Water Resource as Axis-Mundi: An Effort to Preserve Water Resource Sustainability

Abstract

Sumberawan Site is an entity of water resource and an old stupa. Its existence is corroborated by myths, folklore, and legends about amerta water and paradise garden. Rituals, myths, and sacred artefacts are clues that lead to the axis-mundi concept. It is characterized by a sacred space as the central of the environment. It is unique that Sumberawan Site is not located in the village centre, but the activities and symbolic attributes lead to its function as axis-mundi. This possibility was explored by phenomenological paradigm. The study used two approaches: Phenomenology and non-verbal communication approach. Field observations and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data. Observational objects included time, space, and activities. In-depth interviews were conducted on key informants to explore their experience. The data were analysed inductively through five stages of phenomenological analysis. Space attributes were recorded, drawn, and interpreted by non-verbal communication approach to support phenomenological interpretation. The results reveal that (1) Sumberawan Site is an axis-mundi which means source of life; (2) This concept relates to water resources in the context of agrarian societies' culture; (3) In the settlement setting, it is located 'outside' the village; (4) The concept of life source is vertical-transcendental, and directly connected to the horizontal-social concept; (5) The sacred zone is bound by time. The findings of this study indicate that efforts to preserve water resources as a source of livelihood of agrarian societies are not only conducted by physical effort, but also directly linked to vertical-transcendental and social-horizontal values.