The Sacred Mountain as a Weapon of Resistance Against Mining Exploration Activities by the Bati Indigenous Community in Maluku, Indonesia

This study aims to complement existing research on social resistance. By utilizing local knowledge, this study seeks to elaborate on the resistance strategies employed by the Bati people in East Seram Regency (SBT), Maluku, in response to plans for mining exploration in their sacred mountain areas. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative method, with data collected through observation, interviews, online data, and literature review. The findings of this study reveal at least three significant points. First, the customary forest is not only a living space but also a sacred place for the Bati people. Second, imposed policies inevitably marginalize their living spaces and pose threats to the preservation of their customary forest. Third, disregarding honest and transparent community participation not only leads to the failure of rational negotiations but also undermines the goals of development itself. Through the lens of local knowledge, this article underscores an alternative perspective to challenge the dominance of development that not only marginalizes the Bati people but also threatens the continuity of the Bati indigenous community’s cosmology. The study advocates for the accommodation of local wisdom as a strategy for negotiation, adaptation, and reconciliation with the values and practices of the Bati people. In other words, development should not solely focus on instrumental technical dimensions but must also reflect on the functionalization of local cultural heritage through respect for the sustainability of the sacred customary forests of indigenous communities.