The Value of Participatory Mapping, the Role of the Adat Community (Masyarakat Adat), and the Future of the Peatlands

Abstract

AbstractIndonesian central and local governments have not made serious effort to recognize and protect the rights of the adat community (masyarakat adat; indigenous/traditional community) or adat law community (masytarakat hukum adat; customary law community), despite the Indonesian Constitution of 1945 and many national laws enacted to recognize such rights. In practice, government institutions facilitate conversation of traditional forest lands to other uses, often plantations. Rantau Baru is one adat community where customary territorial management has been eroded by outsider interests, including concession companies, leading to social conflict and environmental damages, including peatland fires. By presenting maps produced from the perspective of the Rantau Baru villagers, this chapter explores the difficulties that adat communities face regarding government mapping policies and suggests the significance of participatory mapping projects to re-establish sustainable adat community management of customary lands.