Article
Perladangan Berpindah pada Etnis Muna di Desa Kotano Wuna Kecamatan Tongkuno Kabupaten Muna
ETNOREFLIKA : Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya, Vol. 12 No. 3 (2023), hlm. 488–495
Abstrak
The objectives of this study are: (1) to identify and describe the problems faced by shifting cultivators of the Muna ethnic group in Kotano Wuna Village, Tongkuno District; and (2) to identify and describe the strategies used to address the problems encountered by shifting cultivators in Kotano Wuna Village, Tongkuno District. The selection of informants in this study employed a purposive sampling method. The theoretical framework applied in this research is cultural ecology theory as proposed by Julian Steward. Data were collected through open-ended techniques, using participant observation and in-depth interviews as the main methods. This study adopts a qualitative research approach. Shifting cultivation among the Muna ethnic group in Kotano Wuna Village, Tongkuno District, has been practiced since ancient times and has become a long-standing pattern inherited from their ancestors. However, local communities do not consider shifting cultivation merely as a tradition, but rather as a practice shaped by environmental conditions that require them to move from one plot to another. Shifting cultivators face several challenges, including rocky soil conditions, limited water availability, and pest disturbances. In response to these problems, the community has developed various strategies, such as selecting crop types suitable for rocky land, engaging in livestock farming, utilizing available natural resources, and constructing fences made of wood or stone as well as installing nets.