Disasterchannel.co,- Residents in the East Java area, especially those living in the Kediri, Blitar and Malang areas, of course, are already familiar with the name Kelud Mountain. Because the location of the mountain is located on the border of the three areas. Mount Kelud itself is actually an active volcano with an altitude of 1731 meters above sea level. This mountain last erupted on February 13, 2014, which resulted in rain of ash along a 10 kilometer radius. At least nearly 200 thousand residents fled due to the fury of Mount Kelud.
However, did you know, Sobat DC, that behind the threat of a volcanic eruption disaster, it turns out that the people around Mount Kelud have local knowledge regarding disaster mitigation. Of course, this article will provide comprehensive information about the local knowledge of residents in carrying out mitigation in their own way.
In Oman Sukmana’s article entitled “Knowledge of Disaster Management and Social Wisdom in Malang Regency” it is explained that the people of Pandansari Village, located in Ngantang District, Malang Regency, have belief in natural signs that occurred before Mount Kelud erupted. According to the Pandansari people, a sign that Mount Kelud wants to go berserk is that many animals will descend on the residents’ settlements. In addition, the local community also believes that if the springs in their village experience a reduction in water discharge, then this is also a sign that Mount Kelud will experience an eruption. This shows that the people in Pandansari Village have the ability to read natural signs as instructions for carrying out mitigation which are only known by the local people themselves.
Next, the author will invite friends to go to Sugihwaras Village, Ngancar District, Kediri Regency. The people in this village have a belief that Mount Kelud is a mountain that brings blessings. The reason is they believe the volcanic ash released by Mount Kelud will bring fertility to their land. So it’s no wonder the majority of jobs in Sugihwaras Village are farmers and ranchers. Besides that, Sugihwaras Village also has traditional mitigation in the form of Larung Sesaji in the crater of Mount Kelud. The larung was held with the aim of rejecting reinforcements, by giving offerings to the ruler of Mount Kelud. The activities carried out by the people of Sugihwaras Village show how the community is bound to nature, even in religious and mystical ways. This is very useful because in these ways humans will respect nature and will not damage the surrounding environment, which in the end will also benefit humans themselves. As we know that environmental damage will affect human life.
Local wisdom around Mount Kelud certainly cannot be underestimated by modern people. The ability of traditional people to read nature is of course based on their empirical experience when reading natural phenomena for a long time. Although this must still be proven by scientific experience. Besides that, the technique of protecting nature through mystical matters is also not so bad. Although it is better that scientific awareness makes us not to destroy nature.
Author: Abdurrahman Heriza
Editor: Lien Sururoh
Source:
“Gunung Kelud Meletus,” accessed June 15, 2023, https://web.archive.org/web/20140222143858/http://www.metrotvnews.com/metronews/read/2014/02/13/6/215844/Gunung-Kelud-Meletus.
Sri Herminingrum, Kearifan Lokal Masyarakat Tradisional Gunung Kelud (Media Nusa Creative (MNC Publishing), 2021), h 10.
Mulia Sulistyowati, “Mitos Dan Nilai Local Wisdom (Kearifan Lokal) Tradisi Larung Sesaji Sebagai Tolak Bala Di Kawah Gunung Kelud Desa Sugihwaras Kabupaten Kediri,” Prosiding Seminar Nasional Dan Call For Paper Peranan Psikologi Bencana Dalam Mengurangi Risiko Bencana, August 9, 2018, h 43.
