PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF LARGE STONES IN NORTH BALI: A SOCIOCULTURAL AND PALEO-DISASTER STUDY

Author: I Gede Astra Wesnawa

ABSTRACT

The presence of large stones measuring 0.5–5 meters in diameter in North Bali is a legacy of the 1815 multi-hazard event involving an earthquake, landslide, flash flood, and local tsunami. Scientifically, these stones can be explained as the result of geomorphological processes. However, for local communities, stones are not only seen as material remains of the disaster, but also as spiritual symbols, markers of village identity, and cultural archives of the disaster. This study aims to analyze community perceptions of large stones in North Bali through a qualitative approach based on interviews and field observations. The results show that community perceptions are multidimensional: historical (memory of the 1815 disaster), spiritual (sacred objects), social (spatial markers), and scientific (results of natural phenomena). This article confirms that large stones in North Bali function as a link between culture and nature, as well as a means of heritage-based disaster mitigation education. These findings contribute to paleo-disaster studies and disaster anthropology, particularly in examining how collective disaster memory is reproduced through physical artifacts and local traditions.

Keywords: Public Perception, Large Stones, North Bali, Socio-Culture, Paleo-Disaster

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