The Potential Contribution of Cultural Ecological Knowledge to Resources Management in a Volcanic River Basin

This study examined the question “What are the main elements of water-related cultural ecological knowledge (CEK) in a volcanic river basin?” The CEK is defined as a body of knowledge, both written and orally transmitted, produced by many generations’ observation on the human-nature relationship. This study illustrates that the water-related CEK is interrelated with other resources, the volcano and the lahar (debris flow), in the hydrological cycle. This research applied a qualitative methodology for the case study of the Opak sub-basin at Mt. Merapi volcano, within the unique setting of Yogyakarta, the only ruling kingdom in the Republic of Indonesia. Previous research on traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous technical knowledge provided the conceptual framework. The results provide the main elements of CEK and its formulation patterns. The main elements were historical experiences, legitimatization process, and mechanism of transfer. Although the formulation process stemmed from historical experiences of natural conditions and how humans managed the environment, a legitimatization process is necessary before it is formed as mechanisms of transfer for the future generation. These mechanisms were divided into the following five forms: (1) philosophy and values as the core and more practical forms such as (2) internalization (rituals and myth), (3) resource management practices, (4) artifacts, and (5) five-senses wisdom.