ABSTRACT Wardatul Uyun, Yuyun, 2014. Interpersonal

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ABSTRACT
Wardatul Uyun, Yuyun, 2014. Interpersonal Relation: Sunda Wiwitan‘s
Perception on Environment. Thesis. Central for Religious and Crosscultural Studies (CRCS). Graduate School. Gadjah Mada University.
Supervisor: Dr. Samsul Maarif
Keywords: Sunda Wiwitan, environment, indigenous religion, world view,
nature.
Addressing the indigenous religion and the environment, there must be an
assumption that they have a strong relationship each other. I believe that it cannot
be separated from their world view, especially in seeing the self, the other selves
and the relation between them. In this case, Rachelle A. Dickie (2005) affirms that
people of indigenous religion perceive that people belong to the land, the natural
surroundings, not the land belongs to the people. Likewise when talking about
indigenous people of Sunda Wiwitan in Cigugur, in which they live in excellent
harmony with the nature and surrounding, the question is: how do Sunda Wiwitan
people define their relationship with environment? Do they consider nature as
‗person‘? It still remains as a puzzle because we notice that due to the strong
influence of globalization they may define nature as an object that can be
exploited blindly. Then, to what extent do the ritual practice and belief for Sunda
Wiwitan people in Cigugur in affecting the behavior towards environment? And
what challenges encountered so far? Is there any different paradigm against the
traditional paradigm of Sunda Wiwitan? Based on these questions, I want to
reveal people of Sunda Wiwitan, (a) in relation to their world view on the self, the
other selves and their relation, (b) the ritual of Seren Taun conducted which
affects their behavior in the everyday life in maintaining the environmental
surrounding also (c) the politicization of environment regarding to the challenge
exists.
This research, thus, aims at analyzing how Sunda Wiwitan people define the
relationship with the environment as well as how their local wisdoms encourage
the preservation of environment, by looking at their world view based on the
theoretical framework built by Hallowel. In addition, it also aims at explaining
how the ritual practice of Seren Taun held by Sunda Wiwitan people in Cigugur
contribute positively to the environment and become an important base to change
their attitude towards the environment as well as to reveal the challenge
encountered by people of Sunda Wiwitan so far.
This thesis included in the type of field research with the technique of
descriptive analysis by applying the data collection in qualitative way i.e. by
participant observation, semi-structured interviews and library research. Those
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methodologies will surely help me to obtain the insider perspective on how people
of Sunda Wiwitan perceive the nature, the ritual practices and the challenges
encountered so far. For the library research for example, the resources will
provide many examples of narratives about the teaching and the views of Sunda
Wiwitan community towards the environment and nature.
The finding of this research shows that (1) Sunda Wiwitan people recognize
animals, plants, the natural surrounding such as sun, moon, star, and even
‗objects‘ as persons. However they believe there are two qualities of the otherthan-human person based on their role in giving the power to the surrounding.
They are the other-than-human person with their passive power and the otherthan-human person with the active power. It is then a little bit different from the
Ojibwa people, says Hallowell, ―do not perceive stones, in general, as animate‖
(1960). For people of Ojibwa the animate qualities quite determine whether
something considered being other-than-human persons or not. While in Sunda
Wiwitan they are considered person in general and have the capacity of
personhood even though with different quality of power.
People of Sunda Wiwitan have value of ethics and responsibility in treating
nature which is heavily influenced by their world view in seeing the self, the other
selves and their relation. They have a faith that between nature and Sunda
Wiwitan followers cannot be separated, human beings, nature, stone, star, or even
dung is microcosm while the universe itself is macrocosm. Therefore, the relation
built between human and nature tends to be strong, ethical, reciprocal and
responsible encounter (2) the ceremony of Seren Taun becomes an adhesive
media which connects them with the ancestors -as the other-than-human personsand God. The symbolization of tree planting in the ritual of Dadung or the
performance of Buyung dance inspired by the nature and other rituals performed
at the ceremony of Seren Taun has managed to provide a better understanding for
people of Sunda Wiwitan in the preservation of the environment. The positive
impact of Seren Taun and the rituals performed are not only applicable to the
scope of Sunda Wiwitan followers, but also to those of other residents of Cigugur
whose religion and faith are not Sunda Wiwitan. However, (3) there are many
challenges encountered by people of Sunda Wiwitan due to the different paradigm
between the traditional paradigm of Sunda Wiwitan and the development
paradigm of the outsiders. One of the hot concerns is the rejection of the planning
of geothermal project in Mt Ciremai Cigugur.
Finally, the writer expects that this thesis will be useful for others and this
study should be continued by other writers from other point of views and aspects,
with more complete analysis, especially in indigenous religion and environment.
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ABSTRAK
Wardatul Uyun, Yuyun, 2014. Interpersonal Relation: Sunda Wiwitan‘s
Perception on Environment. Thesis. Central for Religious and Crosscultural Studies (CRCS). Sekolah Pascasarjana. Universitas Gadjah
Mada. Pembimbing: Dr. Samsul Maarif
Kata kunci: Sunda Wiwitan, lingkungan, agama lokal, worldviev.
Berbicara mengenai agama lokal dan lingkungan, selalu ada asumsi bahwa
mereka memiliki hubungan yang kuat satu sama lain. Saya yakin hal itu tidak
dapat dipisahkan dari worldview mereka, terutama dalam melihat the self (diri),
the other selves (diri yang lain) dan hubungan keduanya. Rachelle A. Dickie
(2005) menegaskan bahwa masyarakat agama lokal cenderung menganggap
mereka adalah milik lingkungan, bukan lingkungan milik mereka. Demikian juga
ketika berbicara tentang masyarakat adat Sunda Wiwitan di Cigugur, di mana
mereka hidup dalam harmoni yang sangat baik dengan alam dan sekitarnya,
pertanyaannya adalah: bagaimana warga Sunda Wiwitan mendefinisikan
hubungan mereka dengan lingkungan? Apakah mereka menganggap alam sebagai
―person‖? Ini sedikit rumit karena pengaruh kuat globalisasi, bisa saja mereka
mendefinisikan alam sebagai objek yang dapat dieksploitasi sesuka hati.
Berdasarkan pertanyaan tersebut, melalui tesis ini saya akan mengungkapkan
masyarakat Sunda Wiwitan, (a) dalam kaitannya dengan worldview mereka
terhadap diri, diri yang lain dan hubungannya, (b) efek positif ritual Seren Taun
yang dilakukan oleh warga Sunda Wiwitan juga (c) politisasi lingkungan
sehubungan dengan tantangan yang ada.
Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis bagaimana warga Sunda Wiwitan
mendefinisikan relasi mereka dengan lingkungan yang mendorong pelestarian
lingkungan; melihat worldview mereka berdasarkan kerangka teoritis yang
dibangun oleh Hallowel. Selain itu, juga bertujuan untuk menjelaskan bagaimana
praktek ritual Seren Taun warga Sunda Wiwitan di Cigugur yang berkontribusi
positif terhadap lingkungan dan menjadi dasar penting untuk mengubah sikap
mereka terhadap lingkungan serta untuk mengungkapkan tantangan yang dihadapi
oleh warga Sunda Wiwitan.
Tesis ini termasuk jenis penelitian lapangan yang menggunakan teknik
analisis deskriptif dengan menerapkan pengumpulan data secara kualitatif.
Temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa (1) warga Sunda Wiwitan mengenal
hewan, tumbuhan, alam sekitarnya seperti matahari, bulan, bintang, dan bahkan
benda sebagai ―person‖ (2) upacara Seren Taun dalam Sunda Wiwitan menjadi
media perekat yang menghubungkan mereka dengan leluhur -sebagai the othertha-human persons- dan Sang Hiyang Keresa. Namun, (3) ada banyak tantangan
yang dihadapi oleh orang-orang Sunda Wiwitan terkait dengan paradigma yang
berbeda yaitu antara paradigma tradisional Sunda Wiwitan dan paradigma
pembangunan dari pendatang.
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Akhirnya, penulis berharap bahwa tesis ini akan berguna bagi kalangan
civitas akademik dan penelitian ini bisa dilanjutkan oleh penulis lain dari sudut
pandang dan aspek yang berbeda, tentunya dengan analisis yang lebih lengkap,
terutama dalam kajian agama dan lingkungan.