An ecolinguistic study: The representation of forest conservation practices in the discourse of Anak Dalam Jambi tribe, Indonesia

Abstract

During the past decades, a study exploring forest conservation practices among the Anak Dalam Jambi Tribe (ADJT), a minority group on the brink of extinction living as nomads on Sumatra Island, Jambi Province, Indonesia, has not been found. To fill this gap, this qualitative research, utilizing Ecolinguistic theory, aims to explore the eco-lexicon meaning related to the representation of forest conservation practices in discourse. The were derived from 69 participants using ethnographic interviews and rapport techniques. The results of this research reveal that the conservation practices carried out by the ADJT are related to four aspects, which they employ to maintain environmental harmony: ideology (as a guiding principle in life), biology (as a reference for meeting basic needs), sociology (as a reference for regulating interactions between humans, humans and deities, and humans and the forest), and culture (as a reference for guiding traditional ways of treating the forest through customary laws, rituals, and oral literature). Drawing on the findings, it can be concluded that the representations conveyed provide insights into protecting the forest and creating a harmonious coexistence between nature and living beings, and this is inseparable from the religious values they believe in. For the ADJT community, the forest environment is not just a natural world but also inseparable from the metaphysical realm. Lastly, as a pilot study, this research is a foundational step for exploring future topics related to language and culture interconnected with the forest ecosystem.

Keywords

• ecological wisdom
• ethnic minorities
• ethnographic interviews
• forest conservation
• technique rapport