The CEK is still used, some partially, such as the
seasonal calendar of pranata mangsa, the utilization of floodplains or wedi kengser, and some
holistically, such as Thanksgiving rituals of
labuhan with the philosophical axis-plane as a
whole river basin and the myth of Mt. Merapi
and Ratu Kidul.
The CEK, which is still in use has potential
contributions to the water and lahar management
in the volcanic river basin of Opak in Mt. Merapi, as it is involved in the transfer of knowledge
or communication strategy for water-related disasters strategy and water–lahar resources management practices.
Based on these results, these traces of CEK apply
the integrated approach as interrelations between
water, volcano, and lahar resources management.
The CEK is an important knowledge to be conserved, as it is more accessible to the communities than the scientific approach. Examples
from earlier studies (Berkes et al. 2000; Inglis
1993; Agrawal 2014; Howes and Chambers
1980; Brush 1993) have shown that conservation
practice with crop pattern based on local
knowledge, grazing location rotation for rainwater infiltration, and the traditional seasonal
calendar are more easily used by the locals.
This study reflects on the rich knowledge the
communities have to offer in understanding the
condition of a volcanic river basin, also in terms
of managing its water, disaster potentials, and
sensitivities in ‘reading’ nature. This knowledge
is surviving due to the existing formulation and
legitimization processes brought by the Sultan
and its people, which also present the notion of
contested knowledge, which may have existed
before, but did not survive in the current society.
Our experience in performing this study shows
the importance to look deeper in the cultural
background of a place to find the meaning and
logic of the CEK to be used in combination with
scientific knowledge. Future research can take
advantage of the methodology and the CEK
formulation framework to assess their object of
research, even develop it to further forms. An
application of this research by decision makers
may result in the management of this volcanic
river basin to be more participative between
different stakeholders and more integrated,
especially for managing the interrelations of
lahar, water, and eruption.
References
Agrawal A (1995) Dismantling the divide between
indigenous and scientific knowledge. Dev Change
26:413–413
Agrawal A (2014) Indigenous and scientific knowledge:
some critical comments. Antropologi Indonesia
BBWS SO (2014) Rencana Pengelolaan Sumber Daya
Air Wilayah Sungai Progo Opak Serang. Yogyakarta
Berkes F, Colding J, Folke C (2000) Rediscovery of
traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecol Appl 10(5):1251–1262
Bignami C, Bosi V, Costantini L, Cristiani C et al (2012)
Handbook for Volcanic Risk Management: an outcome from MIAVITA project. MIAVITA, Orleans,
France.
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/
resources/HandbookVolcRiskMgt%20hr_0.pdf.
Accessed Apr 2015
Biswas AK (2004) Integrated water resources management: a reassessment: a water forum contribution.
Water Int 29(2):248–256
Brush SB (1993) Indigenous knowledge of biological
resources and intellectual property rights: the role of
anthropology. Am Anthropol 95(3):653–671
Burton J (1995) A framework for integrated river basin
management. Water Sci Technol 32(5):139–144
Camus G, Gourgaud A, Mossand-Berthommier P, Vincent P (2000) Merapi (Central Java, Indonesia): an
outline of the structural and magmatological evolution, with a special emphasis on the major pyroclastic
events. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 100(1):139–163
Cashman KV, Cronin SJ (2008) Welcoming a monster to
the world: myths, oral tradition, and modern societal
response to volcanic disasters. J Volcanol Geotherm
Res 176(3):407–418
Chester DK (2005) Volcanoes, society, and culture. In:
Volcanoes and the environment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 404–439
Crang M, Cook I (2007) Doing ethnographies. Sage
Daldjoeni N (1984) Pranatamangsa, the Javanese agricultural calendar—its biclimatological and sociocultutal
function in developing rural life. Environmentalist 4
(7):15–18. Accessed 2 Aug 2015
De Bélizal E, Lavigne F, Hadmoko DS, Degeai J et al
(2013) Rain-triggered lahars following the 2010
eruption of Merapi volcano, Indonesia: a major risk.
J Volcanol Geotherm Res 261:330–347
Degroot V (2009) Candi, space and landscape: a study on
the distribution, orientation and spatial organization of
Central Javanese temple remains. Sidestone Press
200
V. Ariyanti et al.
seasonal calendar of pranata mangsa, the utilization of floodplains or wedi kengser, and some
holistically, such as Thanksgiving rituals of
labuhan with the philosophical axis-plane as a
whole river basin and the myth of Mt. Merapi
and Ratu Kidul.
The CEK, which is still in use has potential
contributions to the water and lahar management
in the volcanic river basin of Opak in Mt. Merapi, as it is involved in the transfer of knowledge
or communication strategy for water-related disasters strategy and water–lahar resources management practices.
Based on these results, these traces of CEK apply
the integrated approach as interrelations between
water, volcano, and lahar resources management.
The CEK is an important knowledge to be conserved, as it is more accessible to the communities than the scientific approach. Examples
from earlier studies (Berkes et al. 2000; Inglis
1993; Agrawal 2014; Howes and Chambers
1980; Brush 1993) have shown that conservation
practice with crop pattern based on local
knowledge, grazing location rotation for rainwater infiltration, and the traditional seasonal
calendar are more easily used by the locals.
This study reflects on the rich knowledge the
communities have to offer in understanding the
condition of a volcanic river basin, also in terms
of managing its water, disaster potentials, and
sensitivities in ‘reading’ nature. This knowledge
is surviving due to the existing formulation and
legitimization processes brought by the Sultan
and its people, which also present the notion of
contested knowledge, which may have existed
before, but did not survive in the current society.
Our experience in performing this study shows
the importance to look deeper in the cultural
background of a place to find the meaning and
logic of the CEK to be used in combination with
scientific knowledge. Future research can take
advantage of the methodology and the CEK
formulation framework to assess their object of
research, even develop it to further forms. An
application of this research by decision makers
may result in the management of this volcanic
river basin to be more participative between
different stakeholders and more integrated,
especially for managing the interrelations of
lahar, water, and eruption.
References
Agrawal A (1995) Dismantling the divide between
indigenous and scientific knowledge. Dev Change
26:413–413
Agrawal A (2014) Indigenous and scientific knowledge:
some critical comments. Antropologi Indonesia
BBWS SO (2014) Rencana Pengelolaan Sumber Daya
Air Wilayah Sungai Progo Opak Serang. Yogyakarta
Berkes F, Colding J, Folke C (2000) Rediscovery of
traditional ecological knowledge as adaptive management. Ecol Appl 10(5):1251–1262
Bignami C, Bosi V, Costantini L, Cristiani C et al (2012)
Handbook for Volcanic Risk Management: an outcome from MIAVITA project. MIAVITA, Orleans,
France.
https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/
resources/HandbookVolcRiskMgt%20hr_0.pdf.
Accessed Apr 2015
Biswas AK (2004) Integrated water resources management: a reassessment: a water forum contribution.
Water Int 29(2):248–256
Brush SB (1993) Indigenous knowledge of biological
resources and intellectual property rights: the role of
anthropology. Am Anthropol 95(3):653–671
Burton J (1995) A framework for integrated river basin
management. Water Sci Technol 32(5):139–144
Camus G, Gourgaud A, Mossand-Berthommier P, Vincent P (2000) Merapi (Central Java, Indonesia): an
outline of the structural and magmatological evolution, with a special emphasis on the major pyroclastic
events. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 100(1):139–163
Cashman KV, Cronin SJ (2008) Welcoming a monster to
the world: myths, oral tradition, and modern societal
response to volcanic disasters. J Volcanol Geotherm
Res 176(3):407–418
Chester DK (2005) Volcanoes, society, and culture. In:
Volcanoes and the environment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 404–439
Crang M, Cook I (2007) Doing ethnographies. Sage
Daldjoeni N (1984) Pranatamangsa, the Javanese agricultural calendar—its biclimatological and sociocultutal
function in developing rural life. Environmentalist 4
(7):15–18. Accessed 2 Aug 2015
De Bélizal E, Lavigne F, Hadmoko DS, Degeai J et al
(2013) Rain-triggered lahars following the 2010
eruption of Merapi volcano, Indonesia: a major risk.
J Volcanol Geotherm Res 261:330–347
Degroot V (2009) Candi, space and landscape: a study on
the distribution, orientation and spatial organization of
Central Javanese temple remains. Sidestone Press
200
V. Ariyanti et al.