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Ethnobotany of the Kombong Agroforestry System and Tongkonan Conservation in the Toraja Tribe, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Forest and Society · Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024) · pp. 271–295

DOI
10.24259/fs.v8i1.31156
ISSN
2549-4333, 2549-4724
Published
2024-06-21
Publisher
Forestry Faculty, Universitas Hasanuddin
Language
en
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Abstract

The Kombong agroforestry system (KAS) has long been practiced and plays an important role in the livelihoods of the Toraja tribe's settlements, in addition to their social, cultural, and environmental sustainability. This research aims to explain the species composition and wood volume, how the utilization of plant species in the KAS has social, cultural, economic, and ecological functions, analyze the plant cultural significance of KAS of the Toraja tribe, the role of KAS for the conservation of Tongkonan Traditional Houses (TTHs) and KAS in preserving the Rambu Tuka' and Rambu Solo’ traditional ceremonies of the Toraja tribe. The research used vegetation survey methods and in-depth interviews with respondents, which were conducted using a set of guidelines for questionnaires. The research results indicate that there are 115 plant species belonging to 49 families. The plant use category is high, with foodstuffs and fruit being the use category with the highest number of species. The index of cultural significance (ICS) of the Toraja tribe varies greatly, from very high categories to those whose use is not yet known. Rice has the highest ICS value, with a score of 130. The KAS and TTHs are closely related and are always found in traditional Toraja settlements. They form a unit that supports each other, and the existence and sustainability of a TTH largely depend on the preservation of the KAS. The KAS has a close connection to both the Rambu Solo' and Rambu Tuka' traditional ceremonies. All plant species needed to build and maintain a TTH and for conducting these two traditional ceremonies are found in the KAS. Thus, the KAS is very important for the Toraja tribe because it not only supports the economic and social aspects of their lives but also functions to protect the environment and traditional culture, including preserving the TTH form and the Rambu Solo' and Rambu Tuka' traditional parties.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

30 authors · 77 co-authorship links

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  • Universitas Halu Oleo
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Syamsu RijalAffiliation unknown4
Usman ArsyadAffiliation unknown3
Muh. DassirAffiliation unknown2
Albasri AlbasriUniversitas Halu Oleo2
AMAR MA’RUFUniversitas Halu Oleo2
Leny RachmawatiAffiliation unknown2
Munajat NursaputraAffiliation unknown2
Andang Suryana SomaAffiliation unknown2
A. MujetahidAffiliation unknown2
Muhammad DassirAffiliation unknown2
Burhanuddin RasyidAffiliation unknown1
Sakti Swarno KaruruAffiliation unknown1
Andi Khairil A.SamsuAffiliation unknown1
Andi vika FaradibaAffiliation unknown1
Fauziyah AbidinAffiliation unknown1
Rizki AmaliahAffiliation unknown1
Makkarennu MakkarennuAffiliation unknown1
Ade Ilham IsmailAffiliation unknown1
Asiah SalatalohyAffiliation unknown1
A. Azhar ArmasAffiliation unknown1
WahyuniAffiliation unknown1
Chairil AAffiliation unknown1
Elis TambaruAffiliation unknown1
Mustika TuwoAffiliation unknown1
Resti Ura’Affiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 5 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Ethnobotany of the Kombong Agroforestry System and Tongkonan Conservation in the Toraja Tribe, South Sulawesi, Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Millang, Syamsuddin </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Yuniati, Eny </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Paembonan, Samuel A.</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Arty, Budi </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Makkasau, Ahmad R. </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="id">Millang, Syamsuddin </dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Ethnobotany</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Kombong Agroforestry System</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Conservation</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Tongkonan</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Toraja Tribe</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">The Kombong agroforestry system (KAS) has long been practiced and plays an important role in the livelihoods of the Toraja tribe's settlements, in addition to their social, cultural, and environmental sustainability. This research aims to explain the species composition and wood volume, how the utilization of plant species in the KAS has social, cultural, economic, and ecological functions, analyze the plant cultural significance of KAS of the Toraja tribe, the role of KAS for the conservation of Tongkonan Traditional Houses (TTHs) and KAS in preserving the Rambu Tuka' and Rambu Solo’ traditional ceremonies of the Toraja tribe. The research used vegetation survey methods and in-depth interviews with respondents, which were conducted using a set of guidelines for questionnaires. The research results indicate that there are 115 plant species belonging to 49 families. The plant use category is high, with foodstuffs and fruit being the use category with the highest number of species. The index of cultural significance (ICS) of the Toraja tribe varies greatly, from very high categories to those whose use is not yet known. Rice has the highest ICS value, with a score of 130. The KAS and TTHs are closely related and are always found in traditional Toraja settlements. They form a unit that supports each other, and the existence and sustainability of a TTH largely depend on the preservation of the KAS. The KAS has a close connection to both the Rambu Solo' and Rambu Tuka' traditional ceremonies. All plant species needed to build and maintain a TTH and for conducting these two traditional ceremonies are found in the KAS. Thus, the KAS is very important for the Toraja tribe because it not only supports the economic and social aspects of their lives but also functions to protect the environment and traditional culture, including preserving the TTH form and the Rambu Solo' and Rambu Tuka' traditional parties.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Forestry Faculty, Universitas Hasanuddin</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2024-06-21</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/article/view/31156</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.24259/fs.v8i1.31156</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Forest and Society; Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024): JUNE; 271-295</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2549-4333</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2549-4724</dc:source>
	<dc:language>en</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unhas.ac.id/index.php/fs/article/view/31156/11671</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2024 Forest and Society</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>