has a function as forest touristarea also as the lung air for Central Bangka Regency. The forest which is exist of somespecies like Gelam, Leting, Pelawan and Rempodong is sources of nectar for bees. Pollenfrom Pelawan absorbed by bees then produce bitter honey which is become a typicalhoney from Bangka Tengah, bees only fly from their nest, look for nectar, propolis andwater then go back to nest, that’s why Pelawan Honey is special if compare withanother, the taste is also special, it’s bitter and when swallowed the bitter is gone, thebitter honey is because it’s containing alkaloid which is may become the drugs andefficacious as anti infective, useful to be the immune and treat some kind of disease.The development of non timber forest product is Pelawan Honey, also develop by

productive business group in protect forest area through BUMDes (Badan Usaha MilikDesa/Village Owned Enterprises)

Honey harvest in the region based on people experience, in September, October, andNovember until December but when change of seasons in September, there is anotherblessing for people in Desa Namang, that is the growing of Pelawan Mushroom which isvery tasty and the price is very expensive (Rp. 1.300.000/kg Dry mushroom).Use of mined land become agriculture also develop in this area by returning the soilsurface and invest organic matter, after 1 to 2 years land is already to be planted,Sengon, Acacia at the side and in the plot rice terraces where planted brown rice.Now already exist some field about 86 Ha in Desa Namang and Desa Belilik Namang. Themaking of those field using central government fund and local government and canproduce rice about 4-5 tons/Ha, then will added also fund from additional budget/2011in September by the target will be some new rice field about 800 Ha

Cultural History of Desa NamangLong time ago at three junction on the village, there was a large wood named Namangwood/Ramin Wood, and under the big wood live a young man who was so kind,everyone who stop there always give drink by the young man, every time he give drinkhe said “na-mang” (“na” is word used by Bangka people to give something, “mang” iscalled to a person older than us, so until now that village is called Desa Namang, inbuilding normative and ethic points also vision of the village, Desa Namang then make aslogan that is “Pelawan” (Produktif, Elaboratif, Aman dan Berwawasan Lingkungan) thispoint later become Indigenous Knowledge to people in Desa Namang to develop andimproving welfare.This little village with population no more than 16.625 people become famous becausethe succeed to preserve protected forest or usually called as Hutan Pelawan. Headmanof Desa Namang , Zaiwan said that the people there also succeed to conserve PelawanMushroom and Pelawan Honey which become the most expensive honey andmushroom in Indonesia based on data of Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture. HutanPelawan also often used as a research place by some university like UGM, ITB, UNSRI,UBB and many more. Zaiwan said that at the beginning is not easy to keep and guardingHutan Pelawan, many challenges he got, even Zaiwan was called crazy by people there,but Alhamdulillah now it’s been succeed and all the people around support to conservethis forest. We conserve this to our next generation he said.

Governor of Bangka Belitung, Dr. Eko Maulana Ali, M.Sc (Almarhum) was so proud andhappy because of local government of Bangka Tengah and apparatus of Desa Namangcan utilize natural resources very well, “this can change people paradigm which used toearn money from tin mined, to change to farm or gardening” governor said.

IV. ConclusionFrom best practice in two research location we can take a lesson that to repairenvironment in mined land something’s which have to be look are:1. Tin mined land, if we cultivated with perseverance, faith, and Indigenous

Local System as the Indigenous Knowledge, also support of all stakeholderscan make a proof that people around BBG and Desa Namang can live inpeace with no tin mined at all.

2. Need patience and all participation of all stakeholders in doing changes ofparadigm through best practice as a transfer of knowledge in buildingIndigenous Knowledge System in socioecology.

3. Environmental management policy strategy for another regions which islarger need more deep research and comprehensive in doing strategy,implementation, evaluation also reflection from practice experience,transfer of knowledge to regions is by approach method to look for LocalKnowledge which match with potential and characteristic of the region andneed valuation and allocation around mined land can be done towardsgreen era.

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