‘Local community-based disaster management’ the transformation of religious and local wisdom values in preparation to deal with natural hazards in West Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract

Community based disaster management (CBDM) empowers communities to be actively engaged and be pro-active in disaster management. The involvement of the community is one of the keys to success in disaster management, especially considering the values embraced by the community itself such as religious values and local wisdom. This study aimed to create and implement a CBDM model based on religious and local wisdom of Minangkabau people in West Sumatra, Indonesia. By using Research and Development (R&D) design with a generic adaptive model of Creswell from Gall and Borg, the researchers created, implemented and evaluated a CBDM model based on religion and local wisdom of some of the nagari (villages) in West Sumatra that are prone to natural hazards. The findings of the research at the model formulation stage have been conducted, elaborated and developed incorporating the local values such as rituals and ceremonies, together with customary laws that govern behaviour, and strengthen social cohesion in order to be more applicative, practical and effective in disaster management. Furthermore, quantitative tests were conducted so that this model had the value of practicality and effectiveness to be applied to other communities in any disaster area.