Wisdom Perspective of Malind Tribe Important Sites as Referrals in Detailed Land Use Plan Preparation of Merauke Regency

Abstract

Malind Tribal Community in Merauke Regency since a long time ago has maintained life balance with nature through local wisdom living and it has been held strongly in Merauke Regency. Since the enactment of Regency Land Use Plan (RTRWK) in 2011, Merauke has entered a new phase in the spatial planning, especially with the addition of cultural heritage from the result of important space identification of Malind Tribe indigenous community then called as the important sites. With the presence of large-scale forestry and plantation investment through Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE), there have been many problems arising at the field level when it is going to be conducted activities to obtain permits and land clearing. Many important sites of Malind tribe that have been also cleared and not considered important. This study aims to (1) identify, describe and map the important sites of Malind tribe, (2) analyze the land cover change before and after the Land Use Plan of Merauke Regency is set and how far that spatial patterns notice the existence of important sites of Malind tribe, (3) analyze opinions and assessments of several parties to the spatial use and control in Merauke Regency land use policy, (4) formulate inputs in form of referrals in the preparation of detailed land use plans of Merauke Regency accommodating wisdom values of the Malind tribe important sites. The meaning and views identifications concerning the important sites were traced using in-depth interviews with a snowball technique of key figures and those selected to have indigenous knowledge in the sub tribe level and clans in the village level. The land cover was obtained by ETM 5 and ETM 7 satellite image interpretation for two year points, they were 2000 and 2012, that was the land cover data before and after the regional space were set. The analysis covering opinions and views in form of perception of the parties was obtained by having interviews and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Results summarizing was conducted to formulate appropriate policy direction in providing solutions for stakeholders in the preparation and implementation of detailed scale land use plans that accommodate the important sites. Based on the results of extracting and identification, the important sites have two meanings: First, the meaning of self identity covering areas or locations closely associated to the creation story or mythology of Malind tribe that is made sacred. Second, the meaning related to a place as a fulfillment of daily lives such as game animals, sago hamlets producing plant foods, kumbili and bananas garden, swamps to get fishes, medicinal plants, and for rituals. There are eight important sites, namely: ancestral journey or Dema Kay and ancestral stopover or Demadap Mir, Dema Say or mythology place, ancestral graves or Amayen Sai, Ritual Place or Pungga Sai, Sago Hamlet or Dah Nanggaz, water sources or Awamdka, Hunting Forest or Aweawe sai, the preservation of indigenous or Pungga Sai. The important sites area of 126.754 ha or approximately 36.35% of the total area of all villages of 348.660 hectares as the result of identification in 4 villages namely Zanegi village, Kaliki village, Kolam village, and Selauw village are categorized as Protected areas and the areas managed according to the wisdom value of Malind tribe. An area of 221.906 hectares or 63.65% are categorized as cultivation areas and the areas allocated for development activities. During the period year of 2000 to 2012 land cover underwent decreases area as follows: 1) forest land area of 341,056.7 hectares, bushes of 41,734.3 hectares, open land of 85,512.3 hectares, and water bodies of 45,966.7 hectares. The decrease area in forest land occurred allegedly due to land clearing by the activities of palm oil and industrial plantation forest investments, that was in the district of Animha and Ngguti resulting the loss of a number of clan important sites such as sago hamlet, and sacred places. The increase of land use on agricultural land reaching 14,852 hectares in Malind district, Animha was caused by national food land clearing (MIFEE). The plan broad-scale land-use activity in the commodity investment programs such as oil palm, sugar cane, plantation and food forest covering 2,077,781 hectares bring the implication of clearing natural forest area that threatening the existence of important sites because they were scattered throughout the forest. Land Use Plan of Merauke Regency as a spatial product has not been effectively implemented consistently. This is due to the lack of socialization and active involvement of all parties in the use of space, especially to conserve the existence of the important sites. The parties also expect that, as the spatial guideline, the Land Use Plan must be relegated to a detailed scale to minimize any potential conflicts of interest in the field. To minimize conflicts in the field level, it is needed to identify in detail the important sites of clans level in all villages. The stakholder in Merauke regency also expect that, as the spatial land use guideline, the Regency Land Use Plan needs to be specified in the form of Detailed Land Use Plan to minimize any potential conflicts of interest in the field. The important sites as cultural heritage of the result of mapping in clans level must be included in the Detial spatial planning, so that it can be a guideline for all stakholder in the Regency of Merauke. The important sites of Malind tribe consisting of eight important sites as the result of participatory mapping of clan level, especially four types related to spiritual in the functions of protected areas, and 4 types of important sites meaning the fulfillment of daily needs to be directed in the function of cultivation area both in the evaluation and improvement document of Merauke Regency Land Use Plan and in its detailed land use plan.