LOCAL WISDOM-BASED SOCIAL SCIENCE LEARNING

PROCEEDINGS ICTESS UNISRI 2017
Vol 1, Number 1, January 2017

ISSN: 2549-094X

LOCAL WISDOM-BASED SOCIAL SCIENCE LEARNING
Leo Agung S.
Historical Education Study Program of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Surakarta Sebelas
Maret University
Email :leo.agung56@yahoo.co.id

Abstract: The objective of Social Science learning in Junior High School (SMP/MTs) is to
make the students the good citizens. For that reason, Social Science learning is
not only the transfer of knowledge but also the transfer of values. Thus, the
assessment of learning should pertain to cognitive, affective and psychomotor
aspects. To achieve the goal, the learning model should be contextual or
Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL), meaning that learning material should
be related to surrounding environment. For Surakarta City, surrounding
environment becoming local wisdom and source of Social Science learning is
Bengawan Solo. For Social Science learning, Bengawan Solo can be studied
from Historical, Geographical, Economic and Sociological aspects. Making

Bengawan Solo the learning source, the students of SMP/MTs in Surakarta City
are expected to love more their environment, the local wisdom that can be a
medium of reinforcing the character in dealing with globalization age.
Keywords: Social Science Learning, CTL, Bengawan Solo, and Local Wisdom

Economic materials. The objectives of

Introduction
In National Education curriculum,

Social Science subject, according to Iif

Social Science is the subject studying a

Khoiru and Sofan Amri (2011: 10) are as

series of events, facts, concepts, and

follows: (1) to recognize the concepts

generalization related to social issues

related to society life and its environment;

(Dimayati et al., 2013: 39; Zaini Hasan,

(2) to have basic competency to think

2006:

Standard

logically and critically, curiosity, inquiry,

competency

problem solving, and skill in social life;

(thereafter called SKKD) of Education

(3) to have commitment and awareness

Unit Level Curriculum (KTSP) of 2006,

(consciousness) of social and humanity

Social Science is a discipline studying

values; and (4) to have communication,

human behavior in society life and its

cooperative, and competing ability in

environment

elementary

plural society, at local, national, and global

schools (SD/MI/SDLB) to senior high

levels. Fraenkel (1980: 8 -11) divided the

school (SMA/MAN/SMALB) containing

objective of Social Science into four

Geographic, Historical, Sociological, and

categories: knowledge, skill, attitude, and

41).

competency

In

relation

and

given

Basic

from

to

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values. Knowledge is competency and

Attitude is the competency of developing

understanding

of

and accepting certain belief, interest,

information and ideas. The objective of

viewpoints, and tendency. Meanwhile,

knowledge is to help the students to learn

value is the competency of holding on a

more about themselves, their physical and

number of in-depth commitment, support

social world. For example, the students are

something considered as important with

introduced with the concept of natural

appropriate action.

environment,

on

an

artificial

amount

environment,

Thus, Social Science is related to

family, neighbor, and etc. Skill is the

how human being attempts to meet his/her

development of certain abilities from the

material need, cultural need, and mental

knowledge acquired. Some skills existing

need, to utilize the resource existing on

in Social Science are: (a) thinking skill, the

earth surface, to organize his/her welfare,

ability of describing, defining, classifying,

and etc, organizing and maintaining

hypothesizing, generalizing, predicting,

human society life. Essentially, learning,

comparing and contrasting, and bearing

studying, and investigating the human life

new ideas; (b) academic skill, the ability of

on the earth are what are learnt in Social

reading,

speaking,

Science learning (Suhadi Purwantoro,

listening, reading and interpreting map,

Endang Mulyani, and M. Nurrohman,

outlining, charting and recording; (c)

2010).

studying,

writing,

research skill, the ability of defining
problem, formulating hypothesis, finding
and

collecting data

the

Generally, local wisdom can be

evaluating

understood as local ideas that are wise, full

hypothesis and drawing a conclusion,

of wisdom, having good value, imparted

receiving, rejecting or modifying the

and followed by its society members. In

hypothesis appropriately, and (d) social

anthropology discipline, there is a term

problem,

ability

data,

of

to

cooperating,

local genius. Local wisdom is the term

contributing to group assignment and

often used by scientist to represent value

discussion, understanding non-verbal signs

system and norm organized, embraced,

conveyed by others, responding to in the

understood, and applied by local society

ways of helping others solving the

based

problem, reinforcing others’ advantage,

experience in interacting and interrelating

and demonstrating appropriate leadership.

with environment (Tjahjono et al., 1999).

skill,

the

analyzing

relevant

Local Wisdom

155

on

their

understanding

and

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The definition of local wisdom, according

form of aphorism and proverb, folklore),

to a culture observer, Saini KM, is attitude,

and manuscript. Although there is an

perspective and ability of a community in

attempt of inheriting local wisdom from

managing

physical

one generation to the next, there is no

environment giving it endurance and

guarantee that local wisdom will toughly

growing ability in the area where the

face globalization offering more pragmatic

community lives. Local wisdom can also

and consumptive lifestyle. Factually, we

be called a creative answer to geographic-

can see how local wisdom replete with

geopolitical, historical, and local situation.

policy and life philosophy almost not

Ecological consciousness is very important

implemented in the more pragmatic life

to society. Moreover, natural condition

practice. The spread of corruption in all

degrades continuously and is getting more

levels is the real evidence of denial against

worrying. On the other hand, natural

local wisdom teaching “bersakit-sakit

response begins to be apparent. Such the

dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian (you

condition begins to threat human safety,

got to lost, to know how to win or no pain

such as landslide and flood disaster.

no gain)”; “hemat pangkal kaya (economy

its

spiritual

and

Thus, local wisdom can be defined

is the easy chair of old age)”.

as a local cultural rich containing life
policy,

that

is,

the

way

of

life

The Form of Local Wisdom

accommodating wisdom and life wisdom.

Local wisdom can be seen as

In Indonesia – so called archipelago –

nation identity particularly in Indonesian

local wisdom not only prevails locally in

context enabling it to transform cross-

certain culture or ethnic, but it can be

culturally that in turn will result in a

stated as cross-cultural or cross-ethnic

national cultural value. In Indonesia, local

thereby creating a national cultural value.

wisdom is life philosophy and ideology

For example, almost in all of local culture

manifested into a variety of life aspects

in archipelago there is local wisdom

(social

teaching mutual cooperation, tolerance,

architecture, health, environment order,

work ethos, and so on. Generally ethics

and etc). For example, local wisdom rest

and moral value contained in local wisdom

on natural harmony has resulted in

taught from one generation to the next,

pendopo in Javanese architectur. Pendopo

inherited from one generation to another

with the concept of open space ensures

through spoken letter (including in the
156

and

economic

value

order,

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weather ventilation and circulation more

history of Yellow River, or Indians know

smoothly without needing weather cooler.

exactly the history of Sala River or
Bengawan

Local wisdom in the form of

Solo.

Meanwhile,

several

mutual cooperation is also known in

centuries ago Bengawan Solo had carved

people stall (for example warteg [tegal

the long history of human civilization in

food stall]). In the stall, the rotation of stall

Java earth (Suhadi Purwantoro, Endang

management

Mulyani, and M. Nurrohman, 2010).

is

practiced

as

the

implementation of mutual cooperation

Bengawan Solo is 600 km in

value in social and economic order:

length, with 2200 streams, crossing nearly

providing job opportunity and opportunity

20 cities and regencies in Central Java and

of earning living for the relatives and

East Java. Bengawan Solo River originates

citizens of kampong; that is one of local

from Wonogiri area toward it estuary in

wisdoms inherited from the past that is still

Java Sea, near Gresik city. This river has

prevailed by some society. Surakarta City

carved the history of civilization along its

society perceives

wisdom

flow, even along its age. This river had

contains noble value that should be

long been transportation and trading media

inherent to the spirit of everyone that

in Java inland, recalling that from entire

should be practiced in living within society

north coast of Central Java through

and state (Sri Supiyarno, and Sri Mulyati,

Surabaya, only Solo river was feasible to

2012). Related to Bengawan Solo, the

be sailed as the means of transporting

local

consumption and commercial products to

wisdom

that

local

contained

includes

inland (Kompas Team, 2008).

preserving and maintaining meaning not
making Bengawan Solo the waste disposal

Since the 13th-14th century, when

place, but keeping maintaining cleanliness,

Majapahit Kingdom was still on the top of

clarity, by disposing waste or domestic

its glory in East Java, this inland river

waste and factory waste to the river. Thus,

transportation had occurred. At that time,

the existence of Bengawan Solo remaining

Gresik was still called Ujung Galuh port,

to be clear makes it the joyful recreation

as the most important port along with

(Sari Dewi Permonika Suci, 2010).

Tuban in East Java. Gresik’s location was
very strategic because its lies on the
estuary

Bengawan Solo

of

a

big

river,

Bengawan

Semanggi and Bengawan Sala/Solo.

If Greeks understand the history of
Nil River, if Chinese people know the
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The term Bengawan Semanggi or

Wuruk Palace in 1358 as investigated by J.

Bengawan Solo refers to the name of

Noorduyn. Semanggi was one of port

Semanggi and Solo, the final harbor where

series along Bengawan Solo from its

these river flows exist. The river was

estuary in Gresik. That place was the

named after the location from which the

ferrying (penambangan) place for the

river flow originated firstly, recalling that

crossers, and the tax was imposed to

along the flow of Bengawan Solo River

merchants or orang Kalang (horse-drawn

through Gresik, there were 44 river ports.

cart

In the eastern flow it could be found

expedition/commodity

Bengawan Madiun crossing Madiun City.

Merdeka, 2002).

operator)

conducting
delivery

(Suara

Thus, it can be concluded that the river is

Surrounding Solo itself it was

named with the name of important port or

mentioned about the presence of village

important location becoming the source of

playing an active role in trading during

river

in

Kasultanan Pajang’s reign, Laweyan. The

Surakarta

distance between ports was only about 4 –

1830-1939 (Yogyakarta, Yayasan Untuk

15 km and travelled by river sailing.

Indonesia, 2000: 67) has studied flow and

Laweyan developed very rapidly because

number of port in this river.

it was famous for woven cloth trading

flow.

Kehidupan

Darsiti
Dunia

Soeratman

Keraton

This river became the main way for

center for Solo inland area. In relation to

trading

connecting

that reality, all activities related to

Javanese Island area to the sea, or it can

traditional textile production began to

also be said as the exit and entrance of

grow and be concentrated in certain

economic

civilization

kampongs such as Mutihan (as the location

between Javanese inland and outside

of white cloth selling), Kabangan (red

world. Because the river’s water source is

cloth production) and Klaseman (brown

located around Solo area, a number of

cloth production). In addition, some

important ports were found in that

developing producers began to come and

location. For example Semanggi lying on

establish their own community. Most of

the south-east of Solo village and Wuluyu

them came from Bayat, Kartasura, Kleco,

or Wulayu becoming the port living during

Pajang and Kedunggudel with their own

14th-15th century. Before that, Semanggi or

skills. All of craftspersons then open their

Wuluyu was also mentioned in the Ferry

own settlement with special bond with

river

and

exchange

sailing

and

Charter Inscription released by Hayam
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Laweyan being the traditional cloth trading

In addition to Chinese merchants,

activity center (Margono, 2014).

the famous business performer group at

Both Semanggi and Solo is the
village

becoming

trading

port.

that time along this Bengawan Solo River

The

was Javanese people. Javanese merchants

location of these two places were strategic

were known as producer and distributor of

enough and very important for river

crops such as rice, coconut, corn and fruit

transportation network; for that reason, in

during 15th-17th century. They carried their

Semanggi, in addition to trading activity of

commodity

merchants, there was also ferrying activity,

exchanged or sold it in every port where

boat rental for crossing. These boat and

they stopped by until arriving at the

raft moved in wind blow direction. When

estuary of river as the hoarding place.

the wind blew to the west, these trading

from

Bengawan

inland

Solo

and

River

then

had

boats departed from Gresik port to inland

obviously played an important role in

and stopped by in many ports until finally

domestic trading sector focusing on river

arrived at the last port, Semanggi and Solo.

sailing. The river sailing patterns using

When the wind blew to the east, these

boat and raft was closely related to the

boats sailed again toward the estuary with

supply of basic materials for producing its

Gresik as the last destination. This river

vehicles. Around Solo area, particularly in

sailing of course was also adjusted with

Sragen, Sukoharjo, Ngawi and Madiun,

Solo river’s high flow rate, recalling many

many appropriate wood supplies were

boats with substantial tonnage would not

available to prepare river boat. When

be able to sail on the fairly low water

Surabaya was taken over by VOC from

shallowness. In this river sailing, the

Mataram in the end of 17th century, VOC

products were also carried consistent with

built Surabaya port and made it the big

the sailing direction. From Gresik and

commercial port. The location of Surabaya

river

boats

protected by Madura Island on its narrow

transported imported commodity such as

made it safe for the boats to anchor from

spice, household appliances, pottery, silk

direct exposition threat. As a result,

cloth and salt. When they sailed back,

Bengawan Solo flow was no longer

these boats would carry crops such as rice,

profitable

coconut, coconut sugar, onion, forest

Surabaya and its inland were more

product such as rattan, resin, wax, honey,

profitable. It also occurred during 19th

and etc to be exported.

century when southern Surabaya inland

estuary,

most

of

these

159

for

Gresik

area,

because

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changed into sugarcane plantation area

service activity developing very rapidly,

utilizing Solo River as its irrigation.

particularly plantation and sugar factory

However, the use of Solo River as trading

activities. Solo City became colonial

17th-19th

trading and administrative city center as

channel

improved

during

recalling the difficult land road passing

reflected

through forest and its vulnerability in

constructed and growing within it. Modern

transportation sector.

urban facilities for art and recreation,

clearly

on

the

facilities

In fact, VOC itself finally had

clubs, parks, and transportation facilities

economic interest in Bengawan Solo

supported the rapid mobility of economic

River. In Solo, VOC finally constructed

activity. Train network crossing hinterland

warehouses to accommodate its plantation

area went toward the factories processing

products in Solo hinterland area such as

sugarcane

Karanganyar, Sragen, Wonogiri, Klaten,

commodity, and then was forwarded to the

and Boyolali). VOC warehousing existed

stations

in Beton, Kampung Sewu, Solo area. They

warehousing and forwarded to large ports

also

for export purpose.

constructed

ports

there

as

the

into

the

constructed

as

world

well

sugar

as

its

competitor of preexisting Nusupan port.

In line with the train development

After 1744, VOC constructed fortress

to support plantation, train transportation

(from

(now

also played an important role in changing

called Vastenburg), in the area where Pepe

the face of Solo urban life in the end of

stream

River

19th century. When sugar plantation and its

encountered. It means that this area had

factory business expanded uncontrollably,

been guaranteed for its safety for the

demand and need for sugar product

development of VOC trading activity

transportation increased. The existing

(Ricklefs, M.C, 1991).

transportation vehicle, boat transportation

wood)

and

Grootmoedigheid

Bengawan

Solo

During 19th century particularly in

on Solo River, no longer sufficed that need

1820, intensively and massively agrarian

recalling the shallowness occurring on the

exploitation process had occurred against

river so that it was no longer feasible to

Kasunanan Surakarta and Mangkunegaran

use for large boat sailing. In addition to the

area. The physical development condition

factor of settlement growth along Solo

of Surakarta in agrarian exploitation era

River, ecological condition also affected

seemed to be rapid relevant to the

this river flow during coerced cultivation

improvement of administrative and trading

(cultuurstelsel) period as a result of forest
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mastery by colonial government in Madiun

maintained depth, this condition can

and Ngawi followed with massive logging.

mitigate the flood risk. There have been

This

natural

many flood cases occuring as the result of

ecosystem along the river flow leading to

Bengawan Solo overflow (Qomarun and

landslide. This landslide had piled up the

Budi Prayitno, 2007). Therefore, the good

bank of river flow thereby increasing the

and well-maintained river condition can

volume of mud in the river flow. As a

help preventing the flood from occurring.

result,

current

Let’s preserve the existence of river

shallowness occurring strongly affected

around us, particularly Bengawan Solo in

the use of river flow by the boat usually

order to be more beneficial to our life. It is

using

ecological

in line with Solo City’s Slogan, Solo

damaging process in Bengawan Solo River

Berseri. Thus, all of us expect that

still occurs until today, particularly river

Bengawan Solo will remain to be clear

shallowness. Illegal settlement in the river

(Yusticia Arif, 2014).

resulted

flow

it.

in

damaged

narrowing

Worryingly,

and

the

bank in Solo city beginning to be sporadic
since reform era contributed to such the

Conclusion
The objective of Social Science

ecological damage. Solo city government
still

relocates

such

the

learning

settlements

in

Junior

High

School

continuously in order to mitigate the

(SMP/MTs) is to make the students the

impact of and the ecological disaster of

good citizens. For that reason, Social

Bengawan Solo River. Bengawan Solo

Science learning is not only the transfer of

today is just like a free waste disposal

knowledge but also the transfer of values.

channel (or the worse one, septic tank).

Thus, its learning assessment should

The society’s thinking and behavior still

pertain

neglects the river’s ecological problem.

psychomotor aspects. For Surakarta City,

The cities along its flow should think

surrounding environment becoming local

about the form of education for their

wisdom and the source of Social Science

society in order to “trivialize” river (Adi

learning all at once is Bengawan Solo. For

Sucipto, 2013; Ade Rizal, 2013).

Social Science learning, Bengawan Solo
can

Moreover, Bengawan Solo is one

to

be

cognitive,

studied

affective,

from

and

Historical,

of environment factors that can regulate

Geographical, Economic and Sociological

the emergence of flood or inundation.

aspects. Making Bengawan Solo the

When the river has certain good and well-

learning source, the students of Junior
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Ricklefs. M.C.( 1991). Sejarah Indonesia
Modern (terj.). Yogyakarta: Gadjah
Mada University Press

High Schools (SMP/MTs) in Surakarta
City

are

expected

to

love

their

environment more, and local wisdom can
Sari

be used as the means of reinforcing the
character in dealing with globalization era.

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