Community Mapping in Borneo- Issues of Accuracy in Traditional Boundary Delineation Lorraine Margaret Gibson BSc. Geography, University of Victoria, 1994 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of Geography O Lorraine Margaret Gibson, 2004 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY August 2004 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Lorraine Margaret Gibson Degree: Master of Arts Title of Thesis: Community Mapping in Borneo-Issues of Accuracy in Traditional Boundary Delineation Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. M. Holden, Assistant Professor Dr. N.K. Blomley, Professor Senior Supervisor Dr. N. Schuurman, Assistant Professor Committee Member Dr. D. Aberley, Adjunct Professor School of Community and Regional Planning University of British Columbia External Examiner Date Approved: August 12,2004 Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further grant permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Abstract This research examines the issue of boundary accuracy in community mapping projects in Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo. Many rural communities have adopted spatial information technologies and methods to challenge 'official' maps, and to gain recognition of their customary lands and resources. Concerns have been expressed, however, about potential difficulties and impacts of community mapping, and a key issue is accuracy evaluation. Boundaries, while apparently straightforward on a map, may symbolize many different social meanings and physical manifestations. I examine how both technical and social aspects of boundary accuracy emerge through three key phases of community mapping: field data collection, mapped representations, and applications. Several sources of data were accessed, including journal articles, manuals, technical reports, legal documents and key informant interviews. It was found that several methods were used to map boundaries in the field. Surprisingly, some methods involved the deliberate avoidance of the boundary concept altogether. Boundaries had multiple definitions at the field data collection level, including land use, land marks, and watershed boundaries. In addition, boundaries were often contemporary responses to external pressures. Large scale environmental changes, such as logging, also impacted the memory, negotiation and location of boundaries. The physical map as well as the mapping process was found to have a role not only in representing spatial perceptions of boundaries but also in producing them. In applications of community mapping, several modes of accuracy assessment were discovered, particularly in legal contexts. These include technical issues such as the evaluation of the map products and skills of the facilitators, and social issues such as how property rights are created and how they are demonstrated using maps. I suggest that community mapping is located somewhere in the translation between how the law and local people 'see' and claim property, and conclude that both of these views need to be considered in order to achieve effective levels of accuracy. Dedication Annie ~oyle an d Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, Nick Blomley, for his crucial insights, friendly support and endless patience. Thank-you also to Nadine Schuurman, especially for her memorable comment that 'interesting things happen at boundaries', and to Doug Aberley for his unique perspectives on mapping and community empowerment. I must acknowledge the friendship and support of many people in the SFU Department of Geography over the past years, particularly Michael Hayes, Tom Poiker, Marcia Crease and Paul deGrace. My warmest thanks to my friend Adrienne Burk for reading and commenting on earlier drafts and for being an exemplary scholar and human being. A huge thank-you to Mary Stockdale, Jon Corbett, Alix Flavelle and Mutang Urud, who provided invaluable advice, unwavering support, and wonderful dinners. I must also express my greatest respect and thanks to our many colleagues and friends in Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo. Their dedicated work and struggle has greatly inspired me. To my roommates Jay, Jack, and Matt, a special thanks for your friendship, and for the sunny days of badminton and barbecues. I am also greatly indebted to Albrecht, Kirsten, Mark and Nathaniel for their friendship, support and generosity. Finally, a special mention to my parents, John and Ann Gibson, my sister Trish, my brother Andrew, and their families. Thank-you for everything. Table of Contents .. Approval ..............................................................................................................................................n ... Abstract ................................................................................................................................................m Dedication ............................................................................................................................................iv Acknowledgements............................................................................................................................. v Table of Contents................................................................................................................................ vi Lids of Figures and Tables ...............................................................................................................ix Chapter One: Introduction............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Results ...................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Background .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.3.1 Community mapping ....................................................................................................... 5 1.3.2 The issues of accuracy and boundaries in community mapping ................................ 5 1.4 The Research Question ............................................................................................................. 7 1.5 The Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Methods, Data, Scope and Limitations ................................................................................... 9 1.7 Thesis Overview ....................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter Two: Accuracy Issues in Community Mapping- Insights from 'Critical Cartography' .....................................................................................................................................12 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 Defining Terms: ' Maps ', 'Mental maps ' and 'Performance Maps ' ............................... 13 2.3 Critical Cartography, Community Mapping and Boundary Accuracy ............................ 15 2.3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................15 2.3.2 'Selectivity of content' and indigenous communities in Borneo ............................. 17 2.3.3 Community mapping and the 'signs and styles of representation ' ......................... 18 2.4 Chapter Summary ...................................................................................................................19 Chapter Three: Research Methods ................................................................................................ 21 3.1 Introduction and Research Question .................................................................................... 21 3.1 . 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................21 3.1.2 The research question ..................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Key Concepts ..........................................................................................................................