Title: The complexity of integrating indigenous knowledge for ecotourism planning: a case of Mude Ayek's customary forests, Indonesia

Authors: Alfitri; Andy Alfatih; Andries Lionardo; Abdul Kholek; Erlisa Saraswati; Muhammad Izzudin; Anang Dwi Santoso

Addresses: Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Sociology, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Sociology, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Communication Science, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Sociology, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia ' Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Public Administration, Universitas Sriwijaya, Jl. Raya Palembang – Prabumulih Km. 32 Indralaya, OI, Sumatera Selatan 30662, Indonesia

Abstract: This study presents how indigenous peoples participate in ecotourism planning, how their knowledge is tested and challenged to deal with knowledge for developing ecotourism, and what are the challenges in engaging indigenous peoples and their knowledge in ecotourism. It employed an indigenous qualitative research strategy by conducting semi-structured interviews with representatives of indigenous peoples, government, and non-governmental organisations (NGO) participating in ecotourism planning in Mude Ayek's Prohibition Customary Forest. The results of the study show that despite being involved, the dispersed knowledge of indigenous peoples has been integrated and utilised in forest management as a product of ecotourism. However, in forest ecotourism management, indigenous peoples find obstacles either from themselves or from the confusion of other stakeholders in integrating it. The practical implication of this research is that it is necessary to build a complete picture of local knowledge, which is no longer implicit but must be written.

Keywords: ecotourism; forest ecotourism; customary forest; indigenous people; Indonesia; indigenous knowledge.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTA.2022.128057

International Journal of Tourism Anthropology, 2022 Vol.9 No.1, pp.76 - 97

Received: 26 Sep 2021
Received in revised form: 20 Sep 2022
Accepted: 20 Sep 2022
Published online: 04 Jan 2023 *

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