Wingit as ecospiritual conservation: Sacred ecology in Javanese place-based environmental practices

¹ Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia
² School of International Letters and Cultures, Arizona State University, USA
³ Institut Alam dan Tamadun Melayu (ATMA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
⁴ Department of Indonesian Language Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
⁵ Department of Indonesian Language and Literature, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia
⁶ Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: primaasteria@unesa.ac.id

Abstract

This study explores wingit, a Javanese cultural concept referring to spiritually revered and restricted places, as a form of ecospiritual conservation rooted in indigenous environmental ethics. Drawing an ethnographic fieldwork in rural Java, the research examines how local beliefs and practices shape conservation behavior around forests, springs, and mountains deemed sacred. These areas are governed not by formal laws, but by cultural norms that discourage human exploitation and promote ecological restraint, resulting in minimal human disturbance and high biodiversity. The findings reveal that wingit operates as an unwritten but effective system of place-based environmental governance grounded in spiritual reverence. This system not only safeguards ecological integrity but also reinforces community identity and cultural continuity. The study argues that such frameworks hold relevance to global sustainability agendas, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Recognizing the ecological wisdom embedded in traditions like wingit offers new pathways for integrating Indigenous knowledge into mainstream environmental policy. Ultimately, wingit represents an environmental ethic where fear, respect, and cultural meaning converge to protect nature beyond legal systems.