PANGKALPINANG -- Indigenous communities, with their rich culture and local knowledge, have an invaluable role in maintaining the balance of nature and the environment around them. The existence of indigenous communities also provides harmony within the social layers of society.
To support the preservation of indigenous communities and ensure that economic sustainability does not hurt their lives. PT Timah will be actively involved in implementing the empowerment of the Mapur Indigenous community.
One of PT Timah Tbk's efforts to maintain the existence of indigenous communities is by providing the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village. PT Timah Tbk together with the community in Air Abik Hamlet, Gunung Muda Village, Riau Silip District, Bangka Regency, and the Mapur Traditional Institution built the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village.
The presence of the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village is an effort to preserve the local cultural heritage of the Mapur traditional community. Memarong is a typical house of the Mapur traditional community. However, over time this house began to be difficult to find.
The Gebong Memarong Traditional Village has begun to open to people who want to learn and get to know the customs of the Mapur traditional community.
PT Timah builds sustainable partnerships with indigenous communities, involving community development programs and local economic empowerment. Elaborate the principles of preserving indigenous communities into corporate social responsibility programs.
To encourage the economy of indigenous communities, PT Timah Tbk also provides training in making eco print batik and training in making crafts for the community in Air Abik Hamlet. PT Timah Tbk even handed over two units of non-machine looms (ATBM).
This member of the MIND ID Mining Industry holding also supports the preservation of local knowledge of the Mapur indigenous community by facilitating educational or training programs that maintain their traditions, language, and unique skills. This helps in passing on cultural heritage to the next generation.
The training provided includes tour guides and imitative studies in Bedouin. This is the company's effort to increase the knowledge of indigenous communities so that the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village can have an economic impact on them.
Quoted from the news released by PT Timah some time ago, the traditional chairman of Air Abik Hamlet, Atok Usang Gedoy, said that in the past they only dreamed of building Gebong Memarong so that they could introduce the younger generation to where the Mapur traditional community lives.
"Initially, only one piece was built from community self-help. We wanted to build this because we wanted to introduce the community and young people to this traditional house with the various activities of our parents in the past. So that they know and don't forget this local wisdom," said the man who often called Abok in an interview some time ago.
Abok said they were very enthusiastic and happy when PT Timah Tbk's, role in helping realize their dream of building the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village consisting of seven Memarong.
The seven ridges built in the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village are four will be used for accommodation, one for a gallery, one for a museum, and one traditional hall.
Gebong Memarong Traditional Village will also become a training center for indigenous people to make crafts, traditional medicine, and various local wisdom of the community which is still preserved.
"PT Timah Tbk is extraordinary in realizing our dream of having a Gebong Memarong Traditional Village. Apart from being assisted with development, the community is trained to make crafts with the help of non-woven machine tools and other development programs," he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Mapur Traditional Institution, Asih Harmoko, really appreciates PT Timah Tbk which supports the preservation of customs so that the Gebong Memarong Traditional Village is built.
"Starting from zero, PT Timah Tbk supported and developed us so that we could become what we are today. Now we just need to develop it with what PT Timah Tbk has built. So that it can continue to live and have an economic impact on our community," he said.
According to Asih, Gebong Memarong Traditional Village will be developed to support the economy of indigenous communities.
"Later it will be opened and we will develop it. For example, for various activities such as training in making crafts. Then we are also ready to welcome tourists who want to get to know the customs of the Mapur community," said Asih. (*)
