TANA BU TRADITIONAL HOUSE IN EAST NUSA TENGGARA: EDUCATION CENTER, MOVEMENT CENTER

The Tana Bu Indigenous Community Association (PMATB) is a community originating from the Lio Tribe and has long inhabited Bu Nuapuu Village, Tanawawo District, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Geographically, the PMATB's area of ​​residence is adjacent to the Lio Tribe in Ende. They have also lived side by side with the protected forest for generations. However, problems arose regarding the protected forest. In 2021, the Sikka Forestry Service visited their village and informed them that the area they lived in was within a protected forest area. This notification immediately shocked and angered the Tana Bu Indigenous Community. They considered the protected forest area far from their homes. This statement was evidenced by the boundary stone between the PMATB's territory and the Lio Indigenous Community in Ende, as well as stories from elders regarding the protected forest area boundaries. However, this evidence was not enough to stop the intention to establish a protected forest area in the Bu Nuapuu Village area.

Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) together accompany the Tana Bu Indigenous Community in facing the threat of the seizure of living space and community managed land by the designation of protected forests through direct assistance. KPA accompany the new PMATB in 2024. Because it has just been accompanied, KPA He assessed that PMATB still needs improvement, particularly regarding their understanding of their rights to managed land, strategies for dealing with external threats related to the seizure of living space, and their understanding of the agrarian reform movement. Therefore, KPA Implementing an educational strategy for PMATB members that integrates it with the internal strengths of the Tana Bu Indigenous Community. This strategy includes rebuilding traditional houses and making them centers for gathering and educating members. The second step involves involving traditional leaders (Mosalaki) and his thirty families in the agrarian reform movement.

The construction of traditional houses is carried out through mutual cooperation. Youth, women, and traditional leaders are all involved in the construction process. Women play a significant role in the construction process. They are not only involved in kitchen chores, preparing food for the builders and performing rituals, but also help carry wood from the garden. The work is carried out by a builder selected for his expertise and understanding of tradition.

During the construction, the challenges faced were primarily internal to the community. The first challenge involved a lack of funding to repair parts of the traditional house that could not be rehabilitated, and the limited income of members, making it difficult to rely on community self-help beyond their own labor. These challenges were overcome by utilizing funds specifically allocated to accommodate the needs of female members and by contacting external parties for additional funding.

The second challenge concerns taboos in the construction of traditional houses that must not be violated. If there are any violations, such as those that occurred during the construction of this new traditional house, they must be addressed. rite of reparation for forgiveness and purification to the ancestors and nature led by MosalakiOther challenges related to the implementation of a member's family event, which hampered the work, and unpredictable weather. Since the latter two challenges were related to the members' needs and unchangeable factors, the only solution was to postpone the work.

The PMATB initiative to build new traditional houses has had a direct impact on the 293-hectare area of ​​Bu Nuapuu Village. The initiative also impacts the 389 people living in the area. The construction of traditional houses, which serve as gathering and educational centers, has strengthened the internal strength of agrarian reform movement cadres in preparation for the ongoing threat of the seizure of their living space.