Understanding local wisdom as specific knowledge in natural disaster mitigation: An empirical lessons in Tiworo, Indonesia

Abstract

Disaster mitigation is a crucial action considering the many natural disaster incidents affecting the lives of local communities. This research examines the Bajo community’s local wisdom in their efforts toward natural disaster mitigation in West Muna Regency. This study employs a qualitative research method. Data were collected through observation and interviews. Data sources used in this study were obtained from the Bajo community in Santiri Village, North Tiworo Subdistrict, West Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Seven informants were interviewed, namely, two key informants (village head and head of the fishing group) and five Bajo people; all informants chosen were native Bajo people who had lived in Tiworo for a long time, and they had knowledge of the local wisdom of the Bajo people. The research results showed that the local wisdom employed by the Bajo community for natural disaster mitigation reflects the relationship between the Bajo Tiworo people and the marine environment. The Bajo community interacts with the marine environment through actions and a consciousness of environmental conservation. Local wisdom-based disaster mitigation has existed since ancient times and is a guiding principle for the Bajo community’s interaction with the marine environment. The Bajo people’s ideas and behaviors adapted to the marine environment are reflected in taboos, rituals, myths, and oral traditions passed down from generation to generation. However, a shift in local wisdom related to natural disaster mitigation influenced by various factors, including Islamic religious beliefs, social actor and agent structures, discrimination against non-Bajo (orang Bagai) individuals, and government policies. Through this research, one form of disaster risk management can be achieved by empowering local knowledge.