Between the Waves of the Sea Water and the Palm Oil Boom: The Life of the Bubun People in the Shadow of Oil and Gas

Zakirul Hasri Ramadhan; Fikarwin Zuska

doi:10.55927/eajmr.v4i12.481

Authors

Zakirul Hasri Ramadhan Universitas Sumatera Utara
Fikarwin Zuska Universitas Sumatera Utara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/eajmr.v4i12.481

Keywords:

Ecology, Transformation Of Spatial Meaning, Bubun People, Oil Palm, Everyday Resistance

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the socio-ecological transformations and forms of local resistance in Bubun Village, North Sumatra, as a result of the expansion of oil palm plantations and the gas industry since the 1990s. Using an ethnographic approach with the concepts of commodified space and everyday resistance (Scott, 1985), data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews over two months with fishermen, farmers, and community leaders. The results show mangrove degradation, changes in coastal function, and a shift in the meaning of space from a communal living area to an economic asset. Amidst the narrowing of resource access, residents engage in micro-resistance such as picking up fallen oil palms and reclaiming space. This study emphasizes the importance of inclusive development that recognizes local practices and socio-ecological sustainability

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