Agricultural traditions eroded by the allure of gold in the land of Merangin
Merangin Regency, as I remembered, was a verdant expanse and a lush ribbon unfurling along the road, a place where rivers raced clear and wild. Hence, in the downstream plains that were untouched by gardeners or the heavy hooves of buffalo tearing through the river, the locals would dip their hands into the water, drinking it without hesitation of the purity that flowed freely in their grasp. Each and every weekend, the children would get ready to pack their lunches and head off to the beautiful waterfalls in the far corners of the forest. Yep, in every hidden corner of the Merangin forest, there are worlds of paradise quietly awaiting to be discovered.
But now, along the road, all that meets the eye are just gaping pits left by the dredging of mines. The rivers, once pristine, are no longer fit even for a simple bath; their clear waters are tainted by the oily sheen of heavy machinery.
So on bitter jokes ripple through the community:
“If you want coffee, just grab some water from the river then toss in some sugar.”
It has become a common joke among the people of Merangin, born out of frustration from seeing the rivers are no longer clear. The water has become murky, tainted by illegal gold mining operations that have sprung up along the riverbanks over the past few years. Especially when the weekly gold yields reach astonishing amounts, these illegal miners show no hesitation in disregarding local customs, closing off or altering the river’s flow with heavy machinery. They won’t stop until every plot of land, most of which are farmers’ rice fields, is leveled and dug up.
Furthermore, when there’s no more land to destroy, they’ll move on to the hills and forests, where widespread illegal logging will inevitably follow.
According to the Merangin Regency Government (Pemkab Merangin), by 2022, the area of land damaged by illegal mining activities had expanded to 3,920 hectares, with destruction spread across 189 locations in 12 districts within Merangin Regency.
Most of these mining sites are situated along riverbanks, as mining operations demand an abundant water supply; water is pumped from the river and blasted into a Gold Box — a tool used to separate gold from sediment or sand — using a diesel engine. This has a direct impact on the river, as mining waste spreads through the water, turning it into yellow, while relentless dredging causes the riverbed to become shallower, and increasing the risk of flash floods.
Margo Tabir (127 Hectares), Pemenang Selatan (238 Hectares), Lembah Masurai (30 Hectares), Tabir Selatan (169 Hectares), Nalotantan (110 Hectares), Muara Siau (1,640 Hectares), Tabir (23 Hectares), Tabir Timur (41 Hectares), Pangkalan Jambu (800 Hectares), Sungai Manau (245 Hectares), Bangko (429 Hectares), Renah Pembarap (73 Hectares).
— The extent of land damage due to illegal mining activities (PETI) in Merangin Regency in 2022, according to the Merangin Regency Govt.
In 2021, as mining sites around residential areas were exhausted, illegal mining (PETI) began encroaching deep into the forests of Merangin Regency. This shift is evident in the numerous abandoned mining pits, some 20 to 30 meters deep, that now line the roads. The irony is striking: villages once embraced by lush, green rice fields and towering trees have become barren landscapes devoured by mining waste.
Illegal mining has therefore proliferated in the forests, creating a new problem of environmental degradation and threatening traditional cultures that have been passed down for generations.
Take the village of Sungai Manau in Merangin Regency, for instance. For years, the people of Sungai Manau have relied on the natural resources in their village, drawing their daily drinking water directly from the springs at the foot of the hills, and growing rice both for personal consumption and to sell. However, due to illegal mining activities, the springs have become cloudy, diminished, and blocked — intentionally or not — by the heavy machinery used in the mining activities. As a result, the community, which once thrived on agriculture, has now turned to gold mining to meet their daily needs.
The disappearance of agricultural traditions in the village of Sungai Manau due to illegal mining activities has undermined local cultural values that have existed within the community for centuries. One notable example is the annual harvest ceremony, which no longer conducted. This includes the tradition of Ampek Gonjie, Limo Gonop (four odd, five even), a tradition of exchanging poetic verses performed by local youth in the fields or gardens during the harvest season. This tradition was last held in 2017 and is unlikely to be revived in the near future as there are no fields or gardens left to sustain it.
In the harsh reality of Merangin today, many in the community find themselves relying on mining for their livelihoods. Behind the shattered fields, the rice has turned into a porridge. The continuation of traditional livelihoods such as rubber cultivation can no longer be a place to depend on because the selling price is getting lower and lower every year, while the needs of life are increasing. As the result, the presence of PETI in the middle of people’s lives like a gift that falls from the sky, if only for a moment. People who switch to gold panning can earn 3 to 4 times more per day than they would got from gardening nor farming.
