The Talang Mamak tribe is a community that lives traditionally around the Indragiri River, Riau Province. Within this community group, there are subgroups which they call tribes. Then divided further in Tobo and the smallest unit by name hinduk or child clan. In general, Talang Mamak is spread around Bukit Tigapuluh. Administratively, it is located in four sub-districts, namely Batang Gangsal, Kelayang, and West Rengat. One group is in Simarantihan Hamlet, Suo-Suo Village, Batang Sumai District, Tebo Regency, Jambi Province.
Data from the Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI) Warsi, Talang Mamak is an ethnic group whose livelihood depends on forest resources. In the past, they lived from and by hunting and gathering, as well as processing natural resources for ego-family and communal consumption. With traditional life still attached, it influences the way the Talang Mamak tribe socializes and builds kinship ties from all aspects. One of them is in farming.
The Talang Mamak tribe has local wisdom called manugal/menugal/nreckless which means making a hole in the ground using a sharpened piece of wood to plant rice seeds. Approaching the rainy season, the Talang Mamak tribe begins to plant crops on their land. Usually the planting period starts in August-September. Where in that month there is a change of season, namely the dry season to the rainy season.
Before doing it manual, the Talang Mamak tribe will carry out several stages, such as slashing – clearing the bushes on the ground – then cutting down the trees using axes, pickaxes and machetes. In this process, trees or wood must not be cut down to the base. This is because in the belief of the Talang Mamak tribe, the remaining wooden stumps can prevent erosion of the soil. Especially those on hill slopes.
After the land is clean, fire breaks are made before the land is burned. Fire breaks will later be made around the fields that have been cleared. With the aim that when burning it does not affect other plants or other land locations. Fire breaks are usually made by clearing leaves, rotten wood stumps and other flammable objects and then providing a boundary.
For the burning process, the Talang Mamak people usually call a shaman/Ministry of Agriculture fire as a link with petalla teacher or forest guardian creature. To ask for blessings from the ancestors so that the land burning process runs smoothly. And the animals on the land can also be protected. The shaman will read the wind direction to avoid accidents due to smoke and fire from burning. This local knowledge has existed since ancient times and has been passed down from generation to generation from their ancestors to worthy people. So not all Talang Mamak people can become fire shamans.
Land that has been burned or what they usually call it merun/merun, began to be planted with young plants such as chilies, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, cold leaves, sugar cane, pumpkin and taro. This is where the Manugal process is carried out. The Talang Mamak community will work together to help one of the families who want to plant rice. In Talang Mamak traditional culture, this mutual cooperation is called besolang/ploriyen. The man will make a hole using a sharp-edged piece of wood, while the woman will follow from behind to put the seeds into the hole that has been made. These rice seeds are brought by using kombut woven from tassel leaves.
However, they don't only plant rice, usually they also plant other types of plants such as cucumbers and squash. So that various types of plants will grow in their fields. At this stage they usually also divide the land to plant several varieties of rice such as ordinary rice, sticky rice/pulut rice and refined rice.
Land that has been planted with seeds is marked with trees that run across and separate the plots of one plant from another. After that, they will do it iron–make smoke from the campfire near the field hut. This is believed to let animals and spirits know that the field is guarded by the owner. Besiang will be done before the rice stalks are three months old.
Finally, rice that is ready to be harvested will be separated according to its quality and then used as seed for the next planting season. This rice is then counted using a tool cupak– a measure of rice made from coconut shells – where the unit value for one cup is equal to 1/4 kilogram.
From activities manual We can see a lot of local wisdom values from the Talang Mamak tribe. The Talang Mamak tribe knows the concept of mutual cooperation, such as besolang And paloriyen, where the collective and group solidarity are still very strong. This collective is built on pro-social actions, namely, there is a division of labor in each activity and according to their roles. Not only that, bonds are built that connect individuals in the group.
In the increasingly growing era of globalization, it is important for all of us to recognize and maintain the local wisdom of indigenous communities, especially the Talang Mamak tribe. This local wisdom is a valuable treasure that has been passed down from generation to generation. Also, it plays an important role in maintaining the balance of nature, culture and environmental sustainability. Local wisdom covers various aspects of life, such as traditional knowledge systems, ethics, customs and language. This is knowledge that has been tested for centuries and has helped indigenous peoples survive in their unique environment.
Through respect for local wisdom, we can learn a lot about how to protect nature and the natural resources we share. Indigenous peoples often have deep connections to their environment. It has also developed sustainable ways to utilize natural resources without destroying them. Apart from that, maintaining local wisdom is also a form of respect for cultural diversity. It is a reminder that cultural treasures must not only be respected, but also preserved for future generations.
Recognizing and preserving local wisdom allows us to maintain cultural diversity which is an invaluable part of human heritage. Let us together commit to respecting, supporting and collaborating with indigenous peoples. That way, we can play an active role in maintaining the sustainability of the culture and universe that we share together.
