Balinese Community Safeguards Pranajiwa through Tri Hita Karana Philosophy

Image: article cover, from Rubangi et al. (2021), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Pranajiwa (Euchresta horsfieldii) is a medicinal plant widely used by the Balinese, particularly by balians, or traditional healers. A research team from the Research Centre for Society and Culture and the Research Centre for Plant Conservation, Botanic Gardens and Forestry at BRIN investigated the use and conservation efforts surrounding this plant among communities around Bedugul, Bali. The findings were published in the Journal Wasian in 2021.

The study found that pranajiwa is used to treat various ailments, both by balians and by the general public. However, the quantities used vary widely, as there is no standard dosage. Nevertheless, harvesting is carried out in line with sustainability principles according to the Tri Hita Karana philosophy, namely the balanced relationship between humans and God, nature, and one another. Harvesting is generally for personal use. Although some buying and selling occurs, the research team noted that this has not yet led to excessive exploitation.

Conservation efforts are also undertaken by the community, especially the balians, who have attempted to cultivate pranajiwa, albeit without success so far. In addition, the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) protects the plant's habitat within forest areas. For forest-adjacent communities, these findings demonstrate that local wisdom can serve as a bulwark for the conservation of medicinal plants that have long been gathered directly from the wild.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Preservation Efforts of Pranajiwa (Euchresta horsfieldii (Lesch.) Benn.) Based on Tri Hita Karana by Balinese Community by Rubangi Al Hasan Rubangi, Krisnawati Krisnawati Krisnawati and Anita AD Rahayu Anita, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 9 No. 1 (2021). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Rubangi, R. A. H., Krisnawati, K. K., & Anita, A. A. R. (2021). Preservation Efforts of Pranajiwa (Euchresta horsfieldii (Lesch.) Benn.) Based on Tri Hita Karana by Balinese Community. Jurnal Wasian, 9(1), 48–62. https://doi.org/10.62142/mcxb2952

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.