Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep: Political Economy of Grobogan Farmers Against the Cement Industry Dewi Candraningrum 15

Salasika INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF GENDER, WOMEN, CHILD, AND SOCIAL INCLUSION'S STUDIES

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1 – FEBRUARY 2019

Table of Content

Stigmatized Identity in The Myth of Dewi Ontrowulan Mutiara Andalas 1

The Magic of Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep: Political Economy of Grobogan Farmers Against the Cement Industry Dewi Candraningrum 15

An Early Childhood Sex Education Model: Deconstructing Symbolic Meanings of Sintren Dance based on Gender Perspectives Rangga Asmara & Widya Ratna Kusumaningrum 39

The Sustainability of Women's Leadership in Maengket Makamberu Performance Jultje Aneke Rattu 61

The Nature of Papuan Women Indigenous Entrepreneurship in Informal Agricultural Sector (A Case of Papuan Women Traders in Manokwari and Surrounding Areas of West Papua- Indonesia) Ludia T. Wambrauw, Sandra Martin, & Ramzi Addison 77

CHIEF EDITORS Dr. Ir. Arianti Ina Restiani Hunga, M.Si. (Scopus ID: 46161114400; Google Scholar); Dr. Phil. Dewi Candraningrum. (Google Scholar).

EXECUTIVE EDITORS Indriretno Setyaningrahayu, M.Pd. (Google Scholar); Daniel Kurniawan, M.Pd. (Google Scholar); Andi Misbahul Pratiwi, M.Si. (Google Scholar).

BOARD OF EDITORS Prof. Claudia Derichs (Scopus ID: 14026487800). Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ida Sabelis (Scopus ID: 6507181398). Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Prof. Siti Kusujiarti.MA. (Scopus ID: 56276925900). Warren Wilson College, USA; Dr. Ratna Saptari (Scopus ID: 6504610910). Leiden University; Prof. Sylvia Tiwon (Scopus ID: 6506468591). University of California; Prof. Dr. Emy Susanti, MA. (Google Scholar). Airlangga University; Prof. Dr. Ir. Keppi Sukesi, MS. (Scopus ID: 56025803300). Brawijaya University; Dr. Kristi Poerwandari, MA. (Scopus ID: 25628305200). University of Indonesia; Prof. Dr. Willemijn de Jong (Scopus ID: 55258294800). University of Zurich, Switzerland; Prof. Lyn Parker (Scopus ID: 56273266700). The University of Western Australia.

REVIEWERS Prof. Lyn Parker (Scoups ID: 56273266700). University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Dr. Elisabet Titik Murtisari (Scopus ID: 38161752200; Google Scholar). Satya Wacana Christian University; Dr. Wening Udasmoro (Scopus ID: 56493135600; Google Scholar). Gadjah Mada University; Dr. Phil. Farah Purwaningrum (Scopus ID: 57205254451; Google Scholar). The University of Sydney & Rahayu and Partners in association with HFW; Alimatul Qibtiyah, M.Si. MA. Ph.D. (Scopus & Google Scholar). Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University; Dr. Tyas Retno Wulan, M.Si. (Scopus & Google Scholar). The Jenderal Soedirman University; Dr. Titik Sumarti, MSi. (Scopus & Google Scholar). Bogor Agricultural University; Prof. Dr. Mien Ratoe Oedjoe, MPd. (Google Scholar). The University of Nusa Cendana, Kupang; J. Casey Hammond, PhD. (Scopus & Google Scholar). Singapore University of Technology and Design; Dr. Phil. Ratna Noviani (Google Scholar). Gadjah Mada University; Dr. Rina Herlina Haryanti (Google Scholar). Sebelas Maret University; Dr. Ida Ruwaida Noor (Google Scholar). University of Indonesia; Dr. Nurjanah, SP.M.Pd. (Google Scholar). State University of Jakarta; Dr. Ir. Evi Feronika Elbaar, M.Si. (Google Scholar). The University of Palangka Raya; Dr. Jendrius M.Si. (Google Scholar). Andalas University; Dr. Grace Jenny Soputan, SE. (Google Scholar). Manado State University; Dr. Anis Farida, S.Sos., SH., M.Si. (Scopus & Google Scholar). Sunan Ampel State Islamic University Surabaya; Ira Desiaanti Mangiliko, S.Si,.Ph.D. (Google Scholar). The Artha Wacana Christian University. The Magic of Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep … (Candraningrum)

The Magic of Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep: Political Economy of Grobogan Farmers Against the Cement Industry

Dewi Candraningrum Muhammadiyah University [email protected]

ABSTRACT JMPPK (Jaringan Masyarakat Peduli Pegunungan Kendeng/the Kendeng Mountains Community Care Network), which is coordinated by Gunretno, says that maintaining the ecology of Kendeng has to be achieved extra- territorially because the threats also come from outside the region. The cosmology rooted in Samin Surosentiko’s teachings has gained a space for revival in Kendeng soil since cement corporations have demanded environmental permits to mine and build factories. The Kendeng Mountains are viewed differently by the state and the Sikep community, as an asset which can be mastered and exploited, and on the other side as a source of sacred water for the future of the grandchildren, either for or against cement. The resilience of the JMPPK and the Sedulur Sikep in consistently resisting cement factories across the Kendeng Mountains is growing increasingly strong, even though their opponents are state-owned and even foreign corporations from Germany and China, for example. The social evolution which predicted that these groups would go extinct have been invalidated by the arrival of a common enemy; mining corporations.

KEYWORDS: JMPPK, Samin, Sedulur Sikep, Grobogan, farmers, cement industry

INTRODUCTION by Tribun Jateng on 2 September Maintaining the karst and 2016, “in addition to pressure from biodiversity of the North Kendeng the people, the establishment of a Mountains, which extend across five cement factory will absorb a lot of kabupaten in Central Java (Rembang, local jobs”. She then went on to say Blora, Pati, Kudus, and Grobogan) is that the authority to approve PT SG not an easy task. A PT Semen is not only in the hands of Grobogan Indonesia (PT SI) cement factory has Kabupaten Government but also in been established on Bokong the hands of the Central Java Rembang Mountain, and PT Semen Provincial Government. “This Grobogan (PT SG) was planned to be means that the Kabupaten opened in Kecamatan Government just goes along with the Tanggungharjo at the end of 2016. Provincial Government policies and that of Governor Ganjar Pranowo. According to the Bupati of 15 Grobogan, Sri Sumarni, as quoted With the Central Government

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planning a cement factory province, because threats can appear moratorium we will get together in all five kabupaten along the with the Regional House of Kendeng Mountains and from Representatives (DPRD) and cement industries from different prominent local figures to discuss countries. the issue. However, if the building of In response to the statement that the cement factory is cancelled it the cement industry can absorb a lot will be the community who loses of the local workforce, the reality is out. The permissions are already in that AMDAL (environmental impact place, all that is left is to build it. On assessments) from a number of top of that, the people’s desire for cement factories have stated that the factory to go ahead is strong,” they need no more than 500 stated the Grobogan Bupati to workers and that 400 of these Tribun Jateng (Tribun Jateng, 2016). workers are specialists and PT SG plans to partner with China professionals, leaving only 100 Triumph International Engineering laborers. Meanwhile around 1,000 Co Ltd (CTIEC) to invest 350 to 2,000 people in each of the 19 million US dollars (approximately villages in the five affected Rp 3.5 trillion) as reported by Suara kecamatan are farmers. Farming of Merdeka, 2 September 2016 (Kejar food crops is the largest source of Tren Permintaan, Bangun Pabrik livelihoods for people in Kabupaten Baru) and the Jakarta Post, 12 August Grobogan. Their question is who is 2011. According to the Indonesian this cement factory really for? The Cement Association, due to the involvement of citizens in AMDAL overproduction of cement, it is has also come into question. The highly likely that cement produced AMDAL for PT SG (see Appendix 12) from the Kendeng Mountains will be outlines the results of questionnaires exported overseas. carried out in the 5 kecamatan JMPPK (Jaringan Masyarakat (Gubug, Tegowanu, Karangrayung, Peduli Pegunungan Kendeng / the Tanggungharjo and Kedungjati) with Kendeng Mountains Community 10 to 30 respondents and minimal Care Network), which is coordinated involvement of women: who believe by Gunretno, says that maintaining that the threat of water shortages, the ecology of Kendeng has to be damage to the karst system, and achieved extra-territorially because hazardous waste and dust, among the threats also come from outside others, is high at between 60 and 70 the region. A large share of PT percent compared to 30 to 40 Indocement’s stocks are held by percent. The question that follows is Heidelberg Cement from Germany whether this AMDAL is reliable. and the largest shareholder in PT SG According to the AMDAL, the age of is from China. This overseas the mine will be 36-40 years from investment shows that efforts to its establishment and it will impact maintain the ecology and karst of 19 villages from 5 kecamatan. Once it the Kendeng Mountains cannot be is set up, the mine will be contained within the territorial operational until 2056. Is it possible 16 borders of the kabupaten or the that the Kendeng Mountains in

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Kabupaten Grobogan will be human civilization. The earth is, in depleted? How could the karst, fact, the primary resource and main which acts as a water reservoir for material base of the capitalist millions of people in Grobogan, be political economy, which has been restored if it is destroyed forever? provided free of charge. Motives, What will the fate of the Demak- modes and practices have depended Semarang ground-water basin look on changing the purpose of the like? And what about the impacts on earth from maintaining life to the living spaces of the Grobogan gaining a profit. The intensification, people? Do the ancient Northern commodification and exploitation Kendeng Mountains not have a of the earth for the production of history which is worthy of profit has caused it to become ill. protecting? Possible ecological The relationship between humans disasters that may occur if the mine and the earth which was once sacred goes ahead include the destruction and full of rituals, has been accused of the Kendeng Mountains of being irrational, occult, sorcery, ecosystem. The northern coastal pagan, and primitive, by modern region of Central Java, Semarang in human societies. The biological particular, faces an annual problem rationalization of the earth in its of coastal flooding and seepage. If most arbitrary form is its termed as the southern side of the Kendeng a ‘resource’. The brutal exploitation Mountains is damaged the problem of the earth has resulted in many of flooding will escalate in the years environmental anomalies and to come and the economic costs for because humans have been unable the kabupaten and provincial to interpret the efforts of the earth governments of Central Java will be to maintain life, they refer to these extremely high. This ecological events as ‘disasters’. The economic disaster cannot be separated from costs of these disasters for the the economic disaster that will arise modern state cannot be considered from it. normal or incidental, but as the extremely expensive costs of an

unhealthy planet. CAPITALISM AND THE The Tawangharjo and EXTERNALIZATION OF Wirosari regions are SOCIETY threatened by the existence of As far as it is observable by cement factories. Those humans, history states that the asking for approval are PT biological age of the earth is 4.5 (name of PT unknown) in the billion years. Viewing the human south Tlatah region of context based on the biological Kendeng, while in the north existence of the earth, the human lies Tambakromo where an civilization is new; yet it has resulted Indosemen factory will be in damaging effects to the biosphere built (largest shares held by and biodiversity of flora and fauna. Heidelberg Cement The evolution of life and the Germany). I opposed it and important processes of the earth’s was taken to the 17 ecology are the main backrest of

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Administrative Court of “How did it happen brother? Semarang where I won. Then Why was a permit allowed to be PT Indosemen made an passed?” As an outsider I didn’t appeal to the Administrative know whether the locals Court in Surabaya and won. I agreed or disagreed, so I lost and finally appealed to visited the place. the Supreme Court. Rembang (Gunretno, personal citizens from the eastern communication, November Kendeng region have been 23, 2016) protesting the cement factory since 2010. Sued at the first level in Semarang; lost, in The motives, modes and practice Surabaya; lost, then took the of humans adapting their home is, case to the Supreme Court in fact, what causes damage and and on 5 October; won. Even endangers the ecosystem. In the though the cement factory biological history of the earth this was already 100% built. This case represents the cultural mal- problem has created tensions, adaption of human history. The but for the people here the cultural mal-adaption of humans main thing is that it is not has in recent times reached a built. If you want to make a massive scale at its peak, resulting in stand, this is the right way. climate change which alters the new The woman beside me was landscape of human’s adaption of Sukinah. Ibu Sukinah led the nature. At this stage, whether they women in the resistance tents. want to or not, humans must start She vowed not to go home if learning to adapt to unpredictable we had not won. She didn’t go weather patterns. The worst affected home for two and a half are social structures whose years, even though the tent professions are dependent on was only 4km from her nature; or farmers. The ecological home. There were two collapse of the earth’s biological villages which took turns culture directly relates to social occupying the tents. inequality. In almost all cases of Thankfully, on 5 October the ecological inequality, social Supreme Court decided that inequality appears as either a cause we had won. For me, I don’t or a consequence. The confiscation need to explain to you my of farm land, the expropriation of knowledge about limestone in forests, etc. are a disconnection and detail. I’m sure you can feel it. disarticulation from the most basic At the moment I am here knowledges of pagan and primitive with my sisters and Mas cultures, which teach that humans Zaenal from LBH (Legal Aid) live both off and for the Semarang. People have come environment and that human beings here from Semarang and could go extinct. Humans need to be other places who know about truly sensitive to, in tune with, equal 18 the permit which came out of to, and have respect for their this area, and they asked me: mother, their home, and the womb;

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the earth. This requires a radical understand that if these hills don’t understanding, which is directly exist we will have to buy water connected to the earth. Humans are because there will be no water the earth, and the earth is humans. If source. Then how much money one or the other is not healthy, they will we have to spend on water? will both be unhealthy. We cannot live without water. So it is important that we protect our Although there has been an water source. From the stone that AMDAL here, it hasn’t happened you think is not useful the corn over there. The people are aware on top of the mountains in that if the limestone is mined, Grobogan in fact grows, and here what will happen to their water it is the same. If the peak of the source? That’s in Tawangharjo mountain is not productive, they and Wirosari. Apart from acting will realize that from the as a sponge for water, it also needs mountains they also get corn. And to be understood that the the price of corn is already high. limestone has other functions – Because of that, it really needs to before we still had many trees, be explained clearly so that we really fresh air, and a blue sky— can picture the process of the now that the trees have died, the water from the top right down to thing that makes the sky clean the bottom. and the air fresh is the limestone which absorbs carbon dioxide two (Gunretno, personal times stronger than plants. These communication, November 23, days many people are sick. They 2016) go to hospital and buy oxygen,

while the oxygen source which is close to home is being destroyed In his book Neben uns die Sintflut: and we don’t understand it. Die Externalisierungsgesellschaft und Because of this I think it is really ihr Preis published by Hansler Berlin important to educate people (2016), Stephan Lessenich, a about the function of the sociologist and professor from the limestone. In terms of the karst, a University of Munich, examines the lot of us believe that they are only side effects of global capitalism on a mining the top part, meaning we process that he calls die don’t have to worry because the Externalisierungsgesselschaft (‘society water source comes from below, of externalization’), or the so it is safe. However, that is not dependency of the system on the reality. Because there are no external resources (excavated trees at the top, when it is dry the materials, water, crops, and even sponge will seep into that section. human resources through the chain The hills will be mined by the of migration) while at the same time cement factory. It’s of no use, exporting waste to other locations. they said, so why is it rejected. If The carrying out of this long process calculated cubically, it has already of receiving resources and disposing generated money. That is how of waste is the most dangerous chain they see it. However, we need to in the history of human civilization 19 and the history of the earth. The

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conversion of productive land into which have, on average, higher mining land, for instance, to fulfill living standards, broader lifestyle the needs of certain countries using choices and larger resource resources from others, the trade of consumption—and the living humans in the form of cheap conditions in on-average much migrant workers from one country poorer societies, including the to another, or the export of rubbish, countries from the global south waste and harmful toxins from which have fewer opportunities powerful countries to those with and produce fewer emissions, weaker democracies and law should not overlook the internal enforcement. Lessenich sees this to inequalities that exist on both mean that ecological inequality is sides of the spectrum. It should equal to social inequality. The however take a sensitized relationship between the two can approach, one side of which is manifest in both causes and effects. reflected in Piketty’s much- ‘The society of externalization’ in lauded and widely discussed the capitalist system has over time discourse on Capital in the 21st given birth to many instances of Century. Piketty argues that in the violence, social injustice, and wealthiest countries of the world ecological destruction. Lessenich there are rich, whose wealth is questions how a community or continually increasing and–much country can live off another in contrast to the prevailing community or country, while ideology of performance— whose simultaneously depriving them of position and maintenance of their right to life without knowing power cannot be attributed to each other at all. The incredibly high their own efforts, however to the price of social economic structures exploitation of inherited capital. is paid with ecological destruction What the French economist’s and the increasingly deteriorating study fails to address is the fact carrying capacity of the planet. He that on the world scale a similar sees this process of externalization structure has been established as the mobilization of the most (Lessenich, 2016, p. 21). brutal monopoly of the earth, which Feminism and/or ecological has resulted in human civilization movements not only avoid polite itself becoming more and more conversation with global economic vulnerable. politics. They also reject the To reiterate: the point here is not commodification of the green to downplay or trivialize the movement in all aspects. However, social inequalities that exist to the wider public can sometimes be varying levels within every easily deceived into believing that a country in the world. There is particular advertisement, or a poverty in Germany, just as there particular project, is the intention of are rich people in Ethiopia. the green political movement. The Comparisons of the living highjacking of the green movement conditions in the overall wealthy and the process of discounting its 20 societies of the global north— visions on a certain scale could

The Magic of Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep … (Candraningrum)

endanger the movement itself. demography. This challenge Simply stating that gender equality requires a multidimensional can make everything equal and can conceptualization that is capable of save everything is also included in explaining the clinical and the politics of discounting, which methodological dimensions of can be reluctant in the face of power, as well as the hierarchy of ecological injustice as a breeding power. Intersectionality ground for migratory illnesses and acknowledges that experiences of human trade. The introduction of identity are not singular and are not the intersectional approach has autonomous, but are restored the interconnectivity interdependent, growing, and between the issues of ecological continuously experienced with the injustice and the social politics of influence of varied patterns of democracy. representation, ranging from class, capacity, and even a person’s In the 80s an African-American sexuality. Thus, to understand the feminist, Kimberlé Williams process of the racialization of Crenshaw, introduced the concept women, or any other intersection, it of intersectionality to the repertoire needs to be traced back to: 1) of feminist theory to help structures of racialization, 2) the understand the intersections of social processes of racialization, 3) power, domination, oppression and the social representation of discrimination which are racialization via gender, class, characterized by gender, race, class, sexuality, etc. The experiences of sexual orientation, religion, castes, Catholic Papuan women can be very age, and other dimensions of different to the experiences of identity which stimulate their Muslim Papuan women, or just interactions between each other. Papuan women. Intersectionality This theory argues that all of these acknowledges that the sense of self is elements are inter-related and that ambiguous and is always open to they are not autonomous of one revision, and that its borders are another, but influence each other constructed and fluid. and become an inseparable part of human identity. This approach can Are Javanese women inherently be used to understand how injustice more obedient, submissive, and and systematic social inequality can because of this, more sensual than exist and arise in a multidimensional Padang women, for example? Are manner. Intersectionality helps poor women, or disabled women humans to investigate, identify, and not capable of being good mothers? map the various forms of This paper acknowledges that these discrimination and oppression are important questions to which inter-relate with one another. investigate, including how intersectional investigations of Intersectionality represents an identity, race, and sexuality can give important paradigm in the context birth to bias and stereotypes, and of critical thinking theory which can negatively influence the must deal with growing patterns of psychological and social lives of 21 injustice in the complex space of

SALASIKA: Indonesian Journal of Gender, Women, Child, & Social Inclusion's Studies Vol. 2 No. 1, February 2019

women. One of the aims of this extinction of bees and birds which paper is to move beyond the duality could disrupt the process of flower and binary of ecological analyses, pollination to produce fruits, which are sometimes able to provide pollution, lifestyles that break the instant answers to a problem, but are link between consumption and the unable to highlight its roots in availability of natural resources, all inequality. This intersectional make the economy a dangerous approach examines the issue by thing. viewing the situation as a product of In her book, If Women Counted policies, culture and various other (1989), Marilyn Waring proposes the forms of documentation which importance of including the work intentionally or overtly hide that most women do and the narrations of oppression, resources that nature gives in the subordination, discrimination, and activity of calculating the productive social abuse. economy. She criticizes the way Intersectionality helps to economic measurements of modern highlight the invisibility of women states and of the world generally and nature, as well as their ignore these two contributions. She biodiversity in neo-classic economic even argues that the most politics. Not only women, but also detrimental tool of colonization men and sexual minorities face the which exists in this era is the failure reality that they are only a resource of states to recognize the major and commodity in market contributions of women and nature circulation. Worse is that the to the strategic economy. Her strategic economy does not intervention was then expanded on acknowledge household economies, in her book Who Cares? The the economy of care-giving, or non- Economics of Dignity in 2011. She market economies as an important again questions the “limitations of part in the strategic revenue of a production” and “what is modern state. Economic feminists productivity?” She also criticized have long been highlighting the how non-market economies are ignorance of global economic referred to as non-productive. In politics and scholarship in her opinion, the following three addressing the role of women contributions have strategic (Waring, 1988; Ferber & Nelson, characteristics which should be 1993; Folbre, 1994), and even more included as important economic tragic is the acknowledgement of revenues. classical economic disciplines that It’s ok, just let it go. You know the nature and families “can take care of area better than me, so you guide themselves”. This discourse has me. I had visited Gus Mus in given rise to various fatal issues, Rembang before meeting Prin, such as waste, annexation of human then visit Gus Zaim, and all of the resources, etc. which endanger the Islamic boarding schools. Gus cycles of nature and biodiversity. Zaim confessed that he was a land The mass extinction of at least one speculator and miner. I felt 22 third of the world’s fauna, the miserable, but how else should I

The Magic of Dukun Jani and the Revival of Neo-Saminism in Sedulur Sikep … (Candraningrum)

have felt? My aim is to protect the society, or the modern construction environment. I said to him, “Gus, of the separation between the if my prayers are answered, I pray biophysical, the human and the that you can sufficiently fulfil your supernatural worlds. These material needs, but that this knowledge models are renowned as sufficiency is not obtained through the indigenous knowledges which destruction of nature”. And he preserve local traditions and refuse opened his heart, “Okay Mas. I will to be reduced to modern, capitalist, stop. I am ready to defend the people or technocratic terminologies. of Tegaldowo. I am ready to be Similarly, there seems to be a recorded. I am ready to be invited to certain convergence in recent the meeting to stand against the anthropological approaches in cement”, he said. I’ve wanted to go treating local knowledge as a from the beginning, [but] it practical, situated activity, seemed like there would be [the constituted by a past, but cement factory] in Rembang, but changing, history of practices. the movement hadn’t grown to This assumes that knowledge protect the earth. Later if you are works more through a body of all ready [I will come], but right practices than by relying on a now I am only here for a while. system of shared, context-free (Gunretno, personal knowledge. This practice-oriented communication, November 9, view of local knowledge has its 2016) origin in a variety of theoretical positions (from Heidegger to

Bourdieu and Giddens). A related ECOLOGICAL POLITICAL trend emphasizes the embodied THEORY AND THE aspects of local knowledge KNOWLEDGE OF (Hobart, M., 1993, p. 17). TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES A growing number of In this paradigm, the human anthropologists and ecological knowledge of the world can be experts are finding and arguing that depicted as a process of mastering rural communities in various skills based on their engagement corners of the earth have narratives with nature and the environment. about nature which differ from From this approach, humans are modern understandings. Thus, they interconnected with nature and understand the phenomenon of dependent on actions which are nature in a specific way. Many practical and strategic from, by and scholars have documented different for nature. models of cultures which are based in nature (MacCormack & Strathern, Local agricultural knowledge 1980; Descola, P., & Pálsson, G., must be seen as a set of time and 1996; Gudeman, S., & Rivera, A., context-specific improvisational 1990). Many of these models of local capacities rather than as knowledge are not based on a constituting a coherent dichotomy between nature and “indigenous knowledge system,” 23

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as earlier literature suggested. In articulated within the theories of this performative view of local ecological politics, especially those knowledge, it is proper to speak of which attempt to provide alternative embodied capacities in the narratives on the rationalization of performance of tasks in social ecological politics and social contexts shaped by particular movements to protect the cultural logics. These welcome environment. The most important trends, of course, do not solve all aspect of this mindset is the the questions regarding the development of a new paradigm of nature and modes of operation of producing knowledge that values local knowledge, and many open ecosystems, other social groups, and questions remain that cannot be provide alternative solutions for a reviewed (Richards, 1993; more sustainable form of political Escobar, 1999). development which is more general, modern, technocratic.

I will make an offer to you all. Do It is therefore important to you want to watch a film or do provide a broader framework for you want me to present to you discussing issues related to the about limestone? This is research conservation of biodiversity, such as done by a Doctor of UPN, Pak rights to intellectual property, which Eko Teguh Paripurno. I will invite are related to ecological and human him here someday. The citizens life. Another of the most of Kendeng already understand heartbreaking examples is how this topic, but it is better to refer AMDAL (environmental impact to an expert. I will tell you a bit assessments) conducted by about the limestone mountains. universities in countries with weak You may have already heard democracies in fact do not defend about the resistance against nature and the environment. cement factories in Pati and Ethnographically these assessments Rembang. Maybe you have require the documentation of a thought, cement is used for variety of groups who are different development, why does it have to in their views and involvement with be resisted? This means that you nature. From the multiplicity of don’t know about the function of cultural models, the following limestone. Talking about the questions can be further elaborated: limestone, before there were Is it possible to design a local model cement factories, there were a in order to defend biodiversity and number of water sources in the nature? With what and in what area. From then until now there is manner can the transformation of less water coming from these the model be adapted to a more sources, why? All answers are true, universal discourse, which can be that is why we deserve to know more easily conveyed in different what we have, to understand its contexts? And how can social actors function, and whether it is consistently fight for projects which important to us or not. It’s like protect and restore ecosystems? 24 this; if there are trees, during the These questions have been actively

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rainy season the water is absorbed processions are no longer marked by leaves and roots, but if there with shamanistic rituals like they are no trees, the water falls and were during the era of our ancestors. directly flows into the rivers and Almost all parts of the world have into the sewers instead of being seen the food chain be disconnected absorbed. Apart from the trees, from its historical spiritual limestone also absorbs water. One connection with the provision of the cubic square of limestone is earth. This separation of humans capable of absorbing more than from the earth is signified by the 200 litres (of water). Meaning the birth of a modernity which rejects loss of limestone because of and forbids shamanism and mining equals to the loss of water dominance over the earth in the storage during the rainy season. name of the capitalist economic During the rainy season, water commodification. which is usually absorbed by the Anthropocentrism marks the era in trees and the limestone flows which humans have become the down into an underground river; centre of the universe and have into the caves, the streams, and broken their sacred connection with then into the people’s wells. This the earth. The birth of intensified means that during the dry season farming methods and different the water supply is sufficient due means of exploiting the earth mark to the underwater river. This the diminishing of the world’s water comes from millions of species and a deficit of biodiversity, droplets of limestone. Just as which then gave birth to a new limestone absorbs water, it also apocalypse, climate change. Food functions as a water sponge was previously seen as a ‘gift’ from (absorbant/collector). This was in the earth which was generously the Grobogan region where they served to her children, human were going to establish cement beings. However, then it began to be factories in Tawangharjo and seen as a ‘product’ of human labour, Wirosari. However, because of the as a ‘commodity’ which could be community’s awareness they sold, bought, and which exists in the managed to issue an AMDAL, but trade market. The sanctity of food when the meeting was held in the and seeds was replaced by village hall they were expelled by ‘production profit’ along with the the people. intensification of farming and the land, giving birth to ‘production (Gunretno, personal risks’ (in the words of Ulrich Beck, communication, November 23, Risikogesellschaft), or the degradation 2016) of soil capacity and fertility.

So, now they are at the stage of THE MAGIC OF DUKUN JANI exploration permits. Exploration This generation has become means research. So not yet witness to the fact that the processes exploitation. They have already of planting food crops, cultivation, been conducting research for two harvesting, cooking, and food years, why are they not finished? 25

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Because now there is the process impacts. For this reason, I often of creating AMDAL. The creation visit the area. If it is possible I of the AMDAL previously failed want to educate the community because the mapping goes like about the effects of the cement this; landlords buy land, but it factory. It needs to be understood, turns out the purchased land is Mbah, that if you are someone not in accordance with the who cares about the people of this specifics of the cement factory nation, and you have not resisted plan. This then creates conflict. So then I don’t consider you to be a the failure (of the cement factory) person who cares. Why? This here was not because it was cement factory has already resisted by the community, but overproduced almost 30 million because of internal conflicts tonnes and is now exporting between the cement factory and overseas. In China, 762 factories land speculators. Once this was have been closed and they then resolved, it almost went ahead, expanded to Indonesia. Because but then a new Forest Law was of this I believe that people who introduced, which meant that have not resisted do not truly forest land could not easily be care. To care means that if a exchanged, unless accompanied natural resource is being depleted with records. For example, they and taken overseas, you are didn’t start the process from A but letting the reserves of your had to work backwards from B. offspring (be depleted). They will This meant that everything that not have a share, because it will be had already gone ahead had to be depleted. That is why I am really fixed in retrospect, but they failed vocal in expressing this issue. again. Finally, they are now in the Each person has their own beliefs; third stage. The core of the their beliefs as a cultural leader problem is the developers. (punden), their beliefs as a dukun, Having learnt from the Banyumas but this will not solve the case, the current investors are problem. Cement factories have from China. Finally, the investors their own way of doing things, mapped the problems, developed just like the dukun do. Because of solutions, finished mapping and this it is really important for the finally processed the AMDAL. community to keep learning, so Once the AMDAL was that they have knowledge. If this environmentally feasible they problem continues, slowly but then requested an environmental surely the earth will be dredged permit from the governor. This and the rewards will be sent environmental permit was overseas, and so on. But there is already granted with a timeframe not one single person who is of 90 days for citizens to willing to stand up against it. challenge the decision or not. Because of this, one by one, Pati However, the problem remained won. I will also help in Rembang, calm and no issue was raised, where Prin comes from. If you 26 because the community did not have parents, visit them. But the understand the extent of the most important thing is gaining

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knowledge. Therefore, I will meet and nature. In Europe, the burning with as many people as I need to, of witches in the middle ages to make them understand. Once signified a disconnection of the root they understand, it will go like of the relationship between humans this; if something is useful then it and the earth. This disconnection will be taken, if it is not just let it was exacerbated by the be. So we need to understand that commodification and intensification our mountain is our source of of farming after the second world water, and also our source of war during the green revolution, history. If this mountain which spread throughout the entire disappears, our source of history world. The war against magic and and source of water will disappear the intimate relationship between along with it. If you understand women and nature has also given history, you understand the birth to the desacralization of the damage of this, so this needs to be bodies and sexuality of men and followed up. This is Mbak Dewi, a women, as well as sexual minorities. lecturer at a number of campuses. For example, the Lengger dance in The AMDAL was going to be Banyumas, which is performed by divided between a number of ‘male dancers’ wearing women’s professionals to complete. clothing to look like a Tayub dancer However, even if the as a symbol of thanks to the mother professionals were ready to help, earth for having produced a harvest, no one wanted it. They would has changed into a cultural product even have been considered to be used for tourism alone. It has provocateurs and that would not lost all of its mystical meaning. The have been good. If one person Lengger dancers have also was brave enough, I’m certain undergone a process of binary there would have been many gender simplification, into men or others who followed. For me, it women, without acknowledging could be anyone, even a woman. them for their own realities. When As long as they are brave enough asked whether they are men or to fight for the right thing, they women, legendary Lengger dancers, don’t have to be afraid. Unless we such as Dariah, answer that they are are wrong. neither one. (Gunretno, personal At that time, the dukun had a communication, November 9, saying; “don’t cement rich land”. 2016) So I traced it from Mbah Jaskam who I visited; she did not agree,

Mbah Sajat. Back then the dukun In the knowledge of the ancestors healers did not agree with their of the archipelago, the words magic land becoming cement factories. (sihir) and supernatural powers At that time the land here was also (kesaktian) are used to refer to the cultivated. It was worked like way nature works. Therefore, rituals anything, all the way to are needed to show respect for these Purwodadi. Now it is certain to processes in order to nurture the become a cement factory. And the 27 spiritual connection between man

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land here contains a water source. desacralization of the earth and Now there is still one obstacle; is persecution against it. This can be it possible for my land to not seen in the increasing amount of become part of the cement fauna which are going extinct and factory? But now I don’t know if it the drastic loss of biodiversity of the will still go ahead or not. Actually, world’s flora. Knowledge of they already understand the supernatural powers, shamanism, situation. They just won’t accept magic, and the sanctity of trees and it. In those days there was Mbah fauna, have become second class Haji Deli and there was also Pak knowledge, or are avoided because Dono, a bamboo farmer, but he is they are not rational, not not around anymore. Back then understood or seen as mere fairy he travelled to Semarang, and tales. Previously this desacralization Jakarta, to find out who had was marked by the rationalization of bought their land, but he didn’t natural sciences. The disconnection, find them. In the past, there was separation and dissection of the much hope for the cement spirit of the earth (anima mundi) and factory here. But that was only the spirit of humans is the origin of some people, I don’t understand the process of desacralizing rituals in it. But back then they were called the cycle of human life and the Semen Sugih Harapan (Cement for earth. The domination, exploitation, Wealth and Hope). One meter and intensification of bodies and the was valued at five hundred rupiah earth have coincided with humans’ in those days. I forget which year decreasing sovereignty over seeds. that was. But it was a long time Dead-end seeds have begun to be ago. That was when we still had a produced, which have to be good Bupati. Back then the lurah purchased in a store and cannot be was still Pak Is. He was about to go germinated by farmers and into pension, then our land was gardeners. This makes farmers taken (by the cement). Then he dependent on the agriculture stepped down, and he was industry. Farmers are now replaced by his child for two increasingly vulnerable, with climate periods. So, at that time he was change and global warming, because able to sell the land (to the cement they are no longer able to rely on factory) from the north of the predatory institutions and village to Kayunan. So when the harvesting cycles can no longer be current lurah took his place, it was predicted like they could in the past. said to be all gone already. Many We all have a responsibility to fell victim to the cement. save Kendeng. If you can do it (Dukun Jani, personal through legal channels, please go communication, November 9, for it. Like Pak Skri or I; maybe 2016) we can work together. However, because I don’t really know you here, I just want to explain the The descralization of bodies and function of the limestone, if you will let me. Because if you don’t 28 their sexuality has occurred agree, I will just be a hindrance to simultaneously with the

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you all. However, if you agree, I planet earth will be threatened if the am one of the people who openly rainforests are not left intact, in rejected to opening of the cement order to sustain human life in the factory in Central Java. Because I future. With the rise of development am observed by my ancestors, projects, the earth, which was once according to the local beliefs considered sacred, is now Central Java is the food granary of considered only as a resource. The the archipelago, and not just earth has lost its sanctity as an Indonesia. There are already omnipotent mother. many industrial factories in West The terror of capitalism has Java, not just cement factories, but separated the connection between many local communities have the spirits and reduced them to been replaced. East Java is not bottles and cans containing that different. If everything is products. At the same time, rituals to destroyed, what will life here look worship and respect nature have like? Maybe this will make you diminished drastically and are think; Why does it have to be like considered to be foolish and this? Will the outcome not be ignorant. Thus, the extinction of profit? The outcome of mining is spiders as a result of pesticides and money, but what about the the exploitation of the earth through impact on our children and mass chemical pesticide use is grandchildren in the generations intended only to produce a to come? That is all from me, I production profit, not to feed think. I will now leave it to Mas humans. The link between the Zaenal. sacred ritual of eating and past (Gunretno, personal planting rituals has been completely communication, November 23, lost. No one is heartbroken, for 2016) example, if elephants or orangutan are chased from their homes and

then go extinct. No body writes an Most of the world’s food is now obituary when a river dies, or when mass-produced in the tropics, where coral reefs turn brown as a result of farmers and tenants regularly rising ocean temperatures. So much depend on the unpredictable death of diversity is occurring weather and the dwindling carrying around humans right now, but no capacity of the land. These farmers ceremonies are held to are standing on the precipice of the commemorate their deaths. unpredictable climate and rainfall. So, it is like this in terms of the This condition is exacerbated by their lack of access to spatial and limestone. If you don’t land use policies. Their profession understand the benefits for us, if has become the most vulnerable in someone wants to take it we don’t the world, because to live they really care, right? But if this is for depend on nature, which is the sake of the future, we can no becoming increasingly more longer inherent vast amounts of damaged. The loss of rain forests in land, but we should still be able to tropical areas has also exacerbated pass on an environment which this condition. Not only farmers sustains life. Because when the bear the risks of these conditions, limestone mountains in Gresik but all of human existence on the 29 have been used up, the cement

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factories that you know, like earth and care work, domestic Semen Gresik, they move to status, and non-market activities as Tuban. Tuban, which started with also strategic. Nancy Folbre, Julie just one, now has a total of eight Nelson, and Nobel Prize winner cement factories. Once the Elinor Ostrom argue that if women limestone in Tuban has run out are not included in the monetary they will move to Rembang, then valuation of the political economy, to Pati. At that point Semen environmental degradation will Gresik, which said that cement become increasingly unsalvageable, factories are capable of providing and as a result human civilization for the community, what will they will also go extinct as the carrying do then? If you pay attention, in capacity of the earth weakens. Pantura there is a railway and

large pipes to carry water, because it is difficult to find water there. MONOCULTURE & THE So they take water from DEFICIT OF INTER-SPECIES Bengawan Solo. If you have water CONVERSATION stores –and we understand that In places where people open the our population is growing, not earth, intensify and increase the decreasing—if the population productivity of the soil, the diversity increases, the demand for water of species decreases, the increases. Because of this, if you environment becomes monotone agree to keep preserving the and eventually mono-species. This environment and the permit is then results in the loss of released, you can sue them. We possibilities for inter-species have LBH Semarang here who conversation which represents have advocated for Kendeng ecological harmony and in when facing legal issues in court, economic language results in the without charge. decline of ecosystem services for the (Gunretno, personal human civilization. Habitats will be communication, November 23, threatened if, for example, there is 2016) mass production, such as clearing for monoculture palm oil and

rubber crops, among others. Species, In her book If Women Counted: A such as birds, vertebrata, organisms New Feminist Economics (1988) living in the soil, worms, etc, Marilyn Waring, a feminist eventually decline. The use of economist, argues that the pesticides results in extinction and demystification of the logic of mass-ecological homicide, such as economic language over the value the extinction of a number of the system of goods and activities world’s bee species. This deficit of undertaken by women and provided bees then influences the production by the earth can begin with the of fruit and could then threaten desacralization of the politics of global food security. Martin M. monetary language. The Gossner from the University of 30 desacralization of monetary value Lund conducted research on more can be achieved through valuing the than 4000 species to document

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cases of monoculture, and found metaphor for the cement factory in that there is a deficit of species, Rembang, is one of the rituals for which then affects conservation the planting and protection of crops efforts and the recovery of the from wetland pests. According to ecosystem as herbivores, pollinators, farmers across the Kendeng and predators all experience a drop Mountains, the deadly pest in numbers, which then influences threatening crops at the moment is the natural harmony. The factories and mass-scale cement decreasing interaction between mining. species then influences the I heard a rumour in the interactions between plants, animals, community. They feel exploited, and eventually weakens agriculture. and they feel colonized, because The worst case scenario is that the the farmland is their source of ecosystem experiences a drastic livelihoods. Why was it, at the change or shift. The services of the time, only bought for Rp 500? At ecosystem can only be restored if that time five hundred rupiah was the formation of the soil and the only enough to buy a plate of rice, living space of all species are not dry rice. The price of land was forced to be uniform, but left to be valued at the price of a plate of diverse in their nature. rice in those days. Back then there The fertility level of the soil was provocation. If the people did correlates with the fertility level of not agree, they were considered women’s wombs. Recovery of the to be an obstacle for soil’s fertility and the fertility of development. At that time, Pak female wombs is one of the many Suharto was relentlessly rolling things ecofeminists, out development. Because the conservationists, ecologists, and people refused, they were environmental activists have been considered to be obstructing. fighting for. In addition, this Then it got worse and people tradition of sacrality is still closely started to complain; “What about protected by indigenous and our children/grandchildren in the traditional communities throughout future?” the world. Along the North Kendeng (Pak Guru Sriyanto, personal Mountains, the dukun healers are an communication, November 9, integral part of the environmental 2016) conservation movement against the threat of mining and cement factories. The sanctity of rituals is GUNRETNO AND NEO- continued and activated on a SAMINISM: MARGINALIZED massive scale in all actions to reject BELIEFS & THEIR AWAKENING mining and cement factories. The motto which is echoed throughout During the Dutch, Japanese, Old these movements is ngrungkebi ibu Order and New Order eras Samin bhumi (defend mother earth). The beliefs received a lot of return of the Lamporan ritual, or the discrimination and were labelled as expulsion of evil spirits as a being rebellious, backward, and 31 rejecting modernity. In Javanese

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communities the term Samin was each era. In Soeharto’s era they had even used to refer to people who to face technocratic education were stupid or abnormal. This policies, and marriage and religious stereotype was extremely status columns included in their detrimental to the Samin people as a national identity cards, all of which community who believe in farming were opposed because they were not as a pillar of life and refuse to trade. in accordance with their daily belief In Soeharto’s era, they were even and appreciation systems. In the era forced to join the Islamic faith for of Reformation and Jokowi, they are the purposes of their individual having to face global mining and identity cards (KTP), although they cement corporations. The differing initially refused. Amrih Widodo has challenges they have faced has given referred to them as the oldest rise to different conditions and farmers movement in Southeast political identities within the Samin Asia. What Gunretno does by community, which still, however, connecting the communities around carry the pride of Samin the Kendeng Mountains on a local, Surosentiko who was known as the national and international level, is a Robinhood of Java. This title now manifestation of the rise of the long- deserves to be placed on Gunretno, lasting marginalization of Javanese who tirelessly advocates for the farmers in the policies of modern protection of the Kendeng Indonesian historical politics. There Mountains, not only in Pati where is, therefore, no surprise that during he was born, but also in Rembang, each protest action against the global Grobogan, and other areas of cement industry, the JMPPK always concern. opens and closes with a brokohan My ancestors kept telling me that ritual. A simple procession of food it is not allowed. Because of that I and drinks is prepared as a finally understand. I have known metaphor for food security and for a long time that there is their satisfaction as farmers living internal conflict between the land off what they eat without buying speculators and the cement anything. factory. On the part of the The tradition of brokohan itself has government, even though I am in been largely forgotten by modern Sukolilo Pati, all of the conflict Javanese society, but can still be between the governor of Central found in a number of communities, Java and the Minister of Energy such as the Samin community. In and Mineral Resources in relation today’s era, they prefer to be called to the cement factory plans is Sedulur Sikep. The word samin, because of me. Up until now they which means the same, and the have been able to overcome these word sedulur sikep, which means to internal conflicts and the closer embrace a brother, are in fact not they are getting to developing the that different in meaning. Both AMDAL – Environmental Impact names have revolutionized, adapted, Analysis and then following it up and negotiated with the socio- with more comprehensive 32 economic and cultural context of processes until it can be released.

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When I was at Mbah Jani’s place, I mining and was finally closed off asked them whether they knew as a protected area. That is why I that the cement factory’s planning come to you my friends, because had already progressed as far as you still don’t understand the releasing a development permit. gravity of the situation, you are So, is the process of getting a still calm. But I’m sure my arrival development permit, which will have made the supporters of begins with the AMDAL, the cement factory uneasy. I am environmentally feasible? To here to transfer my make the AMDAL understanding to you and to Pak environmentally feasible, it Sri, and I admit that I have an should involve the people, but interest in educating the people when I asked you, your answer about the importance of the was “we don’t know”. That is why limestone, and the function of the you are all here. I want to let you limestone which is going to be know that I have come here today mined. For this reason, I have set with a piece of evidence up a projector to present the (document/letter) of the AMDAL results of my research and talk so that you don’t think I am lying. about the purpose of limestone. With this AMDAL document, you On top of that, I have a film about can see that AMDAL is produced the resistance against the cement through a process of exploration factories in Pati, Rembang, and and research. This process of Tuban. surveying, as far as I know, is (Gunretno, personal sometimes conducted by people communication, November 23, from outside the community who 2016) are observing your environment. Outsiders do not know (about your environment). You Gunretno’s role, actions, access, understand much better than they and representation are not only do. If you don’t understand the skillful and fluent in the framework situation, I am afraid the same of technocratic modern activism, thing will happen as in Kecamatan using developmental linguistic Sukolilo. They planned to build a politics and legal narratives, but also cement factory there and I was retain the spiritual and traditional the one who refused, because the practices that continue to connect AMDAL was not valid. They him to the earth as his primary planned to mine 900 hectares of caregiver. In his eyes all humans, limestone. In the AMDAL animals, plants and the karst stone document, I found that, according are equal. Many come to visit him to the cement factory, only six who view him as a dukun with water sources were still active. magical powers. In his resistance However, when I surveyed the against the exploitation of nature, he area with the local people, we describes it as an evil act against the found 49 water sources. Because mother earth, which will deliver its we found many water sources, the own punishment if the law and the 33 area was deemed not suitable for state do not intervene. Traditions

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are strongly upheld by Saminists, as Projects for modernity carried part of their own self-protection out by modern states and prominent from an avalanche of values which religions have often accused the are not compatible or in line with JMPPK of spreading superstition their coexistence with the planet and ignorance by worshipping the earth. The vision and romantic mother earth. This narrative was image of the charitable mother earth even used by the cement industry to represent the values of esotericism conduct a campaign against them as and mysticism which have become being in opposition to development the knowledge base for their way of and the true owner of this earth; life and farming. God. However, the JMPPK had fate on their side as they are not only In a number of coordinated supported by the Sedulur Sikep but actions to save the North Kendeng also Muslim, Christian, Catholic, and Mountains #SaveNorthKendeng, the abangan communities spread Sedulur Sikep have been very throughout the Kendeng Mountains. militant. Gunretno himself It is this support which has meant calculates various aspects of time that each action and multi-spiritual according to the Javanese calendar. procession, through religious For example, in order to win over prayers and Javanese mantras, has the heart of President Jokowi, he did been able to unite in one action not say happy birthday according to without any internal or external the modern Masehi calendar, but opposition. This case has become a used Javanese weton as a guideline micro-project on the immortality (marker of birth according to the and material basis of bhineka tunggal Javanese system of time). A number ika (unity in diversity), which has of NGOs who support the JMPPK become the vision of the modern also adapted to this decision. state of Indonesia. This social Political representation and actions knowledge and spirituality works are thick with an air of Javanese harmoniously during each action. knowledge of the past through Despite this, many attacks and reviving jarit, kebaya, lesung, caping, bullying of the Kartini Kendeng kendi and a number of aspects of women, such as Sukinah, target the traditional Javanese farmers. fact that they choose not to wear a According to the activists, they have jilbab (religious head covering), adopted these measures to remind instead opting for a jarit (traditional Indonesia that they eat from the rice textile sarong worn by Javanese and vegetables of farmers. They women) and black kebaya (traditional believe that through these Javanese dress). Sukinah’s base metaphors, they can resist the narrative is easily accepted by the academic knowledge which deceives mass media, but at the same time is them, for example, in relation to the subject to bullying from partial AMDAL for PT SI Rembang, which media platforms based on religion. they view as unfeasible and The choice of these garments, indicative of the corruption of however, has also revived the role of knowledge of those who compiled it. 34 jarit and kebaya for Javanese women. Since they started appearing in black

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kebayas and Javanese jarit, many continue to believe in the existence women from the younger of spirits other than humans. A red generations have begun to follow dragon in Gunretno’s house is well suit. The jarit scarf that Sukinah looked after and is the subject of carries everywhere also functions as special rituals before, during and a headscarf when she visits a after protests against the cement number of religious boarding factories. It is believed that calling schools in Pantura to conduct social on the spirit of the dragon can repel actions and educative programs the most deadly pests; the cement about environmental conservation. factories. The farmers and community members who support As a belief system which has been their action have undergone a marginalized since the era of Dutch process of re-indigenization colonization, the Samin are a (reverting to original Javanese community which are not silent in customs). To borrow from their beliefs, but have in fact anthropologist, Eva Fridman (2004), adamantly created social change who described the magic of among farmers in the Kendeng indigenous communities as follows: Mountains. They have awakened the spirituality of motherhood on the Shamanism became a sort of earth which they believe is currently sacred geography that helped suffering as a result of corrupt and people to root themselves in their malignant human actions. For them, localities, clans, and communities. the resistance against the cement People who had hidden their corporations has the same face as shamanic lineages began to come out from the closet and claim the resistance of their Samin their spiritual vocation. Others ancestors in the Dutch era. The simply manufactured their militancy of the Kendeng farmers shamanic lineages or entered the has been inherited from the values spiritual craft because, as they say, previously taught by Samin they felt a calling. Shamanism was Surosentiko. The pinnacle of a propelled to the status of an number of events and ritual actions official religion. Reinvented is the dance of the Kendeng dragon. shamanism also occupies a It is believed that, until now, the significant place in the cultural spirit of the Kendeng dragon must milieux of the present day. The be protected. In one of the Sedulur older, the better. Shamanism Sikep gatherings it was told that they perfectly fits this profile. Because it appears to be very ancient see the dragon traversing the rivers (‘‘archaic technique of ecstasy’’), it around the Kendeng Mountains. If is certainly an excellent resource the cement factory is built, the for ethnic and cultural Kendeng dragon will be angry. The construction. protection of the Kendeng Mountains does not just represent economic value in their role as CONCLUSION farmers of major food crops, but The cosmology rooted in Samin also represents their spiritual and Surosentiko’s teachings has gained a magical values which lead them to space for revival in Kendeng soil 35

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since cement corporations have Kendeng women whose feet were demanded environmental permits encased in cement. The iconization to mine and build factories. The of the number nine is a Kendeng Mountains are viewed representation of the disappearance differently by the state and the of the nine farmers during the Sikep community, as an asset which Dutch era along with the Samin and can be mastered and exploited, and the imprisonment of nine farmers on the other side as a source of during the New Order. The number sacred water for the future of our nine also refers to the Walisanga grandchildren, either for or against who paved the way for Islam in cement. The sacred genetic code of Pantura. thousands of water sources in The revival of the Javanese Kendeng have been put on display Robinhood in leading the ecological in dozens of pitchers in Omah conservation of the Kendeng Kendeng, Sukolilo, Pati. The Mountains in 21 Century represents peaceful action of offering the the revival of indigenous Javanese president, governor, military and culture, as well as the revival of the police officials, and the general farming profession which has been public to drink from the water jugs marginalized by Indonesian policies and enjoy various crops, represents since the 1965 genocide. Kejawen the material basis of the Sedulur spirituality of the earth has Sikep beliefs which until now have coincided with climate change, been marginalized by the narratives triggered by global warming and the of prominent religions and modern onslaught of damage to the earth. logic. The authenticity of this The young generation have become protest is far from the majority of aware of this and hold it as a belief protests based in modern linguistic which is worthy of being defended. politics using Marxist language. As a The aura of the Kendeng movement backdrop to almost all of their has even mesmerized social media. actions they always write in Javanese One of the successes of their media language as a formation of the politics is the existence of a mass- language of their resistance. They movement arising from public receive sympathy for almost all of sympathy via social media to defend their protests from state officials, the their cause. Gunretno has mastered media and the general public. The techniques such as Whatsapp and movement has even managed to various other modern media become a kind of media darling in its political tools without been own right. In many ways the uprooted from the basic kejawen sentiment and emotions of the values in which he believes. A flow public are pulled at to support the of students producing research, movement of the Kendeng dragon. theses and dissertations comes to Gunretno has succeeded in specifically research this reawakening the spirit of Samin phenomenon. The resilience of the Surosentiko in his project to save the JMPPK and the Sedulur Sikep in North Kendeng Mountains, not only consistently resisting cement through kejawen rituals, but also the 36 factories across the Kendeng iconization of the nine Kartini

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Mountains is growing increasingly Gossner, Martin M. et al. (2016). Land- strong, even though their opponents use intensification causes are state-owned and even foreign multitrophic homogenization of grassland corporations from Germany and communities. Nature. DOI: China, for example. The social 10.1038/nature20575 evolution which predicted that these Gudeman, S., & Rivera, A. (1990). groups would go extinct have been Indegenous Knowledge of invalidated by the arrival of a Biological Resources and common enemy; mining Intellectual Property Rights. The corporations. American Ethnologist, 19, 141-154 Lessenich, Stephan. (2016). Neben uns die

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