Ancestral Ecological Heritage: The History of the Sasi Tradition in Environmental Conservation in Maluku

Abstract

The Sasi Tradition is a form of local wisdom of the Maluku people, functioning as a customary-based natural resource management system passed down from generation to generation. This tradition was born of the community's collective awareness of the need to maintain a balance between human needs and environmental sustainability by limiting the use of certain resources within a predetermined time period. This study aims to examine the history of the Sasi Tradition and to uncover the ecological values it embodies as cultural heritage that contributes to environmental preservation. The study uses a qualitative, narrative design to reconstruct the development of the Sasi Tradition within the historical and cultural context of the Maluku people. Data were obtained from literature sources, including books, scientific journals, and official websites relevant to the research theme. The results of the study indicate that the Sasi Tradition not only functions as a customary rule in natural resource management, but also represents a community's perspective on life that places nature as an integral part of the sustainability of social and cultural life. Values ​​such as ecological responsibility, social discipline, respect for ancestral heritage, and intergenerational justice are reflected in the practice of implementing Sasi, which continues to be maintained to this day. The existence of the Sasi Tradition demonstrates that local communities had an effective conservation system long before the development of modern environmental conservation concepts. The Sasi Tradition can be understood as an ecological heritage that not only holds historical and cultural value but also offers inspiration for developing sustainable environmental conservation strategies in the contemporary era.