Kearifan Lokal Orang Mandailing dalam Bertani Padi di Desa Halongonan

Abstract

This thesis was written based on the results of research in Halongonan Village, Halongonan District, North Padang Lawas Regency, North Sumatra Province. The focus of this research is to explain the variety of local wisdom of the Mandailing people in rice farming, and to unravel lost, permanent, and new local wisdom. The majority of the villagers work as rice farmers. They still practice local wisdom that has existed since the early 1920s from rice farming to the present. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method, using observation-participatory research techniques and in-depth interviews with farmers in the village. In addition, the author also interviewed traditional leaders in Halongonan Village. Before conducting research, the author first builds rapport with a number of farmers in Halongonan. To establish closeness and build trust between the writer and the villagers. So that the research carried out runs smoothly and there are no obstacles in the field. The analysis was carried out during the research process or ongoing analysis. The collected data are classified and their description adapted to the research problem formulation. The results of this study indicate that the historical side of the cultivation of agricultural crops for food needs in Halongonan Village began with the types of tubers and field rice in the period 1920 – 1960. Subsequent developments occurred around 1961, Halogonan farmers began to recognize paddy rice plants. Gradually they also found another job, namely cultivating plantation crops. The initial plantation crop in the village was rubber, around 2001. After a few years, plantation crops in the village began to increase, namely oil palm. This research has identified 24 (twenty-four) types of local wisdom in rice farming practices in Halongonan Village. Some of them have disappeared, and there is also a new local wisdom among them. In the 2001-present period, there were 18 local pearls of wisdom that were still practiced by rice farmers in Halongonan. The causes of the loss of local wisdom include factors of technological advances, the spread of the Islamic religion and the decreasing number of farmers. Not only that, climate change such as abnormal rainfall is also a factor causing the loss of 6 (six) farmers’ local wisdom in the village. Meanwhile, the emergence of new local wisdom in rice cultivation is due to the increasing work of farmers in the village. Where, their work is not only rice farming, but some of them also cultivate rubber and oil palm. So that makes them have to be good at dividing their time. Thus, Halogonan farmers found a new habit, namely paying farm laborers so that their rice cultivation could still be completed on time. Another cause is the age factor and also the disease that starts to arrive. Farmers are getting older and their bodies are also easily tired. In addition, farmers’ diseases also began to appear, such as, cramped muscles and hands that became helpless. The disappearance and emergence of new local wisdom in the village is thought to have occurred since 1961. However, the new local wisdom in no way replaces the lost local wisdom. Therefore, the new local wisdom is at different stages of rice cultivation