A Preliminary Study on the Javanese Folklore as a Disaster Mitigation Strategy

Abstract

Generally, people assume that Javanese Folklor is commonly dominated by myths. In fact, some of Javanese Folklor contains numerous knowledge of local wisdom on disaster mitigation. Nowadays, disaster mitigation is proceeded only based on scientific knowledge and technology. Meanwhile, there are some cultural knowledges on disaster mitigation which are mostly forgotten and scarcely applied. People will assume that the knowledge is just a myth and should be ignored. Therefore, this study reveals the Javanese traditional knowledge for disaster mitigation through identification of folklores. Using anthropological history approach, this study reveals hidden values in every occasion from Javanese folklores such as the story of Timun Mas, Rawa Pening, and Nyi Roro Kidul. Timun Mas provides an information regarding to reclamation of ex-mining land for mud volcano disaster, Rawa Pening gives a lesson on how to keep lake area clean to prevent from flooding, while Nyi Roro kidul teaches us to developing mangrove forest from tsunami. Thus, this study offers values about traditional knowledge on disaster mitigation that can be contextualized in the present-day effort as survival strategy in a disaster.