THEOLOGIZING FARMING: RELIGIOSITY AND ECONOMIC RATIONALITY OF MUSLIM PEASANTS IN THE DIENG MOUNTAINS

AHMAD SALEHUDIN, Moch. Nur Ichwan, Ph.D; Dicky Sofjan, Ph.D

2018 | Disertasi | S3 INTER-RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Sejak masuknya kentang verietas baru ke Pegunungan Dieng pada tahun 1980an, kawasan ini mengalami transformasi sosial-budaya dan ekonomi-keagamaan. Kentang mampu melepaskan masyarakat Dieng dari stigma daerah ngiwa (miskin dan terpencil), bertransformasi dari buruh menjadi majikan, dan mampu mengekspresikan keyakinan agamanya secara lebih kreatif. Namun, disamping perbaikan ekonomi dan keberagamaan, aktivitas pertanian kentang menyebabkan kerusakan lingkungan. Fenomena ini tidak saja berkaitan dengan rasionalisasi ekonomi dalam perspektif modern, tetapi juga oleh pemahaman dan keyakinan agama. Ada beberapa pertanyaan yang dijawab dalam penelitian ini: bagaimana para petani Muslim di Pegunungan Dieng memandang dan memposisikan lingkungan alam mereka? Bagimana mereka menteologisasi aktivitas pertanian mereka? Bagaimana mereka merespons kerusakan lingkungan yang disebabkan oleh aktivitas pertaniannya? Dan bagaimana hubungan antara pemahaman keagamaan mereka dengan dampak yang ditimbulkan oleh aktivitas pertanian mereka? Untuk menjawab pertanyaan tersebut, penelitian dilaksanakan dibebeberapa desa di kecamatan Kejajar dan menggunakan pendekatan antropologi historis, dimana peneliti ikut terlibat dalam kehidupan masyarakat setempat, melakukan penafsiran-penafsiran, dan pada saat yang sama mengaitkan dengan data-data historis dan temuan-temuan sosial yang lebih luas. Paradigma perspektif pelaku digunakan untuk mengungkap makna dibalik tindakan subjek penelitian. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan melakukan participant observation, indepth interview, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa agama merupakan faktor penting bagi para petani Muslim di Pegunungan Dieng. Pertama, Pegunungan Dieng adalah tanah sakral. Pandangan ini cenderung tidak berubah sejak daerah ini dibuka oleh umat Hindu untuk membangun kompleks percandian, sampai hari ini dimana tanah pegunungan Dieng dihuni oleh para petani Muslim. Namun, cara merawat tanah suci cenderung berubah seiring perubahan kepercayaan dan pengalaman hidup orang-orang di Pegunungan Dieng. Kedua, kegiatan bertani adalah representasi dari pandangan, ketaatan, dan kepatuhan mereka kepada Tuhan. Melaksanakan aktivitas bertani kentang mulai dari pembuatan bibit kentang, pemupukan dan pengobatan, serta perawatan intensif lainnya sekedar usaha, sedangkan berhasil atau tidaknya tergantung kepada kehendak dan kekuasaan Tuhan. Bagi masyarakat pegunungan Dieng, kentang adalah berkah Tuhan bagi mereka. Oleh karena itu, hasil pertanian kentang harus dikembalikan kepada Tuhan. Ketiga, Pemahaman religius para petani Muslim di Pegunungan Dieng berkaitan erat dengan pandangan dan sikap mereka terhadap kerusakan lingkungan yang disebabkan oleh kegiatan pertanian kentang mereka. Pemahaman religius akan selalu dipengaruhi oleh banyak hal, tidak semata-mata oleh apa yang tertulis dalam al-quran dan hadis, dan pandangan para tokoh agama, tapi juga pengalaman hidup dan tradisi lokal mereka.

Since the coming of new variety potato in the Dieng Mountains in 1980�s, this region has experienced socio-culture and economic-religiosity transformation. Potato has released Dieng community from stigma as ngiwa area (poor and isolated), transformed from laborers to employer, and able to express their religiosity more creatively. However, behind those economic improvement and religiosity, the potato farming activities have caused environment damage. The phenomenon relate to not only economic rationalization in modern perspectives, but also religious understanding and conviction. There are three questions answered through this research: How do Muslim Peasant in the Dieng Mountains view and position their natural environment?; How do Muslim peasants in the Dieng Mountains theologize their potato farming activities? And how do they respond to the environmental damage caused by their agricultural activities?; and what is the relationship between the religious understandings of Muslim peasants in the Dieng Mountains with the consequences of their potato farming activities? To answer the question, this research was carried out in several villages in the Kejajar sub-district and using anthropological-historical approach, in which researcher was involved in daily lives of the local community, did interpretations, and at the same time related those historical data to larger social findings. I used actor perspective paradigm to uncover meanings behind actions conducted by the subject of research. Collecting data was conducted by doing participant observation, indepth interview, and documentation. The results show that religion become very important for the Muslim peasants in the Dieng Mountains. First, The Dieng Mountains land is a sacred land. This view has tended to remain unchanged since the opening it by the Hindu-buddhist to establish the enshrinement complex to this day when the mountainous land of Dieng is inhabited by Muslim Peasants. However, how to treat the sacred soil tends to change with the change of beliefs and life experiences of people in the Dieng Mountains. Second, The farming activities are a representation of their views, obedience, and submission to God. Running potato farming activities from preparing seed potatoes, fertilizing and pesticiding, and other intensive care is an endeavor, whereas succeeding or not is the will and power of god. For Dieng mountain communities, potatoes are God's blessing to them. Therefore, the results of potato farming should they return to God. Third, The religious understanding of Muslim peasants in the Dieng Mountains is closely related to their views and attitudes towards the environmental damage caused by their potato farming activities. Religious understanding will always be influenced by many things, not solely by what is written in al-quran and hadith, as well as the views of religious leaders, but also their life experiences and local traditions.

Kata Kunci : potato farming, religiosity, environmental damage, economic problems, tradition