Characterization and Utilization of Woka (Saribus rotundifolius (Lam.) Blume.) Based on Local Wisdom of the People of Bolaang Mongondow Regency
DOI:
10.29303/jppipa.v11i12.13159Published:
2025-12-25Downloads
Abstract
Woka (Saribus rotundifolius (Lam.) Blume.) is a palm tree that has significant ecological and socio-cultural value for the community of Bolaang Mongondow. However, local knowledge about its use and characteristics is threatened by extinction due to modernization. This study aims to: (1) identify the morphological characteristics of the woka plant, and (2) document the forms of utilization based on the local wisdom of the community of Bolaang Mongondow in managing woka. This study used qualitative methods with an ethnobotanical approach. Data were collected through field observations, in-depth interviews with key informants (traditional leaders and craftsmen), and documentation studies. The results show that woka has distinctive morphological characteristics, such as round fan-shaped leaves (rotundifolius) and strong stems. Woka has a wide range of uses, especially its leaves, which are used as roofing material for traditional houses (baloi), woven crafts for traditional ceremonies, and as food wrappers. Local wisdom is reflected in the knowledge system of sustainable harvesting techniques, traditional rules of harvesting, and beliefs that support the preservation of woka. It is concluded that woka is not just a plant but an integral part of the local cultural identity and ecosystem. This documentation is expected to serve as a database for the conservation and sustainable development of the economic value of woka.
Keywords:
Local wisdom Morphological characteristics Saribus rotundifolius WokaReferences
Bacon, C. D., & Baker, W. J. (2011). Saribus resurrected. Palms, 55(3), 109–116. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233497879_Saribus_resurrected
Bernal, R., & Sanín, M. J. (2013). Los palmares de Ceroxylon quindiuense (H. Karst.) H. Wendl. (ARECACEAE) en el Valle de Cocora, Quindío: perspectivas de un ícono escénico de Colombia. Colombia Forestal, 16(1), 67. https://doi.org/10.14483/udistrital.jour.colomb.for.2013.1.a05 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14483/udistrital.jour.colomb.for.2013.1.a05
Couvreur, T. L. P., Jijon, N., Montúfar, R., Morales-Morales, P. A., Sanín, M. J., Copete, J. C., Lozinguez, A., Pérez, Á. J., & Beech, E. (2024). Diversity and conservation status of palms (Arecaceae) in two hotspots of biodiversity in Colombia and Ecuador. Plants People Planet, 6(4), 885–901. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10506 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10506
Dowe, J. L. (2009). A Taxonomic Account of Livistona R. Br. (Arecaceae). Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore, 60(2), 185–344. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242543393_A_Taxonomic_Account_of_Livistona_RBr_Arecaceae
Dransfield, J., Uhl, N. W., Asmussen, C. B., Baker, W. J., Harley, M. M., & Lewis, C. E. (2008). Genera palmarum. Royal Botanic Gardens.
Ellen, R. (2007). Modern crises and traditional strategies: Local ecological knowledge in island Southeast Asia (R. F. Ellen (ed.)). Berghahn Books. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt9qcm8g
Essien, E. E., Antia, B. S., & Etuk, E. I. (2017). Phytoconstituents, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Livistona chinensis (Jacquin), Saribus rotundifolius (Lam.) Blume and Areca catechu Linnaeus Nuts. Pharmaceutical and Biosciences Journal, 5(1), 59–67. https://doi.org/10.20510/ukjpb/5/i1/147026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20510/ukjpb/5/i1/147026
Fanisah, K., Setiawan, I., Parlindungan, D., Karyadi, B., Defianti, A., & Yani, A. P. (2023). Identification of the Diversity of Medicinal Plants Used by Battra in North Bengkulu. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 9(10), 7969–7978. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i10.3876 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i10.3876
Forsyth, A., & Miyata, K. (2011). Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central Land. Simon and Schuster.
Kanis, A., Crisp, M. D., & Orchard, A. E. (1999). Classification, phylogeny and the flora of Australia (2nd ed.). Flora of Australia.
Mamahani, A. F., Saroyo, & Simbala, H. E. I. (2016). Etnobotani Tumbuhan Obat Masyarakat Subetnis Tonsawang Di Kabupaten Minahasa Tenggara Provinsi Sulawesi Utara. PHARMACONJurnal Ilmiah Farmasi, 5(2), 205–212. Retrieved from https://ejournal.unsrat.ac.id/index.php/pharmacon/article/view/12191%0Ahttps://ejournal.unsrat.ac.id/index.php/pharmacon/article/download/12191/11771
Mokolensang, J. F. (2016). Pemanfaatan Tumbuhan Hutan oleh Masyarakat Desa Maelang Kecamatan Passi Timur Kabupaten Bolaang Mongondow. Universitas Sam Ratulangi.
Montúfar, R., Anthelme, F., Pintaud, J. C., & Balslev, H. (2011). Disturbance and Resilience in Tropical American Palm Populations and Communities. Botanical Review, 77(4), 426–461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-011-9085-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-011-9085-9
Nasution, A. N., Girsang, E., Lingga, I., & Samosir, F. J. (2023). Family Approach and Spirituality to Support Drug Abuser Recovery. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 9(10), 8672–8678. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i10.4637 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i10.4637
Pintaud, J.-C., Galeano, G., Balslev, H., Bernal, R., Borchsenius, F., Ferreira, E., De Granville, J.-J., Mejía, K., Millán, B., Moraes, M., Noblick, L., Stauffer, F. W., & Kahn, F. (2008). Las palmeras de América del Sur: diversidad, distribución e historia evolutiva. Revista Peruana de Biología, 15(3), 007–029. https://doi.org/10.15381/rpb.v15i3.2662 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15381/rpb.v15i3.2662
Pitopang, R., Lapandjang, I., & Burhanuddin, I. (2011). Profil Herbarium Celebense Dan Deskripsi 100 Jenis Pohon Khas Sulawesi. UNTAD Press.
Putri, H., Putu, L., Sridewi, S., Hadawiyah, L., & Fitri, A. D. (2024). Etnobotani Tradisi Bebubus Suku Sasak : Kajian Etnografi Harmonisasi Manusia-Alam untuk Mewujudkan SDGs di Pulau Lombok. Jurnal Pengabdian Magister Pendidikan IPA, 7(3), 915–922. Retrieved from https://jppipa.unram.ac.id/index.php/jpmpi/article/view/8575
Sada, M., & Jumari, J. (2018). Etnobotani Tumbuhan Upacara Adat Etnis Ngadha di Kecamatan Jerebu’u Kabupaten Ngada, Propinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur. Jurnal Saintek Lahan Kering, 1(2), 19–21. https://doi.org/10.32938/slk.v1i2.503 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32938/slk.v1i2.503
Salsabila, N. A., Syafi’i, M., Subardja, V. O., & Dwiningsih, W. (2023). Pengaruh Perbedaan Konsentrasi Dan Lama Perendaman Kalium Nitrat (Kno3) Terhadap Pertumbuhan Benih Palem Sadeng (Livistona rotundifolia). Jurnal Ilmiah Hijau Cendekia, 8(2), 103. https://doi.org/10.32503/hijau.v8i2.3670 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32503/hijau.v8i2.3670
Stuessy, T. F. (1990). Plant Taxonomy: the Systematic Evaluation of Comparative Data. Columbia University Press.
Utteridge, T., Keßler, P. J. A., Bos, M. M., Daza, S. E. C. S., Kop, A., Willemse, L. P. M., Pitopang, R., Gradstein, S. R., & Kessler, P. J. A. (2004). Checklist of Woody Plants of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Kew Bulletin, 59(1), 174. https://doi.org/10.2307/4111104 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/4111104
Viana, F. A. P., Môro, F. V., Batista, G. S., de N. Romani, G., Mazzini, R. B., & Pivetta, K. F. L. (2013). Maturity, Pulp Removal And Storage Effects On The Germination Of Livistona Rotundifolia Seeds. Acta Horticulturae, 1003, 197–201. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1003.28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.1003.28
Viana, F. A. P., Pinheiro Costa, A., Vitti Moro, F., & Fernandes Lopes Pivetta, K. (2016). Morpho-anatomical characterization of diaspores and seedlings of Livistona rotundifolia. Ornamental Horticulture, 22(3), 249. https://doi.org/10.14295/oh.v22i3.924 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14295/oh.v22i3.924
Wiratama, I. G. N. M., Enggar Maharani, S., Putri Anjani, N. K. A., Mardika, M., Made Rustini, N., Luh Putu Gangga Partiwi, N., & Putu Wijani, N. (2023). Pelatihan Pembuatan Kompos Dari Canang Sari di SD Saraswati 6 Denpasar, Bali. Lumbung Inovasi: Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat, 8(4), 815–825. https://doi.org/10.36312/linov.v8i4.1490 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36312/linov.v8i4.1490
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Wawan Nurmawan, Hengki D. Walangitan, Maria Y. M. A. Sumakud, Euis F. S. Pangemanan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY License). This license allows authors to use all articles, data sets, graphics, and appendices in data mining applications, search engines, web sites, blogs, and other platforms by providing an appropriate reference. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions and will retain publishing rights without restrictions.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).






