Our Surau Stands: Weaving Tradition and Protecting Nature in the Surau of the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community

The Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community depends on the existence of lakes and forests in their residential area, most members of this Indigenous Community work as farmers, cultivators, and lake fishermen. Even so, they have not received recognition of their customary land rights and management rights. From participatory mapping, the total area of ​​their customary land is 10.689 hectares. For decades, the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community has also fought for their customary rights from territorial seizure.

For almost three decades, the land grabbing dispute has not been resolved and continues to arise. In 1992, they had to deal with the interests of the Singkarak Hydroelectric Power Plant (PLTA). From the Singkarak PLTA project, they had to accept environmental damage in communal areas, such as the loss of springs, as a consequence of large-scale investment. In 2020, the conflict over customary land grabbing under the guise of large-scale investment entered their living space. Now, they have to deal again with the National Strategic Project (PSN) for the 50 MW Singkarak Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS).

In order to protect living space and traditions that are increasingly being eroded by large-scale investment, the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community utilized the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding to build a surau. The construction of the surau was carried out on July 11-29, 2024. The 8 x 5 meter learning surau building was completed in one month, complete with a fish pond as part of the agroecology practicum. In addition, the ground floor of the pondok has been optimized as a target for silek and randai practice, which strengthens the local arts and cultural traditions that are starting to fade.

The existence of the surau has a very important meaning in the social life of the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community. The surau plays a role as a public space in the dissemination of knowledge related to the village and ethics, as well as strengthening social relations. Now, the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community will focus more on the role of the surau on education related to tradition silk (pencak silat) and ecology in the form of sustainable agriculture.

The construction of the surau has successfully attracted the attention of silek teachers in Jorong Duo Koto. After the construction of the surau, silek teachers in Jorong Duo Koto came to contribute to the education of silek traditions for indigenous youth. Silek education is carried out on the first floor of the surau. The second floor of the surau will focus on discussion activities around issues of the village and efforts to build it, sharing indigenous and social knowledge, and knowledge about sustainable agriculture.

With the construction of a surau, the Malalo Tigo Jurai Indigenous Community is able to create a public space that will strengthen the solidarity of its community members to protect their territory and traditions. The surau becomes a forum for cross-generational discourse, bringing together grandmother's mother with young people in a family atmosphere. The philosophy of “Nature Takambang Becomes a Teacher" is realized in every educational and training practice that makes nature a source of inspiration as well as a learning medium.

The surau will benefit 117 people who are directly involved in the activities held in the surau. More broadly, the surau will also provide indirect benefits to the residents of Jorong Duo Koto, which number approximately 1.498 people because the surau has succeeded in instilling local knowledge or wisdom to its indigenous youth.