An Ethnobotanical Study of the Manggarai Indigenous Community In Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia
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Objective: The Manggarai indigenous community in Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia, maintains a deep and dynamic relationship with the natural environment, fostering the development of local wisdom for sustainable natural resource management. This study aims to document and analyze the various forms of plant utilization practiced by the Manggarai community.
Methods and Materials: A six-month field survey was conducted using a qualitative descriptive approach, involving semi-structured interviews, guided plant specimen collection with key informants, and botanical identification. Data were categorized into primary use groups.
Findings: A total of 124 plant species were documented, classified into three major categories: food sources (n = 68 species; 54.8%), medicinal purposes (n = 65 species; 52.4%), and traditional ceremonial uses (n = 10 species; 8.1%). Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part for both food (27.9% of recorded species) and medicinal purposes (47.7%). Several species served multiple functions, notably Corypha utan (lanu), used in both food and ritual contexts.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the significant ethnobotanical knowledge embedded in the Manggarai community, emphasizing its potential contributions to biodiversity conservation, nutrition diversification, and culturally appropriate pharmacological applications.
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