Discussing Culture and Customary Forests, Dr. Agus Emphasizes the Importance of Supporting Cultural Advancement in the Geopark Area

Muaro Jambi (July 29, 2024)

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) of the Republic of Indonesia, through the Directorate General of Belief in God Almighty and Indigenous Peoples (KMA), is once again organizing the Cultural Warrior Training for the Jambi Province region, from 29 July to August 2, 2024.

This Cultural Warrior Training is aimed at Cultural Advancement Based on Customary Forests. The target of this activity is to preserve and maintain customs, culture, and customary forest areas.

Additionally, cultural warriors can be understood as an effort to advance a cultural ecosystem based on customary forests, implemented based on local wisdom values for sustainable living.

On this occasion, the General Manager of Merangin Jambi UNESCO Global Geopark (BP-MJUGGp), Dr. Agus, attended as one of the speakers, delivering material on the importance of supporting cultural advancement in the geopark area to 160 participants consisting of cultural facilitators and cultural warriors from four regencies: Merangin, Kerinci, Bungo, and Sarolangun.

Dr. Agus stated that this Cultural Warrior Training aims to address various problems arising in indigenous communities, from threats of environmental damage caused by development and exploitation, and the erosion of traditional institutions, to the primary issue of decreasing knowledge and awareness among the younger generation about the function of forests for life.

In line with the three main pillars of Geopark, namely Conservation, Education, and Economic Empowerment of Communities, as well as strengthening Sustainable Environmental Development, Dr. Agus provided examples of successful practices carried out by indigenous communities at one of the biological sites of MJUGGp, the Depati Karo Tuo Jayo Customary Forest, in Serampas, Rantau Kermas.

It should be noted how the Indigenous community of Rantau Kermas Village successfully maintains its customary forest ecosystem. Not only that, but they are also currently a surplus in electricity generated from Micro-Hydro Power Plants (PLTMH).

According to the General Manager, the government program for cultural advancement in the geopark area aligns with the efforts to achieve Geopark success. This is not only in terms of tourism utilization but more importantly, environmental development.

"Culture cannot be separated from the existence of Customary Forests. We know and understand very well that the existence of customary forests in several areas within the Jambi province has been strictly maintained by communities with strong cultural customs," said Dr. Agus.

It is imaginable how the condition of customary forests would be if the community began to abandon the culture inherited from their ancestors.