management structure. Berkes and Folke (1998) mention TEK (traditional ecological
knowledge) as the basis of management practices. Sasi, although it limits resource use, is in
most cases not explicitly a management system i.e., a conscious effort to manage and conserve
the resource. Detailed knowledge of the resource base and related natural systems are lacking,
whereas non-scientific and magical explanations for resource decline are still current. Although
villagers do have a notion of over-exploitation, harvest restrictions are mainly based on
tradition and aim to maximize yields. In this case, it is the loss of traditional knowledge
concerning sasi ritual, not local loss of ecological knowledge, that is a threat to the resilience
of the sasi institution.
The trend towards the loss of adat-related knowledge was already clear decades ago when
Cooley (1962) wrote: “Christianity and education were the primary forces which caused the
local language to die out. The loss of the language was a direct blow ... to adat for two reasons.
First, it is widely held that to be valid adat must be performed in the indigenous language.”
Secondly, he maintained, without the language, “it is already doomed for even though it may
be continued for a time, the ceremonies are devoid of content and seem purposeless”. Cooley
concluded that sasi “as part of the adat system ... seems completely doomed in the very near
future”. It is interesting that 35 years later, we are witnessing not just stability but resurgence
in at least one form of adat institution: marine sasi.
This raises the question: just how important are language and ritual, and how much needs to
be incorporated into a revitalized institution? If proponents insist on returning to traditional
style and ceremony, this could strike a patriotic chord in these times of national turmoil replete
with calls for regional autonomy if not outright secession. On the other hand, too much
emphasis on adat could alienate younger generations of fishers and inhibit the introduction
of science-based management tools.
The 1990s appear to be a critical decade, i.e., sasi must adapt to modern society or it may, at
the operational level, cease to function. According to Ostrom (1990), well-functioning local
management systems are dependent on the enforcement, protection, and legal recognition of
local rights by higher levels of government. As a village organization active in enforcement,
the kewang is more functional than the police. However, the kewang has never obtained formal
enforcement powers. In cases where the kewang is being revitalized, its mandate has to be
formalized, and the kewang and police have to collaborate within a legal construction under
provincial law. One possible model is that of Itawaka, where as a result of a village
proclamation in 1995, the kewang became part of the official government. On the other hand,
an arm’s length relationship with the local government also has certain advantages. Various
models need further investigation. Wherever the local institution is placed, it will still require
legal recognition and support from higher government levels.
Institutional Resilience : Loss and Revival of Sasi 259