Ginger Torch Flower (Unji): The Identity of Women's Agencies in the National Park

Abstract

This article aims to analyze women's organizing and agency in the preservation of Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP). The preservation of the Bukit Barisan mountains is determined as a response to the massive expansion of timber processing activities. Since the Dutch colonial government, the forest has lost its tropical forest environment. Each corporation received a concession and went after the deforested area. Wood and natural materials from the forest have been aggressively taken to meet business interests. Post independent, national authority defines it as a national park. For women, a National Park is a storehouse where they use to pick up the forest materials for only fulfilling their daily food survival and medicine. The local village outskirts of the forest park utilize non-timber materials. It meets their practical needs; this is due to the socio-cultural order to feed the family. This study develops the FPE approach; and it applies feminist ethnography methods such as: FGDs, in-depth interviews, and participant observations for data collection; then, it puts linkages between ecology and political economy as the analysis.This study shows that local women improve their position on forest governance by making a peaceful movement, which was to allocate access to raise ginger torch flowers between the perennials for snack. This was only an outset, their movement have been followed by advocacies to legally hold an MoU of non-timber management rights. Currently, it is still ongoing moving towards strategic stages. Including framing phases. The framing phase is about confirming women’s identity and agency in forest conservation towards engendering policy.