Discursive Strategies and Local Power in the Politics of Natural Resource Management: Case of Toro Community in the Western Margin of Lore Lindu National Park (LLNP), Central Sulawesi

Abstract

"In fact, as Toro people is part of several communities belong to Moma sub-ethnics living in Kulawi sub-district, the above articulation of cultural politics represented just one of discursive strategies in claiming territory being declared as national park by central government. However, as Toro's ancestral rights being recognized by the National Park Authority (that give them some kinds of political capital), the discursive and social practices mobilized by Toro people became the 'exemplary model' in any talking about the kearifan tradisional pengelolalan sumberdaya alam (traditional ecological wisdom) of Kulawi culture. This newly gained position had factually challenged the local power and traditional authority of Moma sub-ethnics centered in Bolapapu, the capital of Kulawi sub-district and the center of Kulawi's pre-colonial royal.

"Therefore, this paper will discuss those contesting representations upon culture and space and their strategic use by different actors. The paper will highlight this politics of natural resource management both in terms of inter-community relations (i.e., among Toro community and other surrounding communities) and intra-community relations (i.e., among different actors within Toro community itself)."