Hidden Narratives: The Struggle of Sumba Women in Saving Fresh Water

Abstract

This study critically analyzes women"s agency in protesting gold mining corporation in Central Sumba, Indonesia. Like other mining areas, the gold mining activities were rejected by the indigenous inhabitants. Narratives of the anti-mining are many, but they did not record the women's involvement. The research applies a postcolonial feminist ethnography method. The imbalance of power relations places women"s narratives as hidden. The postcolonial feminist ethnography reveals the hidden struggle of indigenous women; it uncovers various messages of life protection and conservation. Their experience reflects their knowledge of local harmony and resilience. It suggests that women have capacity to clearly explain the root of their anti-mining acts. Women hold the legacy of knowledge to protect natural resources from their female ancestors through spoken language (tutur). Women are not worried about the depletion of gold minerals, but they are more concerned about losing their water sources. Caring for a spring water means establishing themselves as agents for conserving natural resources.

Bura ura, kendu waiyo (rain falls, water rises): the tyranny of water insecurity and an agenda for abolition in Kodi (Sumba Island, Indonesia)

“…Who is listening, who is not listening and with what consequences? As a result of cross-cultural communication (Tannen, 1998), what we find is outsider, masculinist, and/or pro-development agents frequently miss not only the stories told by insider (Hendrastiti and Kusujiarti, 2019), feminist actors but also their explicit messages and their metamessages, or the implicit meanings that can be heard from being in the context and/or knowing the speakers (Tannen, 1998).…”

“…A few examples from fields that I draw from in this article are feminist anthropology (Davis and Mulla, 2022), ecofeminism (Mies and Shiva, 1993), feminist political ecology (Rocheleau et al, 1996), feminist sociology (Hendrastiti and Kusujiarti, 2019), and feminist geography (Kwan, 2002;McLafferty, 2005;Hong, 2016). The work of feminist scholars who study the gendered dimensions of water (e.g., Sultana, 2009) often spans multiple disciplines.…”

“…Turning an ear toward hearing the opinions and discerning the politics of women while reading the representations of domestic water users in external institutions' publications highlights distinctions between their perspectives. More importantly, this method enables us to hear what people are saying about their experiences, needs, and desires; what they are telling us they need and what they are asking for; superficial meanings and underlying messages; as well as the speakers' counternarratives, struggles, and protests if and when those are present (Hendrastiti and Kusujiarti, 2019). What are women's stories about water and changes in water ecology and infrastructure and what are women's agendas in telling their stories?…”

“…At all of the social scales and status positions, water politics are complex. Activism is one response among Indonesians to the degradation of the quality and quantity of natural water supplies, as testified to by cases in the Central Sumba Regency on Sumba Island (Hendrastiti and Kusujiarti, 2019) and Seluma Regency on Sumatra Island (Hendrastiti, 2014). Kodinese frequently request support from foreigners in a form of advocacy for their needs and desires, which is why I conducted research on the human dimensions of freshwater ecology and why I write this article from the standpoint of a foreign academic and for the purpose of collaborating with the authors of this special issue to advance a feminist water agenda.…”

Keagenan Perempuan pada Krisis Iklim

“…5 Perjuangan kelompok subaltern untuk mendapat keadilan ekologis, kelangsungan hidup, dan kehidupan yang berkelanjutan direpresentasikan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Perjuangan mereka terangkum pada narasi aktivitas harian, terutama pada konteks relasi gender (Hendrastiti & Kusujiarti 2020). FPE mengeksplorasi keterkaitan antara lembaga lingkungan, produksi pengetahuan, dan posisi perempuan untuk menguraikan bagaimana kelompok yang berbeda menanggapi masalah dan kebijakan lingkungan dengan cara yang berbeda.…”