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Indonesian Council Open Conference 2025
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Tension Between Paer Values and Neoliberal Tourism Development in the Rinjani Cable Car Project
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Talk Description
The Rinjani cable car project in Lombok, Indonesia, has triggered deep cultural conflict by disregarding the traditional Paer value system, which emphasizes the sacredness of nature. This study explores how neoliberal tourism practices have clashed with local beliefs, particularly through the privatization of public assets and exclusion of local communities. Ethnographic research and interviews highlight the community's reverence for Mount Rinjani, seen as "Inan Paer" (Mother Earth), and its profound connection to ecological balance. The Paer system, with its components like Gawah Paer (sacred forests) and Desa Paer (traditional settlements), demands responsible stewardship of natural resources. The neoliberal model driving the cable car project, however, prioritizes short-term profits and has excluded the community from decision-making processes. This clash has not only led to environmental harm but also sparked a socio-cultural movement resisting the social transformation. The study underscores the importance of integrating local values to ensure sustainable, respectful development.
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