Reviving the Local Wisdom of Kapala Nu Komoa for Sustainability Management

Indigenous Peoples (MHA) not only inhabit an area to earn a living but also have ties to ancestral origins and a strong relationship with the natural resources on which they depend. The sustainability of natural resources owned by MHA is a milestone in maintaining cultural entities, customs, and beliefs that are adhered to. Traditionally, indigenous peoples have sustainably managed natural resources based on local wisdom and values. The period and the system caused the local wisdom values of indigenous peoples to erode. The authority of indigenous peoples to manage their natural resources should be addressed.

On the island of Kaledupa, Wakatobi, to be precise in Limbo (customary territory) Buttonuruha (covering the villages of Balasuna and Balasuna Selatan), there is an area called Kapala Nu Komoa. In the past, according to traditional elders, this area was protected and designated as a fish spawning area. Revitalizing Indigenous peoples and their value systems is an essential step towards realizing the management of fisheries systems by Indigenous Peoples. The birth of Wakatobi Regent Regulation Number 44 of 2018 concerning Protection and Management of Coastal and Marine Natural Resources The Barata Kahedupa Customary Law Community in the Kaledupa Island Region in Wakatobi Regency has acknowledged the existence of MHA Barata Kahedupa and their local wisdom in managing coastal and marine ecosystems should be a momentum which is suitable for supporting local wisdom that MHA has carried out.

Involving Sara adat, in this case, Bonto Tommbuluruha, in addition to considerations of character, is also to encourage the independence of Sara adat in carrying out its primary tasks and functions (tupoksi), educate Sara adat in the processes of disseminating customary rules and building relationships with the community so that in the future the community accepts the customary system. which has been vacuumed, can run well. "This activity is good because, from the start, it involved the community, especially seaweed cultivators. Moreover, as we advance, the location of Komoa will be regulated by Sara Barata, out in the sea every day in the future, it will get more chaotic if it is not managed properly," said Suparjo, a seaweed cultivator in Balasun Village.

Before the agreement for the local wisdom of the Kapala Nu Komoa customary area was revived, Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), supported by consultants and local assistants from Barata Kahedupa had taken the first steps by identifying resource users around the Kapala Nu Komoa customary area, the origin of fisher, types of fishing gear activities used and synchronization of activity programs with stakeholders such as sub-district governments, villages, and the Wakatobi National Park Authority. "As a member of Sara Barata, personally support YKAN's plan to help Barata Kahedupa revive customary rules at sea and on land. And this is actually in line with Barata's plans as well, and only we are limited in all aspect. Older people who only understand customs. We also cannot fund activities, so the activities carried out by YKAN, Barata Kahedupa are greatly helped," said La Ode Sariu Miantuu Kadie Laulua.

The next step is to map the Kapala Nu Komoa area with the competent parties to determine the location to be regulated and the extent of the site. The Kapala Nu Komoa area map will become a tool or media for discussion in subsequent processes, especially in building an understanding to revive customary regulations and allotment of locations. During the mapping, it was agreed that the community should protect and manage an area of 200 hectares.

Before customary rules are implemented, in the Barata Kahedupa system, it is known as Mandarasi, namely the Sara Barata Kahedupa customary deliberation process in making decisions which is the full authority of MHA Barata Kahedupa to review the draft rules before they are decided and socialized with the aim of providing information to the Barata Kahedupa customary law community especially Limbo Tombuluruha regarding the rules for the use, protection, and supervision of the marine natural resources of the Kapala Nu Komoa coast.

Ritual for Determining the Customary Protected Area of Kapala Nu Komoa

The ritual for establishing Kapala Nu Komoa as an adat protected area was carried out on December 21, 2022, which Miantuu Barata Kahedupa, BTNW, District Government, villages, and the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation attended. This ritual is a ceremony and publication in halayaks about the re-enactment of customary rules for managing marine coastal areas in Limbo Tombuluruha, especially in Kapala Nu Komoa.

In addition to traditional processions, joint prayer rituals as a form of gratitude to God Almighty because the revitalization of customary rules was successfully carried out; this ritual is also a customary obligation to be carried out in every business, especially in terms of benefit (activities involving the source of life and the livelihood of many people) by It is hoped that the efforts that have been made will not only revive customary rules but the noble goals of these customary rules can be achieved in the future along with the life of local wisdom and other traditional rituals.

"Representing the Kaledupa District government, we, on behalf of the Kaledupa Subdistrict Head, really support the work done by YKAN in supporting Sara Barata Kahedupa to revive our local wisdom values, not only local wisdom on land and at sea as well. Hopefully, this kind of activity will be a trigger for other customary areas as we all know that in Barata Kahedupa there is not only one Limbo Tombuluruha, but there are nine Limbos," said Wd. Hasmawati, Kaledupa District Office Staff.

To support the effectiveness of Kapala Nu Komoa's local wisdom, YKAN also supports it by forming a monitoring group and SOPs that must be implemented when monitoring and marking/marking areas. Supervision is carried out, especially on destructive activities such as bombs, anesthetics, potassium, sand, and rock extraction in the customs territory of Limbo Tombuluruha – Barata Kahedupa.