Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands' Poor Society

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin University of Jember e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: This study aims to respond the problems on: Why Indonesia which is merely independent but there still exists the feudal culture in the society, especially people around the Ijen highlands? The problem is investigated along several questions, elaborated as: 1) What causes PT. Nusantara Plantation XII (PTPN XII) gains HGU (Cultivation Right on Land) from the government to manage the coffee plantations in the Ijen highlands?; 2) Why people around the Ijen highlands only became workers in their own homes? This research combines the historical and anthropological political methods, particularly the use of agricultural involution theory and the theory of hegemony to examine why the feudal culture still exist among the already independent society, especially in the Ijen highlands. The results of this study are: (1) PTPN XII got HGU of the government to manage the coffee plantations in the Ijen highlands is not merely without a reason, but it has gone along a careful govern-ment consideration. PTPN XII is a state-owned company managed by a profes-sional so that the government benefited from a big share of profit in every single year. (2) the society of the Ijen Highland became laborer in their own homes is because the large number of people work for PTPN XII, particularly in Blawan and Kalisat Jampit plantations, as laborers not as skilled employees. Keywords: Feudal culture, the poor society, the Ijen Highlands, PTPN XII, HGU

Abstrak: Penelitian ini hendak menjawab permasalahan mengenai: mengapa Indonesia sudah merdeka tapi masih ada budaya feodal pada masyarakatnya, khususnya masyarakat di kawasan dataran tinggi Ijen? Persoalan tersebut ditelusuri dengan beberapa pertanyaan antara lain: 1) Apa yang menyebabkan PT. Perkebunan Nusantara XII (PTPN XII) mendapat HGU (Hak Guna Usaha) dari pemerintah untuk mengelola perkebunan kopi yang ada di dataran tinggi Ijen?; 2) Mengapa masyarakat sekitar dataran tinggi Ijen hanya menjadi buruh di rumahnya sendiri? Penelitian ini menggabungkan metode historis dan antropologi-politik, khususnya penggunaan teori involusi pertanian dan teori hegemoni untuk membedah mengapa budaya feodal masih tetap hidup dalam masyarakat yang sudah merdeka, khususnya di dataran tinggi Ijen. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah: (1) PTPN XII mendapat HGU dari pemerintah untuk mengelola perkebunan kopi di dataran tinggi Ijen bukan tanpa alasan, tetapi telah didasarkan pada pertimbangan yang matang, di mana PTPN XII adalah perusahaan milik negara yang dikelola secara profesional, sehingga pemerintah diuntungkan dari laba yang besar setiap tahun. (2) masyarakat dataran tinggi

Ijen menjadi buruh di rumahnya sendiri adalah karena sebagian besar mereka bekerja untuk PTPN XII, khususnya di perkebunan Blawan dan Kalisat Jampit, merupakan buruh karyawan tidak terampil. Kata Kunci: Budaya feodal, masyarakat miskin, dataran tinggi Ijen, PTPN XII, HGU

Introduction the coffee-growing of the Dutch heritage At the time of governor general or even they become farm laborers in Johannes van Den Bosch lord over their own home. Indonesia in 1830-1840, he implemented a Large plantation area with good policy namely cultuurstelsel to Javanese in coffee commodity is in East Java, par- growing the agro-industry plants (coffee, ticularly in the former Besuki and Malang sugar cane, etc.) that were selling well in residencies.1 According to the type orga- the European market at that time. Forced nizations, coffee plants are afforded by cultivation obligated farmers to allocate smallholder, government, and private. one fifth of the land for the European The people plantation is commonly ope- plants, such as coffee, sugar, indigo, tea, rated by people in which the large and tobacco (agro-industry plants). Java- amount of the result is for selling with the nese farmers were not accustomed to limited scale of cultivation area. The go- plant the agro-industry plants, it was due vernment and private large plantations to they were used to plant grains and process the plantation crops until it is tubers to fulfill their subsistence needs. ready to export. While most farmers in The feudal kings of Javanese were used to peoples’ coffee plantation still cultivate indoctrinate people from various tales the coffee beans in a simple way and sell telling to plant grains and tubers for the it to collectors who move from village to sake of peoples’ prosperity, so then as village and accommodate the coffee Van Den Bosch tried to force farmers to farmers’ processing result in the genuine grow agro-industry plants, it gave such form (unprocessed/ glondongan ). tremendous impact for many Javanese One of the government plantations farmers. The farmers were to walk for in East Java is PTPN XII that is located in couple of kilometers from their village to a mountainous area of Ijen, Sempol sub- the coffee plantation, and they sometimes district, Bondowoso regency. PTPN XII is had to leave the village over months, the biggest producer of Robusta and stayed in the temporary shelters which Arabica (Java Coffee) in Indonesia. The are close to the area of coffee plantations. great measure production of Indonesia’s The impact of that policy we can feel right coffee at around 50-90% are exported. now is that the coffee plants in which are Indonesian exports are almost entirely forcibly grown in the highlands have a exported still in form of dry seeds and high-selling value compared with the only a small portion in already processed subsistence crops, it is simply because of the coffee selling price corresponds with 1 James J. Spillane, Komoditi Kopi: Peranannya dalam the dollar value. But the problem now is, Perekonomian Indonesia (Yogyakarta: Kanius, 1990), 62. whether the people can gain benefits from KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 174 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

products. The main destination for In- a plateau, the land is mostly affected by donesia’s coffee exports are Germany, the eruptions of Mount Merapi, therefore, Japan, United States, South Korea, and the land shape becomes gray, and dark Italy known as the Java Coffee.2 caused by the high level of charcoal The plantation economy is one of humus and content of nutrients. Sempol the very important factors in the deve- subdistrict with an area of 217.20 km2 lopment of Bondowoso regency which consisting of 6 villages, they are: Sempol, are still mainly dominated by the agri- Kalianyar, Kalisat, Jampit, Kaligedang, cultural sector since the grown plants is and Sumber Rejo Villages.4 the export commodity at a persistent mar- Ecologically, Sempol region is very ket and in a relatively competitive quali- potential for coffee growing, so then most ty. Coffee commodity is expected to play of its territory is used for a coffee plan- a long-term role as the development sour- tation. Historically, the position of PTPN ce that can pop the economic growth up XII is much benefited. How it is not, in Bondowoso regency. when Indonesia is independent the Sempol subdistrict, as this research Dutch-owned plantations were nationa- study area, is located in a mountainous lized. As the result, PTPN XII is then suc- area of Ijen in the south part of Bondo- cessful to get the Cultivation Right on woso regency, with 74 km long distanced Land (HGU) of the government, means from Bondowoso town. The Ijen moun- that the Dutch-owned coffee plantations tain itself is at the east end of Java island in the Ijen highlands of Sempol subdis- goes along Bali Strait to Bondowoso re- trict was taken over by PTPN XII in terms gency with an area of 500 km2, is com- of the management right. posed by volcanic deposits containing This study aims to answer the volcanic ashes, lapilli, and molten lava. problem why Indonesia which is merely Ijen and its surrounding area consist of independent but there still exists the plateaus, hills volcano caldera, slopes, feudal culture in the society, especially and plains that are the alluvial area.3 people in around the Ijen highlands. To Sempol subdistrict is a hilly area as ease in conducting the research, so the it goes along the slopes of Mount Ijen problem is investigated through several with the height between 1,050 meters up questions. First, what causes PT. Nusan- to 1550 meters above the sea level and the tara Plantation XII (PTPN XII) gains HGU average temperature is 18 degrees Celsi- from the government to manage the cof- us. The Ijen mountain rocks are com- fee plantations in the Ijen highlands. Se- posed of pyroxeen and esite rocks, bazalt cond, why people around the Ijen high- and a bit horblende and as it is located on lands only become workers in their own home. 2 Indah Suhartini, Perubahan Sosial Ekonomi Masyarakat Ekologi di Indonesia (Jakarta: Bharatara Karya Aksara, 2011), 53. 3 “Kabupaten Bondowoso”, Wikipedia Bahasa Indonesia, accessed on April 2, 2015 4 https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabupaten_Bond Badan Pusat Statistik, Kabupaten Bondowoso dalam owoso Angka Tahun 2000 (Bondowoso: Badan Pusat Statistik, 2000) KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016: 173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 |175

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin

Research Design Third , in the domestic sector, there This study is a historical research. are family farm units, home industries, Therefore, it will apply the research de- and small trades. As the world com- sign on the basis of historical method. In modity prices trigger the increasing of the the historical research method, the stages export sector, on the contrary, the do- of research will cover the topic deter- mestic sector declines and deteriorates. mination (object of study), heuristics Land and farmers are gradually pulled (source searching/research data collec- over into the commercial agricultural sec- tion), source criticism (data verification), tor needed by the Dutch East Indies the selection and categorization, data government in world trade. analysis, and writing up of history (histo- Fourth , the impact is the more po- riography). pulation of farmers who attempt to compensate the money earnings, the stea- Theoretical Review dier is the habit with the intensification of This study uses the theory of subsistence agricultural production. In agriculture involution coined by Clifford this context, Geertz described this as the Geertz and the theory of hegemony process of impoverishment in rural Java. coined by Antonio Gramsci. Geertz’s Poverty in Java is a result of interaction work can be traced in Agricultural between the indigenous population (far- Involution: The Process of Ecological Change mers in Java) and the colonial structure at in Indonesia (1963). The thesis can be national level in political and economic described briefly as follows: first , the context. colonial policy of the Dutch East Indies The association between the pro- (1619-1942) is taking agricultural process of impoverishment and the thesis of ducts from the fertile Java land to the agricultural involution in Java is des- world market, where the products are cribed by Geertz as a cultural pattern that strongly essentials and well-selling with- has a definitive shape which time by time out changing the fundamental structure develops into the more complex one. of the indigenous economy. However, the Agriculture and Java farmers particularly colonial government never be successful and generally the social life of Javanese in developing the export economy more must keep on standing to face the reality broadly on the world market as well as of increasing population and colonial British at the same time, so the Dutch pressure through a process of internal government main interest still relies on its complexity. Geertz’s theory is used to colony: the Dutch East Indies. look in depth on how the passive attitude Second , the effort from colonial of the farming community in Ijen high- government to reach the international lands. market is to maintain the indigenous The theory of agricultural invo- remains indigenous, and keep on en- lution is formulated with the theory of couraging them to do production only to hegemony. What is meant by hegemony fulfill the world market needs. This si- theory is the dominant way of life and tuation embodies the economic structure way of thinking within which there is a that intrinsically is imbalance. concept of reality spread out in society KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 176 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

both institutional and individual; (ide- as PTPN XII which is the amalgamation ology) that dictates the whole sense, mo- of PT. Plantation XIII, PT. Plantation ral customs, religious principles and poli- XXVI, and PT. Plantation XXIX, as admi- tics, and the entire social relations, espe- nistered in Government Regulation No. cially in the intellectual and moral mea- 17 of 1996, dated 14 February 1996. nings. The establishment of PTPN XII is Based on Gramsci’s idea, it can be set forth in the notarial deed No. 45 dated fairly explained that hegemony is a po- March 11, 1996 by Notary Harul Kamil, wer or domination over life values, SH. in Jakarta. There is a change on the norms, and cultures of a society that at Articles of Association Certificate No. 62 the end turns into the doctrine towards dated May 24, 2000 by Notary Justisia other communities where the dominated Soetandio, SH. and later in accordance to group is consciously following them. The the adjustment with the new Act of Go- group that is dominated by another vernment-owned Company (Act No. 40 group (ruler) does not even feel sup- of 2007) there is a renewal of the Certi- pressed and considers it as something ficate No. 30 Notary Habib Adjie, SH., M. that is supposed to happen.5 This such Hum. dated August 16, 2008.6 condition occurs in the Ijen highlands. The organization of Ijen highlands PTPN XII as the holder of HGU domi- conducted by PTPN XII according to nates community life. In other side, the HGU No. 70/HGU/BPN RI/2011 issued society voluntarily and consciously accept by the National Land Agency (BPN) of it. the Republic of Indonesia. The concession will expire on December 31, 2006. The PTPN XII Got HGU of the Government government choice that hands over to Plantation in Sempol subdistrict, PTPN XII is not merely without a reason, well known as Kalisat Jampit plantations, but it has gone along a careful govern- was first built at the time of the Dutch ment consideration. PTPN XII is a state- East Indies governed the country in a- owned company managed by a profes- round 1890s by Gerhard David Birnie, in sional so that the government benefited which it was managed under the super- from a big share of profit in every single vision of David Birnie Administrate Kan- year. It is proven that in 2013 the govern- toor. In the 1950s, this plantation was ment got a profit of 1.159 trillion rupiahs shifted under the supervision of Land- from PTPN XII.7 bouw Matschappij Oud Djember . Then, in PTPN XII located in the Ijen high- 1958, the plantation was taken over by the lands consists of Blawan Plantation and Republic of Indonesia Government that Kalisat Jampit Plantation that extend over later became the VAT of East Java VII area of 83 090 ha. The Ijen highlands lies union. On 11st March 1996 it turned into on an altitude of 1100-1550 meters above a limited company PTPN XII (Govern- sea level. The variety of this height level ment-owned Corporation) or abbreviated 6 Annual Report PT. Perkebunan Nusantara 5 Nezar Patria, Antonio Gramsci Negara dan Hege- (Persero) XII, ( 2013) moni (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1999), 103. 7 Irwan Basri, Laporan Direktur Utama tahun (2013) KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016: 173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 |177

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin

that is actually the reason behind the vari- roundings with 6 villages spread out in ation and specialty of every taste of diffe- the Sempol subdistrict, Bondowoso re- rent types of coffee. The villages under gency. It is a subdistrict in the Ijen high- the management of Blawan plantation are lands with a high elevation level and a Kalianyar, Kaligedang, and Sumber Rejo fertile land for Arabica Coffee plantations villages while the villages under the ma- (Java Coffee). Metaphorically, it is a piece nagement of Kalisat Jampit plantation of heaven land for Java Coffee that has include Kalisat, Jampit, and Sempol villa- been already popular in Europe since the ges. The majority plant grown in Blawan time of Dutch colonial government. and Kalisat Jampit plantations is Arabica coffee later well-known as Java Coffee. The Preservation of Feudal Culture Java Coffee as a main product of PTPN Feudalism, in this sense, is an XII is exported to Europe. economy doing or a system of economy Historically noticing, the position where the king, his family, and the of PTPN XII is much benefited. How it is nobility as well as the local rulers are the not, since Indonesia was independent lord and the common farmers are the Dutch-owned plantations were nationa- servant. So, in a way of doing feudalism lized. PTPN XII was very successful in economy, the production equipment such gaining HGU (leasehold) from the go- as land is basically the king and nobles’ vernment, in other words, the Dutch- property. Even, the people also belong to owned coffee plantations lie on the Ijen the king in that they can be exploited only highlands of the Sempol subdistrict, for the sake of rulers’ business. These con- Bondowoso regency were taken over by ditions establishes the patron-client rela- PTPN XII in terms of the management tionship. Patron-client relationship is the rights. As the result, 6 villages spread out exchange in relationship between the two in Sempol subdistrict (Sempol Village, roles that can be manifested as a special Kalianyar Village, Kalisat Village, Jampit case of ties involving instrumental friend- Village, Kaligedang Village, and Sumber ship where an individual with the higher Rejo Village) in around the Ijen highlands socio-economic status (patron) uses its are automatically becoming a part within power and resources to give protections the area of PTPN XII. and take advantages from anyone with The impact after PTPN XII obtains lower status (clients). HGU, thus, the whole land harnessed by The client then gives the response the Sempol people as their settlements by offering the general supports and as- becomes the land under the ownership of sistances, including personal services to PTPN XII plantation. This settled land is its patron. As a pattern of exchanges spre- freed from the yearly government taxes, ads, the services and goods which are ex- but PTPN XII Kalisat that takes over the changed by the patron and clients will payment for earth and building taxes. reflect the arising needs and resources Looking at what is happening, owned by every single party. The flow of how great the government hegemony re- the patron to the client relationship detec- presented by PTPN XII over the area ted by James Scott relates to the farmers around the Ijen highlands and the sur- live are: (1) Basic subsistence living, is KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 178 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

providing permanent jobs or land for As Indonesia got its independence farming; (2) Subsistence crisis assurance, and nationalization of foreign companies pat-ron guarantees the basic subsis-tence occurred, the Ijen highlands that consists for the client to absorb losses caused by of the factories and the coffee plantations agricultural problems (drought, etc.) either in Blawan or in Kalisat Jampit, which would disrupt the client’s life; (3) Sempol subdistrict, Bondowoso regency Protection. Protection from outside pres- were under the ownership of Indonesian sure; (4) Broker and influence. Patron be- government. sides uses his power to protect the client, The control of Blawan and Kalisat he is also able to use his power to grab the Jampit plantations fall into the hands of profit/gift from the client as the pay off PTPN XII and is completed with obta- for his protection; (5) Collective patron ining the legal power from the govern- services. Internally, patron as a group can ment through the provision of HGU. perform his economic function collec- Awarding HGU is principally the same as tively, that is managing any kinds of as- giving the Erfpacht right (leasehold) by sistance for his client collectively.8 the Dutch colonial government to the Bir- The authority of feudal kings was nie’s family. continued as the Dutch exploited the The society of the Ijen highlands lands in Indonesia. A weak bargaining will remain be a laborer in his own house position of the Indonesian kings made the forever, because they who are spread out broad of traditional elite became the in 6 villages in the Ijen highlands are representative of the Dutch to mobilize mostly the freelancer with monthly salary farmers in order to grow agro industrial of 750,000 rupiahs only. crops (coffee, tobacco, Nila, sugar cane, These conditions are no different etc.). from the colonial era. The much benefited As the time passed, the farmers position is their masters, they are the were accustomed to be mentally estab- commissioners, directors and their staffs. lished by the feudal lords as a servant The main Board of Directors salary is who must obey the rulers. And this what 69.896 million rupiahs/month plus the happens in the Ijen highlands up to now. other allowances, it is inversely propor- Initially, the Erfpacht right of the Ijen tional to the workers’ salary which is in highlands in the colonial period fell into fact very low. It is so ironic considering the hands of Birnie’s family in which later that the workers play a very important the land was cropped with a type of Ara- role in the PTPN XII production process. bica coffee. In fact, the Ijen highlands was This such illustration is linear with the very suitable for Arabica coffee cropping, experts’ views stated that the charac- the well-selling coffee in the European teristic of large plantations is in fact anti- market at that era. development and causes “chronic poverty” (persistent poverty) in the country 8 Adi Prasetijo, “Hubungan Patron Klien”, side. On the micro level, this system does accesed on April 2, 2015, not give a balance prosperity with the www.etnobudaya.net/2008/07/31/hubungan- gained benefits, especially for the workers patron-klien. and their families.

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin

Even on a macro level, large plan- lies on its colony: the Dutch East Indies. tations are unable to push the local The products of agro industrial crops economy development as it is charac- (coffee, sugar cane, nila, etc.) exploited teristically a self-contained enclave sha- from Indonesia were becoming the best- ped. More ironically, there is an attempt selling in the European market. The to perpetuate and the same time conserve Dutch need not change the economic the feudal culture to remain existing in structure of the indigenous simply, be- the Ijen highlands society. It is proven cause the Indonesian farmers’ mindset that people there only become the wor- was already constructed by the rulers to kers who must be submissive to the boss be submissive and nrimo (accept) towards (PTPN XII) without any resistance. The existing conditions. The most important fulfillment of all subsistence needs for the thing for the indigenous is that their sub- Ijen highlands society by PTPN XII is only sistence life has been accomplished, so a tool to spoil the people in order to re- then it is not necessary to do the resis- main submissive and do not do the resistance against the rulers. This condition tance. occurs in 6 villages in the Ijen highlands In accordance with the farmers li- determined as the HGU regions of PTPN ving following James Scott remarked that XII. PTPN XII accomplishes the society the patron-client relationship occurs with- subsistence needs by employing them in in the framework of subsistence life, that Blawan plantation and Kalisat Jampit is the provision of permanent jobs or land plantation and also providing health faci- for cropping, and it happens to 6 villages lities, housings, educations, places of in the Ijen highlands (Sempol Village, worship etc. The fulfillment of the subsis- Kalianyar Village, Kalisat Village, Jampit tence needs and protection for the society Village, Kaligedang and Sumber Rejo is a weapon for PTPN XII to keep its po- Villages). PTPN XII as a ruler gives per- sition as a patron to the society in the Ijen manent jobs and land for cropping to the highlands. people in these villages. The society Second , one attempt from colonial works voluntarily for PTPN XII without government to reach the international any resistance. The life depiction in Ijen market is to maintain the indigenous re- highlands fits with the thesis of Geertz, as mains indigenous, and keep on encou- follows: first , the colonial policy of the raging them to continuously do pro- Dutch East Indies (1619-1942) is taking duction only to fulfill the world market agricultural products from the fertile Java needs. This situation embodies the eco- land to the world market, where the pro- nomic structure that intrinsically is imba- ducts are strongly essentials and well-sel- lance, which JH Boeke termed this as ling without changing the fundamental economic dualism. Economic dualism oc- structure of the indigenous economy. Ho- curs as people are no longer interested to wever, the colonial government never be become the self-reliance indigenous, they successful in developing the export eco- who work their own advancement, inste- nomy more broadly on the world market ad of being submissive indigenous. This as well as British at the same time, so the such condition is still maintained by the Dutch government main interest still re- colonial government in which PTPN XII KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 180 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

now has taken the lead, so that it becomes indeed typically lazy people who are a piece of cake to push the farmers to reluctant to think critically to advance fulfill the needs of PTPN XII (before the themselves. colonial government) export market with- The theory of agricultural involu- out worrying that their position as the tion is formulated with the theory of exporter of main agro-industrial plants hegemony. What is meant by hegemony will be replaced by the farmers. At this theory is the dominant way of life and time PTPN XII will never be worry that way of thinking within which there is a the people in the Ijen highlands could concept of reality spread out in society replace its position to produce its own both institutional and individual; (ide- Arabica coffee (Java Coffee), considering ology) that dictates the whole sense, they are only the labor whose power is moral customs, religious principles and exploited only to fulfill the Java Coffee politics, and the entire social relations, needs in European market. The society is especially in the intellectual and moral never given a space to think being a self- meanings. Based on Gramsci’s idea, it can reliance farmers. be fairly explained that hegemony is a The association between the pro- power or domination over life values, cess of impoverishment and the thesis of norms, and cultures of a society that at agricultural involution in Java is descri- the end turns into the doctrine towards bed by Geertz as a cultural pattern that other communities where the dominated has a definitive shape which time by time group is consciously following them. The develops into the more complex one. Ag- group that is dominated by another gro- riculture and Java farmers particularly up (ruler) does not even feel suppressed and generally the social life of Javanese and considers it as something that is must keep on standing to face the reality supposed to happen.9 This such condition of increasing population and colonial occurs in the Ijen highlands. PTPN XII as pressure through a process of internal the holder of HGU dominates community complexity. Geertz’s theory is used to life. In other side, as all their needs have look in depth on how the passive attitude been already accomplished, the society of the farming community in Ijen high- voluntarily and consciously accept it. lands.This Passivity emerges for some reasons: low human resources, simple Being Labors in Their Own Homes way of thinking just to satisfy the family Being labors in their own homes is subsistence needs, equipped facilities by an ironic statement. But it is what is now patrons, that is, PTPN XII (including hou- happening to the life of society life in the ses, lands for farming, the lands for crop- Ijen highlands. The beauty of the Ijen ping, educational facilities, medical facili- highlands is more than only the land- ties, worship facilities, etc.), far away scape, it is a piece of a heaven land for Ja- from the shopping center (e.g. Matahari va Coffee (Arabica) since the Dutch colo- Department Store etc.) so it can reduce nial era, but unfortunately, with all these the society’s excessive consumptive beha- excess it is still unable to raise the pe- vior. The response so far is only nrimo (accept) the existing situation or they are 9 Patria, Antonio Gramsci, 106.

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin

ople’s economy simply due to the status The home casual laborer is somewhat dif- of its people no more than only laborers ferent from the regular employee in ways in Blawan and Kalisat Jampit plantations that land and houses for the regular em- of PTPN XII. The production of Java Cof- ployee have been provided by the com- fee cannot be executed elsewhere even at panies located along the road, while the the same elevation degree between 1000- houses for the casual laborers are side by 1550 m. above sea level. The special taste side in the outback housings (not along of the Ijen highlands Java Coffee (Arabi- the road) have been also provided by ca) is irreplaceable, even for the same PTPN XII. Arabica though. European market up to For the casual laborers, the com- now still needs the Ijen highlands Java pany provide land only for residential Coffee. These potential opportunities of area while the house itself must be built course is too worthy to be ignored by on their own. Those houses are very mo- PTPN XII, so then Java Coffee is deter- dest and there is no significant difference mined as the main product. The 90% of among houses, they are alike. It is due to Java Coffee crops is spread to European the land they use is merely a plantation market, while 10% of it for the local land and if in a time they want to build or Indonesian market. fix the house, there must be a permission The society’s life spread out from the plantations broad of party by throughout 6 villages of the Ijen high- following several procedures that must be lands (Sempol Village, Jampit Village, done. Kalianyar Village, Kaligedang Village, According to local residents and Sumber Rejo Village, and Kalisat Village) what is happening on the ground since in Sempol subdistrict as it has been to be the inception of reformation, some people their destiny. The large number of people dare to build the house walls which are work for PTPN XII, particularly in Bla- previously made of bamboo and planks. wan and Kalisat Jampit plantations, as It can be seen that there are some houses laborers not as skilled employees. People with full wall standing on the plantations in the Sempol subdistrict inhabit the land. After the reformation is established, plantation lands for their domiciles, com- the people domiciled in Sempol subdis- mon infrastructures etc. People who live trict are given a bit freedom and spoiled there are compelled to work in the plan- by the plantation party. It is proven that tations. The social structure of plantations now there are range facilities of public society can be clearly distinguished bet- infrastructures from schools, places of ween superiors and inferiors, those two worship, health facilities (Local govern- social structures are the casual laborer ment clinic), road infrastructure, farm (KHL) and the regular employee (KHT). land, and freed building tax. The freelancer’s working hour starts from The board of subdistrict govern- 05:30 am until 13:00 pm paid of 25,000 ment, village government, and planta- rupiahs/day. The job description of the tions are very systematic integral system. casual laborer comprises the coffee tree Those three governments becomes the care, mipil (small stalk cleaning), ferti- inseparable institution among another. lizing, coffee picking at harvest time, etc. All these institution activities are intert- KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 182 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

wined, in other words, if one institution consist of ordinary cows, dairy cows, conducts an event either in subdistrict le- semental cows, limousine cows etc. Parti- vel or village level so those three insti- cularly for goat farming land is arranged tutions will facilitate and support other neatly as “housing for goats”. institutions make the event successful. The facilities given by PTPN XII are not only schools, places of worship, health facilities (local government clinic), road infrastructure, and freed building tax. Beside the above mentioned facilities, plantation party also provide land for livestock. One of the people’s farming land is centralized in one spot. The land given in the Sempol village reaches an area of approximately 1-2 ha. It is not sur- The roof of goat houses found in every village of the prising then to increase the income be- Ijen highlands sides working in plantation, the people in Any facilities given in the farming Sempol subdistrict choose to work in an land and the easiness in gaining the fod- animal husbandry. In addition to provi- der make it very logical that 90% of ding the land for animal husbandry, the people in Sempol district work in animal plantation party also free people to feed husbandry. If it is calculated, one family their livestock in the plantation area (PTP) can possess 5, 10 to 25 goats on average. as long as it does not damage the coffee According to a resident of Sempol village plants. The easiness in gaining the fodder raising livestock, especially goats, is a is in fact successful in attracting people to promising business. If we have 6 goats grow and cultivate livestock. Some of with a fund of 5,000,000 rupiahs and they livestock raised by people are any kinds are grown for around 3 months long, we of cows, horses, goats, chickens etc. The will receive net profit of 4,000,000 ru- most grown animal there is goat, various piahs. Doing a farming is one way to increase the income besides working in the plantations. The income earned from raising livestock is bit higher compared to salary given by the plantation party. The economic conditions of people in Sempol subdistrict is considered much dependent on the plantation (PTP) and forestry. This dependency is characte- rized by the obligation for the whole Goat houses belong to the people, its land is provided by PTPN XII people living on the plantation land to types of goats ranging from ordinary work under the provision of the plan- goat, sheep, etawa, kali gesing, kacang tation. goats etc. For cattle raised by people

Latifatul Izzah and Hairus Salikin

Conclusion Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bondo- Conclusion of this study are as woso. Kecamatan Sempol dalam follows: 1) Feudal culture remains exis- Angka Tahun 2000. Bondowoso: ting on the society in the Ijen highlands as Badan Pusat Statistik, 2000. the result of the high dependence of the Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bondo- society economic subsistence towards woso. Kecamatan Sempol dalam PTPN XII; 2) The government still control Angka Tahun 2012. Bondowoso: the society as they who nrimo (accept) and Badan Pusat Statistik, 2012. are submissive to the patron, that is PTPN Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bondo- XII; 3) The government keeps it position woso. Kecamatan Sempol dalam as if they are such colonizers in the Dutch Angka Tahun 2013 . Bondowoso: colonial era that give HGU of Blawan and Badan Pusat Statistik, 2013. Kalisat Jampit plantations to PTPN XII; 4) Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bondo- The characteristic of large plantations woso. Kecamatan Sempol dalam represented by PTPN XII is in fact Angka Tahun 2014 . Bondowoso: antidevelopment and causes “chronic Badan Pusat Statistik, 2014. poverty” (persistent poverty) in the Boeke, JH. “Memperkenalkan Teori countryside. On the micro level, this Ekonomi Ganda,” in Bunga system does not give a balance prosperity Rampai Perekonomian Desa . Edited with the gained benefits, especially for by Sajogyo. Jakarta: YOI, 1982. the workers and their families; 5) The Geertz, C. Involusi Pertanian: Proses government relies more on PTPN XII as a Perubahan Ekologi di Indonesia . professionally managed state-owned en- Jakarta: Bharatara Karya Aksara, terprises to manage the Ijen highlands by 1976. a huge profit to the government; 6) The Izzah, Latifatul. Haji Kopi: Paradoks Masya- fulfillment of all subsistence needs for the rakat Miskin Kawasan Perkebunan society in the Ijen highlands by PTPN XII Kopi Kecamatan Silo Kabupaten is only a tool to spoil the people in order Jember . Yogyakarta: Jogja Bangkit to remain submissive and do not do the Publisher, 2014. resistance; and 7) At all time, the fact will Labovitz, S. and R Hagedorn. Metode Riset never change that the society in the Ijen Sosial . Jakarta: Erlangga, 1982. highlands will become workers in their Laporan Direktur Utama PTPN XII Drs. own home as long as the government Irwan Basri, MM Tahun 2013. does not change its mindset to create the Nezar Patria, Antonio Gramsci Negara dan self-employed people. [] Hegemoni . Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1999. Bibliography Prasetijo , Adi. “Hubungan Patron Annual Report 2013 PT. Perkebunan Nu- Klien”. Accesed on April 2, santara XII (Persero) 2015www.etnobudaya.net/2008/ Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Bondo- 07/31/hubungan-patron-klien. woso. Kabupaten Bondowoso dalam Profil Perkebunan PTPN XII Kalisat Angka Tahun 1996. Bondowoso: Tahun 2000. Badan Pusat Statistik, 1996. KARSA: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Keislaman Vol. 24 No. 2, Desember 2016:173-185 Copyright (c)2016 by Karsa. All Right Reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i2.1129 184 |

Feudal Culture in the Ijen Highlands’ Poor Society

Spillane, James J. Komoditi Kopi: Suhartini, Indah. Perubahan Sosial Ekonomi Peranannya dalam Perekonomian Masyarakat Ekologi di Indonesia. Indonesia . Yogyakarta: Kanisius, Jakarta: Bharatara Karya Aksara, 1990. 2011.

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