Sasi as a Socio-Ecological Mechanism for Building Community Resilience and Sustainable Well Being in Negeri Piliana, Maluku

Barzilay Evans Masela; Arif Wibowo

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.4487

Barzilay Evans Masela Departemen Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial. Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta
Arif Wibowo Departemen Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial. Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.4487

Keywords: Sasi; Socio-ecological governance; community resilience; ecological stewardship; sustainability; customary institutions; social forestry.

Abstract

This study examines the role of Sasi as a socio-ecological governance mechanism in strengthening community resilience and sustainability in Negeri Piliana, Tehoru District, Central Maluku Regency, Indonesia. Negeri Piliana was selected as the study site because it is among the few communities in Maluku that continue to actively practice Sasi as an integral part of community governance, particularly in the management of forest resources that provide food, water and spiritual value to local people. The study argues that sustainability within the Sasi system lies in the capacity of the socio-ecological system to continuously learn, adapt, and collectively reorganize resources while maintaining its cultural identity. The revitalization of Sasi is supported by three interrelated pillars: the strengthening of customary institutions, the application of adaptive local norms, and the equitable distribution of benefits among community members. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on local wisdom-based natural resource governance by demonstrating how indigenous institutions can foster resilience and long-term sustainability. Furthermore, the study offers practical implications for the development of social-forestry policies and the recognition of customary institutions within Indonesia’s conservation and natural resource governance frameworks

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