Pandulu - Kageroa

The history of the Kageroa Village community dates back long before the family from South Sulawesi (Masamba) named “Toaku” arrived in Kageroa, as there were already inhabitants in the area. Toaku is the biological brother of Lawintu, who first entered the Lemba Bada region. Subsequently, Toaku came and entered Lemba Bada. However, he tried to separate himself and joined a small group of people in the Lembanu area, which is now the Badangkaia Village, where he was accepted and lived together. Eventually, Toaku married a person from Lembanu. However, since that marriage, they felt unrest and secretly tried to separate themselves by searching for a place to inhabit by following the Malei River until they reached the confluence with the Lairiang River. He directed his journey to the west to follow the Lairiang River and passed a small river with very hot water. In the end, after he tried to find a place, that is where they settled and joined the existing inhabitants. Then, they lived in harmony, and their life at that time was very peaceful and began to develop.

From that development, jealousy arose, and wars occurred between tribes, devastating their settlement in the Karape region. The inhabitants of the Karape region at that time were in doubt. They left the settlement and took refuge in Ngamba. Around the year 1800, the Karape inhabitants tried to return to their original settlement and start a new life after the war between tribes, and at that time, the area was named Kageroa, which means that destruction had once occurred. After the Dutch arrived in 1903, they officially recognized the settlement as a village, known as Kageroa village. The relationship between the Kageroa people and the Dutch was neutral, meaning there was no conflict. During the Dutch era, they established a government system, which led to the formation of districts, now known as sub-districts. The transition during the Japanese era that is most remembered by the community involved the violence that was carried out. The violence inflicted meant that if one made a mistake in receiving their orders, they would be punished. The orders that had to be carried out included forced labor in the form of road and bridge construction (source: brwa.or.id).

The Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa also has areas that are protected by tradition, one of which is Pandulu—an area of secondary forest that serves as a source for non-timber forest products such as medicines and rattan. Additionally, there are also areas that are considered sacred within it.

Moreover, the Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa also has other customary spatial divisions, such as:

1. Wumbu Wana, as the area at the peak of the mountain covered with small diameter trees and moss. The Wumbu Wana area is a prohibited/sacred area. Wumbu Wana also has a spring and is believed to not be touched by humans.
2. Wana, as an area protected by custom as a buffer zone.
3. Pobondea, as an area of former community gardens that have been abandoned for 5-25 years and have returned to forest. This is done by the community as a rotation in the management of natural resources and will be managed again for planting damar trees, cinnamon, coffee, and timber.
4. Bonde, as the community plantation area, functioning as a productive garden with vegetation cover of fruits, timber, and cocoa.
5. Powanua, as the community settlement area.
6. Lida, as the rice field area used for planting rice.

The Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa has a land tenure system divided into two, namely: individual ownership and communal ownership. Individual ownership means that the area/land is customary land inherited and/or given by ancestors to a specific person/family to be maintained and managed, such as: Bonde, Lida, and Pobondea. Meanwhile, communal ownership means ownership that is collectively held by the community and utilized and regulated in its use and supervision as well as the distribution of the results managed together, such as: Wumbu Wana, Wana, Pandulu, and Powanua.

Pandulu is used by the community as a place to gather non-timber forest products such as medicines and rattan. The utilization of Pandulu's forest products is done traditionally and based on customary rules. The main rule that applies in Pandulu is that Pandulu must not be opened for cultivation and no trees may be cut down. If this area is opened and the trees are cut down, it will lead to drought disasters.

In managing communal areas, the Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa has a customary institution called “Tu’ana lwanua Kageroa” which consists of:

1. Tu’ana, as the customary head.
2. Wakilino Tu’ana as the representative.
3. Topouki Sura as the treasurer.
4. Topaamboli as a member.

Pandulu is protected because the Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa has rules that have been passed down through generations to maintain and preserve the cultural heritage of their ancestors. They possess holistic knowledge of their living landscape, reflected in the spatial division applied by the To Bada To Kageroa community, which aligns with its intended use while still considering ecological balance. Through practices of area and natural resource management based on traditional knowledge and ecological intelligence, they have contributed to the preservation of important ecosystems and the biodiversity that lives within them, where this ecosystem is also a vital area due to the presence of water sources and serves as a habitat for protected animals such as the anoa and maleo birds.

The Indigenous Community of To Bada To Kageroa does not yet have regulations that govern the recognition and protection of indigenous rights or the recognition of protected areas.