The Value of Ecological Wisdom in the Oral Story of the Toba Batak "Tombak Sulu Sulu": An Ethnographic Study
Abstract
This research explores the values of ecological wisdom contained in Toba Batak's oral stories, especially the legend of "Tombak Sulu Sulu." The background of this research is based on the importance of environmental preservation amid the threat of ecological disasters around Lake Toba. The method used is qualitative, with an ethnographic study conducted in the Bakkara Valley. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with traditional leaders, field observations, and documentation related to the legend. The results showed that this legend contains five central values of ecological wisdom: respecting nature, living in harmony with nature, wise use of natural resources, using environmental knowledge for place naming (toponymy), and making nature a spiritual tool. These values emphasize the importance of harmonious relationships between humans and the environment that can be integrated into nature conservation and sustainable development efforts. This research offers a new perspective on how traditional narratives can build societal ecological awareness.
References
A. Campos, M. R. (2019). Environmental Adaptation Of Upland Indigenous Peoples In The Philippines: Basis For Local Resilience To Climate Change. People: International Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2), 928–947. https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2019.52.928947
Anwar, W. ul. (2024). Harmony of Tradition: Indigenous Veterinary Medicinal practice among Bakarwals of Kashmir. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 5(1), 826–830. https://doi.org/10.55248/gengpi.5.0124.0124
Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., & Wheaton, M. (2023). Leveraging collective action and environmental literacy to address complex sustainability challenges. Ambio, 52(1), 30–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01764-6
Aydın, A., Işık, A., & Kahraman, N. (2020). Mental health symptoms, spiritual well‐being and meaning in life among older adults living in nursing homes and community dwellings. Psychogeriatrics, 20(6), 833–843. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyg.12613
Ayu Indriani, Juanda, & Agussalim AJ, A. (2023). The Care of Environment in the Characters Pandawa of Mahabrata's Story: The Study of Literature Ecology. Ethical Lingua: Journal of Language Teaching and Literature, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.30605/25409190.553
Batoro, J., Hakim, L., & Rahardi, B. (2020). The perception of sacred trees as proponent of water spring in Malang Regency East Java, Indonesia. Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 6(3), 425–430. https://doi.org/10.3329/ajmbr.v6i3.49790
Chaudhary, A. (2024). Sustainable Development and Environmental Conservation. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 13(4), 60–62. https://doi.org/10.21275/SR24331074135
Chunhabunyatip, P., Sasaki, N., Grünbühel, C., Kuwornu, J. K. M., & Tsusaka, T. W. (2018). Influence of Indigenous Spiritual Beliefs on Natural Resource Management and Ecological Conservation in Thailand. Sustainability, 10(8), 2842. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082842
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixmethodes Approaches. In Research Defign: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed M ethods Approaches (Fifth Edit). Sage Publications, Inc.
Davies, R. U. (2023). Depictions of Nature Imagery in Literature: An Ecocritical Perspective. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development. https://doi.org/10.24940/ijird/2023/v12/i6/jun23008
Durán, A. P., Kuiper, J. J., Aguiar, A. P. D., Cheung, W. W. L., Diaw, M. C., Halouani, G., Hashimoto, S., Gasalla, M. A., Peterson, G. D., Schoolenberg, M. A., Abbasov, R., Acosta, L. A., Armenteras, D., Davila, F., Denboba, M. A., Harrison, P. A., Harhash, K. A., Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, S., Kim, H., … Pereira, L. M. (2023). Bringing the Nature Futures Framework to life: creating a set of illustrative narratives of nature futures. Sustainability Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-023-01316-1
Fielding, K. S., & Hornsey, M. J. (2016). A Social Identity Analysis of Climate Change and Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors: Insights and Opportunities. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00121
Hayati, Y., Rasyid, Y., & Adek, M. (2021). Man and Nature in Minangkabau Folklore Ikan Sakti : An Ecocritical Study . Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Language, Literature, and Education (ICLLE-4 2021), 604. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211201.046
Hestiyana, H. (2023). Kearifan Ekologis Dalam Cerita Rakyat Dayak Bakumpai: Kajian Ekokritik. SUSASTRA: Jurnal Ilmu Susastra Dan Budaya, 10(2), 82–91. https://doi.org/10.51817/susastra.v10i2.121
Huberman, M. &. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis, A Methods Sourcebook, Edition 3, Terjemahan Tjetjep Rohindi Rohidi, UI-Press. Sage Publications.
Jeniver, J., Nurtjahya, E., & Sujarwo, W. (2024). An ethnoecological study on plant conservation in Jering Menduyung Nature Recreational Park of West Bangka (Indonesia). Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 27. https://doi.org/10.32859/era.27.3.1-15
Juni Agus Simaremare. (2021). Local Wisdom Of Traditional Medicine In Batak Toba. Linguistik, Terjemahan, Sastra (LINGTERSA), 2(2), 17–23. https://doi.org/10.32734/lingtersa.v2i2.8545
Karmadi, R. M. D., Suhartini, S., & Sukri, A. A. M. (2023). The potential of folklore as biodiversity learning resources in high school. JPBI (Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Indonesia), 9(1), 74–89. https://doi.org/10.22219/jpbi.v9i1.22502
Luo, Y., Liu, J., & Zhang, D. (2009). Role of traditional beliefs of Baima Tibetans in biodiversity conservation in China. Forest Ecology and Management, 257(10), 1995–2001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.01.001
Naibaho, M. N. (2023). The Investigating the Oppression of Toba Batak Women: Call for Empowerment and Woman Leadership. Studia Philosophica et Theologica, 23(1), 156–174. https://doi.org/10.35312/spet.v23i1.518
Nugroho, T., & Narawaty, D. (2022). Kurikulum 2013, Kurikulum Darurat(2020-2021), Dan Kurikulum Prototipe Atau Kurikulum Merdeka (2022) Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Inggris: Suatu Kajian Bandingan. Sinastra: Prosiding Seminar Nasional Bahasa, Seni, Dan Sastra, 1(1), 373–382. https://proceeding.unindra.ac.id/index.php/sinastra/article/view/6099
Prasetyo, S. F. (2023). Harmony of Nature and Culture: Symbolism and Environmental Education in Ritual. Journal of Contemporary Rituals and Traditions, 1(2), 67–76. https://doi.org/10.15575/jcrt.361
Purba, A. (2022). How First and Second Languages Influence Indonesian Students' English as a Third Language: Transfer and Interference Analysis. Elsya : Journal of English Language Studies, 4(2), 147–156. https://doi.org/10.31849/elsya.v4i2.8704
Qodim, H. (2022). Kearifan lokal dan pengembangan ekologi masyarakat adat Bali Aga. https://digilib.uinsgd.ac.id/66482/
Roba, G. O. (2021). Trees symbolism, conservation and threat in Guji Oromo, Southern Ethiopia. Cogent Social Sciences, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2021.1880681
Sari, L., Suwandi, S., & Widodo, S. (2019). Ecological Wisdom Values in Gedong Wareng Folklore in Pacitan. Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 1st Seminar and Workshop on Research Design, for Education, Social Science, Arts, and Humanities, SEWORD FRESSH 2019, April 27 2019, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.27-4-2019.2286863
Setyowati, N., Emzir, E., & Lustyantie, N. (2020). Nature and social attitude in folklore entitled Timun Mas: Ecocritical study. Journal of Applied Studies in Language, 4(1), 38–47. https://doi.org/10.31940/jasl.v4i1.1649
Sibarani, R. (2018). Batak Toba society's local wisdom of mutual cooperation in Toba Lake area: a linguistic anthropology study. International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 11(1), 40–55. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHRH-08-2017-0035
Siregar, J. P. R., Sihombing, T. P., & Hutabarat, R. S. (2023). Land Theology: Intrigue View of Land According to the Culture of the Toba Batak People in Ecological Preservation. Eduvest - Journal of Universal Studies, 3(8), 1465–1474. https://doi.org/10.59188/eduvest.v3i8.895
Sonenshein, S., DeCelles, K. A., & Dutton, J. E. (2014). It's Not Easy Being Green: The Role of Self-Evaluations in Explaining Support of Environmental Issues. Academy of Management Journal, 57(1), 7–37. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0445
Suharsimi, A. (2016). Prosedur Penelitian Kualitatif, Suatu Pendekatan Praktek. Rineka Cipta, 2006(2006), 96.
Sultoni, A., Suwandi, S., Andayani, & Sumarwati. (2023). Representation of Ecological Wisdom in Banyumas Folklore: An Ecocritical Study. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 13(12), 3141–3148. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1312.11
Yulisetiani, S., & Sutrisno, D. N. A. (2023). The Ecological Wisdom Of Banyumas Folklor As Literacy Material For Children. Jurnal Javanologi, 6(1), 1097. https://doi.org/10.20961/javanologi.v6i1.71408
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal La Lifesci
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
