Ethnomedicine of the Sarolangun Malay community: an ecolinguistic study on medicinal plant and healing incantations

Abstract

Deforestation, advancements in healthcare technology and the diminished concern of younger generations in preserving ecological wisdom, particularly ethnomedical practices, raise concerns about the potential extinction of such practices within the Sarolangun Malay community (henceforth abbreviated as SM). Against this backdrop, this ecolinguistic article explores and documents medicinal plant terminologies and their representation in incantations employed by traditional healers in their ethnomedical practices. Data were derived from ethnographic interviews employing rapport techniques with shamans. The study reveals that out of 63 medicinal plants used, they fall into seven terminological categories: color, shape, location, taste, aroma, function and gender. Meanwhile, the incantations used in healing processes are categorized into two: general and specific. These incantations encapsulate biological (flora and fauna), cultural (religion and agriculture) and social dimensions (relations with fellow humans and nature). This study concludes that the SM community perceives healing from ailments as an interplay of multiple inseparable elements: nature, supernatural forces and religion. This research plays a vital role in fostering and cultivating positive attitudes among various parties (including the government, capitalists and local communities) toward nature, a crucial source of raw materials. Furthermore, the research also contributes significantly to deepening the understanding of the relationship between local wisdom, language in oral literature and medicinal plants, all working together to heal various diseases. Serving as a pilot study for ecolinguistics in the SM context, this research offers preliminary insights for future scholars to discuss the diverse lexicon within incantations in comparison to other types.

Keywords:

• Ecological wisdom
• Jambi
• local wisdom
• Malay
• representation

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Jeroen van de Weijer, College of International Studies, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

SUBJECTS:

• Asian Studies
• Cultural Studies
• Language & Linguistics
• Literature

Acknowledgments

The researchers wish to express sincere gratitude to the three parties involved in the completion of this research. First, Prof. Dr. Abdul Syukur Ghazali, M.Pd, who provided invaluable insights into ecolinguistic research, oral literature and interviewing techniques with rapport. He is a lecturer at Universitas PGRI Kanjuruhan Malang, Indonesia, specializing in social and cultural research. Second, the researchers also wish to thank Ria Hapizoh and M. Hafzi for their considerable assistance in data collection and in understanding the gathered data. Third, the researchers express gratitude to the reviewers from Cogent Art & Humanities for providing valuable feedback, making this article worthy of publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Roekhan is a senior lecturer who has extensively published research in literature and linguistics. Moreover, he focuses on teaching courses in education, such as Arabic-Malay reading and writing, Malay literature, and creative writing in literature.

Yuni Pratiwi

Yuni Pratiwi is a professor specializing in educational literature, while Imam Suyitno is a professor of cultural studies. All three authors are faculty members in the Department of Indonesian Literature, Faculty of Literature, at the Universitas Negeri Malang.

Bambang Prastio

Bambang Prastio, Ahsani Maulidina, and Marzuki are doctoral students where the three researchers mentioned above teach. They have collaboratively engaged in numerous research endeavors related to Ecolinguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, and Indonesian language instruction for foreign speakers.

Ahsani Maulidina

Bambang Prastio, Ahsani Maulidina, and Marzuki are doctoral students where the three researchers mentioned above teach. They have collaboratively engaged in numerous research endeavors related to Ecolinguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, and Indonesian language instruction for foreign speakers.

Bambang Prastio, Ahsani Maulidina, and Marzuki are doctoral students where the three researchers mentioned above teach. They have collaboratively engaged in numerous research endeavors related to Ecolinguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis, Pragmatics, and Indonesian language instruction for foreign speakers.