Tradition to Action: The Role of Local Wisdom-based Civic Participation in Environmental Conservation in Hutaginjang Village, Palipi District, Samosir Regency

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_23How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Harangan Bolon; Pangayasi; Community-Based Conservation; Local Wisdom; Spiritual Legitimacy

Abstract

Facing the challenge of deforestation in Indonesia, conventional conservation approaches are considered no longer adequate, so a paradigm shift is needed. A community-based approach is needed that empowers local initiatives and recognizes the important role of communities as the primary guardians of the environment. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of spiritual and social legitimacy of local wisdom, particularly the concepts of Harangan Bolon and Pangayasi, in environmental conservation efforts in Hutaginjang Village, Palipi District, Samosir Regency. Using qualitative methods, this study collected data through participatory observation and indepth interviews. The results of the study show that Harangan Bolon, as an ecological sacred space in Parmalim teachings, has strong spiritual legitimacy. This view fosters ethical and spiritual obligations for conservation, as damaging the forest is considered a violation of sacred values. Meanwhile, Pangayasi functions as a tangible manifestation of collective participation that is socially legitimized by the Dalihan Na Tolu customary system, proving to be the foundation for effective conservation action. The synergy between spirituality and social structure creates harmonious and sustainable environmental protection. Thus, the solution to the environmental crisis lies in recognizing and empowering the spiritual and social legitimacy that is deeply rooted in indigenous communities. This requires governments and conservation agencies to partner with communities, provide stronger legal recognition of customary forests, and support existing local institutions.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Dewi Pika Lbn Batu
AU  - Gita Oktaviani Sitorus
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/12
TI  - Tradition to Action: The Role of Local Wisdom-based Civic Participation in Environmental Conservation in Hutaginjang Village, Palipi District, Samosir Regency
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (ICSSIS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 282
EP  - 293
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_23
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-499-0_23
ID  - Batu2025
ER  -