Ghimbo Adat Boncah Lidah (Hutan Adat)

The origins of the Kenegerian Kampa are referred to by some as the “river of dew” and by others as “campa”. Currently, the river of dew and the word campa stem from the history of the Chinese dynasty long before being incorporated into the governance system of the Kedatuan Sriwijaya of the Island of Paco. This governance system is also known for the leadership of “Tali Bapilin Tigo” or “Tungku Tigo Sajorangan” which consists of Traditional Leadership, State Leadership, and Religious Leadership. No one knows exactly when the Kenegerian Kampa area was opened and built. In the past, the people of Kenegerian Kampa lived by shifting cultivation (mengasang). Several families gathered in one place and worked together to clear the forest for planting all their food needs.

As is known, the Kenegerian Kampa area located on both sides of the Kampar river is a fertile area that attracts incoming communities from the Muaro Takus Kingdom who came to seek new fields and livelihoods in this area. Accounts from several community leaders mention that hundreds of years ago, four tribes led by four datuks lived and developed in Kenegerian Kampa as traditional tribal leaders, including the Domo Tribe Datuok Temenggung, Piliang Tribe Datuok Bosau, Malay Tribe Datuok Tiawan, and Pitopang Tribe Datuok Majou Bosau. Each Datuok according to the provisions of “four jinni then surrounded by four bondue” means having four traditional leaders in one tribe, namely one datuk, an official, a dubalang/panglimo, and a malin, where these four tribal figures are led by one datuk and have their respective duties and functions. Over time, the four tribes that first inhabited Kenegerian Kampa developed into six tribes to this day.

The Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa have a protected area that is managed through generations, namely Ghimbo Adat or Customary Forest. The Ghimbo Adat owned by the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa consists of Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Bonca Lida. Ghimbo Pomuan means a forest of gifts—so called because in the past this forest was utilized for its wood as a reserve to meet the needs of public facilities and the children of Kenegerian Kampa who would build houses. The terms and conditions for taking wood are regulated by Ninik Mamak to ensure that wood extraction is not excessive, but rather according to need. However, currently, the utilization of wood from Ghimbo Pomuan for public facilities and for children who will build houses is no longer allowed. This decision is the result of a deliberation among the ninik mamak. The reason is that if this is done, there is a high possibility that the Ghimbo Pomuan Customary Forest will be depleted, which would have negative impacts on the indigenous community that relies on the forest for their livelihood, such as threatening clean water sources and irrigation as a reservoir for agriculture and fisheries in Kenegerian Kampa. However, the prohibition on cutting trees in the Ghimbo Pomuan Customary Forest has exceptions for children whose houses are affected by disasters, such as fire, so that the affected children can rebuild their burned houses.

Meanwhile, Ghimbo Bonca Lida means a swamp forest (Bonca) shaped like a tongue (Lida). Within this forest, there is a small lake shaped like a tongue. Previously, the Ghimbo Adat Bonca Lida was combined with Ghimbo Pomuan into one expanse of forest. However, due to the high demand from the community for land for cultivation, the forest is now “separated” into two areas with an area of 108 Ha for Ghimbo Boncalida and 56 Ha for Ghimbo Pomuan.

Both areas have been protected through generations by the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa—especially Ninik Mamak and Anak Kemenakan. In addition, there are also external parties that assist the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa in the advocacy and support process related to the recognition and protection of the rights of the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa, such as: the Kampar District Government, the Kampar Indigenous Peoples Alliance (AMAN Kampar), the World Resources Institute (WRI), Bahtera Alam, and Pelopor Sehati.

Initially, the community utilized the Ghimbo Adat Pomuan area as a source of herbal raw materials for traditional medicine, but gradually over time, this herbal concoction began to be abandoned by the Kenegerian Kampa community. Currently, Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Boncah Lidah are only managed as protected areas for the biodiversity of the Kenegerian Kampa community. The areas of Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Boncah Lidah are communally owned and cannot be sold. Utilization is also limited only to the Kenegerian Kampa community. Currently, the wood from both areas can no longer be taken—but this does not mean there is no utilization at all. The community is still allowed to utilize wood products under certain conditions, such as experiencing a fire disaster. In addition, the community is still allowed to utilize non-timber forest products, such as medicinal plants, fruits, and ecosystem services in the form of ecotourism. However, this utilization is done responsibly.

Regulations in the management of customary forests are mostly passed down through generations, but some have also been written and included in the RPHA (Draft of Customary Forest Management). The Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa have very strict customary regulations, especially prohibitions on taking wood from the customary forest. This is done because the current condition of the remaining forest area is no longer feasible for wood extraction. If there is forest destruction by irresponsible individuals, especially logging/theft of wood, then the person will be processed according to the customary law that applies in Kenegerian Kampa. If someone commits wood extraction/theft in the customary forest, the perpetrator must “batitiok darah”—which means the wood thief must shed blood, namely by slaughtering a buffalo or goat depending on the level of wrongdoing committed. The resolution process in Kenegerian Kampa is carried out using customary law. If it cannot be resolved through customary law, then it will proceed by involving the police.

The institution responsible for managing the Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Boncah Lidah areas is the Customary Forest Management Institution of Kenegerian Kampa (LPHA Kenegerian Kampa). All decisions related to the management of Ghimbo Adat are determined through consensus deliberation—the highest decision lies in the results of consensus deliberation, in accordance with the customary saying “Beraja pada mufakat, bermufakat pada yang benar.”

• Structure of LPHA Kenegerian Kampa

Chairperson: Responsible for leading the subordinate fields, developing LPHA, and being accountable to Ninik Mamak as the holder of the Customary Forest authority and coordinating with the Village Government regarding the implementation of programs to be formulated, representing the Institution to make agreements or arrangements with other institutions in accordance with the results of deliberation.

The following are the rules regarding the mechanism for imposing sanctions for violations of wood theft or destruction of customary forests:

1. Children of Kemenakan/community members who witness wood theft by irresponsible parties report the thief/destructor to ninik mamak.
2. The children of Kemenakan who report together with ninik mamak visit the location of the wood extraction/place where the evidence is found, and then the evidence is documented.
3. After sufficient data and evidence are obtained, Ninik Mamak will meet with the uncle of the perpetrator, if the perpetrator is a child of Kemenakan (local resident), if not a child of Kemenakan, the perpetrator will still be summoned and tried according to customary law, if they refuse to be summoned, the perpetrator will be reported directly to the authorities (Police).
4. The perpetrator is asked for information and confession in front of the Ninik Mamak about the incident of wood theft.
5. The Ninik Mamak will negotiate to decide the case.
6. After negotiations, the ninik mamak will impose sanctions/punishments on the perpetrator.
7. If the perpetrator does not admit the mistake and refuses to pay the fine set by ninik mamak, then the matter will be brought to Positive Law, namely reporting to the authorities, namely the police.

If in the trial process the person does not speak honestly and ‘beats around the bush’, then the imposed sanctions can be much greater. The customary sanction imposed on the perpetrator is to shed blood by slaughtering a buffalo or goat (according to the level of wrongdoing committed). The slaughtered buffalo/goat will have its meat distributed to the less fortunate community. This fine applies to anyone who commits wood theft in the Ghimbo Bonca Lida and Ghimbo Pomuan Customary Forests, without exception. In the customary law of Kenegerian Kampa, there is a term “kok tatayok dikembalikan, kok tamakan dimuntahkan”—which means “Under any circumstances, items taken from the forest must be returned”. This is one way to ensure the customary forest remains preserved.

The management and protection of Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Boncah have contributed to the preservation of forest ecosystems and the protection of the biodiversity within them. The Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa have consciously committed to protecting these two areas even though in the past they utilized them actively. This is done because the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa adhere to their cultural values to protect the forest and take responsibility for any damage done to the forest by emphasizing the principle of acting firmly against forest destroyers, such as “batitiok darah” for committing slaughter for mistakes against forest destruction and “kok tatayok dikembalikan, kok tamakan dimuntahkan” to take responsibility for anything done to the forest. The protection of these two areas is carried out as a form of their anticipation against negative impacts that occur. Through the local knowledge of the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa and their relationship with the forest, they think about the future and the fate of future generations who will also depend on the forest for their livelihood. This is done as an effort to protect the water sources found in the forest and the biodiversity such as the wood within it.

The biodiversity present in the Ghimbo Adat Pomuan and Ghimbo Adat Boncah areas consists of various types of wood, medicinal/herbal plants, and fauna. The types of wood available include Meranti, Cabodak Ghimbo, Momponiang, Biangan, Potai Imbo, Jelutung, Toghok, Meranti Gambuang, Meranti Kulik Buayo, Kuranji, Petatar, Tampui. Then, the types of medicinal/herbal plants include: Sundak Langit (Medicine for Back Pain), Pasak Bumi (Medicine for Joints, Malaria, Appetite), Kombang Simangkuak (Medicine for Internal Heat), Galinggang (Medicine for Ringworm), Ampolu Fruit (Medicine for Fever), Kulim Fruit (Poison Medicine, Kitchen Spice), Bengkek Fruit (Medicine for Stomachache), Siminyak Leaves (Medicine to Increase Breast Milk), Pisang Kolek Leaves (Medicine for Headache), Kaduduak Leaves (Medicine for Wounds), Pasak Bumi, Bajaka, Sanggul Fruit, Aka kasok, Zingiberaceae. And various types of fauna, such as: Long-tailed Macaques, Lutung, Beruk, Several types of Birds, Tipai Jonjang, Tpai kecik, Bingkaruang, Phyton Snakes, Green Snakes, White Herons. Furthermore, the efforts to protect these two areas contribute as an ‘asset’ or wealth owned by the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa as customary forests to be owned/recognized legally through state law and valid forever to be preserved for future generations.

The Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa have specific regulations governing their recognition and protection as a subject of rights and recognition of the protected areas, namely the Customary Forest of Ghimbo Bonca Lida and Ghimbo Pomuan of Kenegerian Kampa in Kampa Village and Koto Perambahan Village, Kampa District, Kampar Regency through the Decree of the Regent of Kampar Number 660-328-IV-2019. In addition, the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa also have written documents containing information about the Customary Forest, Customary Territory, and the Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa. Furthermore, these written documents also contain information about the management plan for the customary forest and a work plan tailored to the potential development of the Customary Forest of Ghimbo Bonca Lida and Ghimbo Pomuan.

The Indigenous People of Kenegerian Kampa have an action plan/follow-up plan to protect and maintain the managed areas with their commitment to strive:

1. Strengthening the Management Institution of the Customary Forest in the form of training and support as well as assistance.
2. Assisting in the development of tourism specifically in the two customary forests in Kenegerian Kampa.
3. Creating alternative economic sources so that the managers of the customary forest can derive economic value from the management of the customary forest.
4. Strengthening the Stingless Bee Honey Business Unit in the Ghimbo Boncah Lida Customary Forest which is currently neglected.