Yadnya Karo 1948 Saka: How Tengger Traditions Protect Water Sources and the Rights of Future Generations

ALIT INDONESIA, PASURUAN — The sound of a sacred mantra chanted by a Tengger Dukun echoes through the cold mist on the slopes of Mount Bromo. The voice belongs to Romo Eko Warnoto, a Dukun Pandita Brang Kulon, dressed in traditional white attire with an udeng wrapped around his head. Together with hundreds of residents, he takes part in the solemn Yadnya Karo ritual in Tosari Village, Pasuruan Regency.

This sacred ceremony of the Tengger people is a heartfelt expression of gratitude to their ancestors and Ibu Pertiwi, Mother Earth. Amid the global climate crisis and the growing pressure of mass tourism, the Karo celebration serves as an important reminder of the need to protect the environment and uphold the rights of Indigenous children.

For the Tengger people, the relationship between humans and nature forms the foundation of their religious and cultural life. One of the important rituals during the Karo celebration is Resik Danyang Banyu, a ceremony dedicated to cleaning, caring for, and honoring water sources. The ritual reflects the belief that harmony must be maintained between the natural world, all living beings, and human life.

“With the development of tourism and the changing times, there has clearly been a decline in environmental preservation because the forests have become smaller. The maintenance of water sources has also decreased somewhat. But the Tengger people remain committed to protecting nature. We have a principle: if you want to cut down a tree, you must plant one first. In this way, we keep nature ajeg—balanced, enduring, and well maintained—and we protect everything within it, just as nature, in turn, sustains us,” said Romo Eko.

This conservation message is particularly relevant today. Ecological pressures caused by climate change and land-use conversion in the buffer areas surrounding Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) are increasingly demanding concrete action from local communities to protect water availability and the capacity of mountain ecosystems to sustain life.

“At all times, we continue to protect and preserve nature. It is not only about maintaining the rituals, but also about planting trees so that more water can seep into the ground. When the number of trees decreases, water infiltration decreases as well. That is why we must work together to protect this environment,” he added.

Another crucial issue highlighted during the Karo celebration is the close connection between environmental sustainability and the fulfillment of children’s rights. The well-being of young Tengger generations depends greatly on having a safe, healthy, and stable environment in which to grow.

Within the ritual spaces of Karo, Indigenous children are actively involved in preserving their cultural traditions. They learn not only the sacred Tari Sodoran dance and ritual prayers, but also the values of respecting and caring for nature from an early age. Such participation represents an important way of upholding children’s rights to cultural identity and education rooted in local knowledge and traditions.

Yadnya Karo 1948 Saka demonstrates how traditional values can offer meaningful responses to contemporary challenges. Collaboration among customary leaders, village and local government authorities, and child-protection organizations continues to be strengthened to ensure that cultural heritage remains a living practice rather than becoming merely a ceremonial formality.

The Tengger community’s strong commitment to inclusivity and tolerance also serves as an important form of social capital. The harmony and mutual cooperation demonstrated by residents during Yadnya Karo, regardless of their religious backgrounds, reflect the longstanding social cohesion of communities around Bromo.

Protecting Bromo is not simply about preserving a beautiful landscape for tourists. It is about caring for a safe and sustainable home for the Indigenous children who live there. As long as the springs continue to flow and traditions continue to be nurtured, the future of Tengger children can remain protecte