The Harimau Cave Site, Padang Bindu, South Sumatra has been studied since 2009 with high archeological content.
At least there are three significant discoveries, include: the long chronological of human occupation, the great number of human burials, and the exitence of rock art, believed to be the first on the island of Sumatra.
The results of the multidisciplinary research conducted by the National Archaeological Research Center and fully supported by the local government, shows that the Harimau Cave Site is a prehistoric occupation that could become as one of the roots of the Sumatran civilization.
Harimau Cave has the potential to be developed as a archaeological tourism destination.
Therefore, the cooperation between the central and regional governments and mass media as well as the involvement of local communities are needed to make the site one as the archaeological tourism destinations in South Sumatra.
This paper describes the tourism efforts related to the Harimau Cave that has been implemented and that will be done in the future. Through this paper is also expected to increase knowledge and development of tourism attractions in Southeast Asia.
Knowledge: Indonesia is one of the nations in the world that has cultural heritage objects are so with high cultural value. For example, there are three of world heritages found in Indonesia, namely: Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple Complex and Sangiran prehistoric sites.
Besides these three sites, Indonesia still has thousands of sites spread throughout the archipelago (Wibowo, 2014).
One of latest sites to be excavated is the Harimau Cave archaeological sites. It is located in the Padang Bindu village of Semidang Aji District of Ogan Komering Ulu Regency of South Sumatera Province. Locally known as “Gua Harimau” because according the locals, the cave (locals called “Gua”) was once the dwelling place for tigers (locals called “Harimau”). The location it is quite hidden on the slopes of karst hills, covered with tall trees and shrubs in full footpath and empties into the Ogan river.
According to Widianto (2011), The unfolding of the existence of the caves in Padang Bindu as ancient human dwelling place, starting in 2009 when exploration research conducted by Hubert and Jatmiko in karst caves of the Padang bindu Village area and the Harimau cave is just one among dozens of caves in this area is indicated as the location of prehistoric human habitation.
However, for archaeologists, it was so special because from the temporary results of the excavation, besides discovered dozens of skeletons, there are also prehistoric paintings or art rock, and the long chronological human occupation in the cave (Simanjuntak, 2012).
Therefore, the existence of Harimau Cave has become an important topic of discussion among the broad researchers
Figure 1. Excavation at Harimau Cave
Source : National Archaeological Research Center of the Republic of Indonesia (2012)
Figure 2. Art rock on the wall of Harimau Cave
Source : National Archaeological Research Center of the Republic of Indonesia (2012)
The existence of Harimau Cave sites has attracted many researchers from both local and abroad to participate in conducting research in an effort to uncover prehistoric human occupation in the cave (Tribun Sumatera Selatan, 2014).
The excavation of the cave floor so far has unearthed the existence of four cultural layers down to more than 5 meters. Started from the Paleolithic occupation layer, dated to more than 22.000 years BP, characterized by lithic flake tools and faunal remains assemblages; continued to the Preneolithic layer from ca.12.000 BP, characterized by the lithic tools, faunal remains, hearths, and human burials; the Neolithic layer from ca.4.000 BP with a very rich of human burials in association with potsherds, stone adzes, lithic and bone tools, hearths, faunal and seed remains; and the Paleometallic layer, from ca.2.000 BP (Protohistoric period), characterized by human burials, iron and bronze tools, lithic and bone tools, faunal and seed remains.
Worth noting that the cave dwellers belong to two races: Australomelanesoid as the first dweller and the Monggoloid who arrived ca.4.000 BP in the cave.
The arrival of this new comer made the cohabitation with the former inhabitants as showed by the presence of burials from both races in the early Neolithic in the cave.
Besides the long chronology with its dynamic occupation just mentioned, the second spectacular discovery concerns the big amount of human burial from the upper Preneolithic- Neolithic- Paleometallic occupation cultural layers.
So far, there are 86 individuals of burials with different ages (from infants to adults) and the gender (male-female) as well as different patterns of burial system. For having more the big surprise, the Harimau cave conserves rock arts, painted in the wall and the ceiling of the cave. The motifs are varied in from figurative (mat, different animals, etc) to non-figurative ones (symbol in parallel lines, dots, concentric circulars, etc).
All discoveries make the Harimau Cave as a very important site for the scientific researches. In the other side, those discoveries are the very interesting objects to attract tourists to visit the cave.
The research of Harimau Cave site that has been started since 2009 until today still continues to be done, because there are still many aspects that remain unanswered, among others is about the genetic inheritance of the prehistoric cave dwellers in the actual communities of Padang Bindu village and of course to answer the questions is needed the Government or community involvement efforts both in the research process as well as in the management and further development of the Harimau cave (Simanjuntak, 2012)
Historically and culturally, Harimau Cave has the potential to be developed as a historical or archaeological tourism destination, but to realize it requires careful planning, and the government should involve the community in preparing the future development of the Harimau Cave, because according to some previous studies (Tosun, 2006; Kayat & Nor, 2006; Osei-Kufuor & Koomson, 2014), the community participation is the power or the originator in the design of development of tourist destinations.
People will feel appreciated and will directly share their existing potential, and be responsible for the sustainability of the Harimau Cave site.
However, during the research period at the Harimau Cave since 2009 until now, there are still many obstacles in the field, due to limited knowledge and understanding of the importance of discovery for the development of science, so there is often a conflict of interest between researchers and the community.
For example the disappearance of some findings as a result of being stolen by residents. In addition, ease of support such as road infrastructure to the Harimau cave is still not available, so get to the Harimau Cave, the researchers must follow the path that passed in the middle of the residents garden.
Viewing from its prolific archaeological contents, it is well understood that the Harimau Cave is very important from scientific and tourism perspectives.
About the first, the cave is very important, not only for revealing the root of the local civilization, but also for the regional scope.
The data assemblages give a better understanding on human migration and occupation during Late Pleistocene-Holocene in Sumatra and Southeast Asia in general.
As concerns the second, all discoveries will make the cave as a very attractive destination tourist.
Therefore, in order for the results of the findings to be properly maintained, the Central Government in cooperation with the Regional Government has taken some precautionary measures by building an archaeological Museum established not far from the Harimau Cave area, so that the findings can be stored and maintained better.
Furthermore, other preventive measures, the government has done the duplication step by replicating of some individual skeletons placed in the Harimau Cave area with the same grave position as the original.
While the original skeleton is stored inside the Archaeological museum.
This is done in order to ensure that the findings are maintained and well maintained for further investigations.
Then the Harimau Cave area can be used as a field museum as well as historical and cultural tourism destination.
Later, in view of the findings of the prehistoric human skeleton in the Harimau Cave is the first step in exposing human civilization in the archipelago, then to provide insight and additional knowledge about human civilization to historical, academic and student actors, the Indonesian government through the Center for Cultural Heritage and Conservation (PCBM) The Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia has programmed the positive activities called “House Civilization Program "by involving all stakeholders, ranging from Government, teachers, students and students as well as other community and actors.
Meanwhile, to provide the widest information on the existence of the Harimau Cave to various countries or regions outside of South Sumatra Province, The government also involves various mass media.
In addition, whenever there is a major exhibition of activities related to Education, Tourism and Culture, the Government is always trying to take part and show a reflection of prehistoric human skeletons as well as some pictures depicting the history of the Harimau Cave human civilization.
Archeology is a Science that has an assessment area that covers all aspects of human beings in life. This science is able to examine how past human settlement systems of structural archeology, environment archeology, economic archaeology, religion archaeology, social archaeology, art in archaeology, geo-archaeology, industrial archaeology, underwater archaeology, and others. Archaeological science has a noble purpose of opening the veil of the mystery of human life, and then reconstruct it into the history of history of human life in the past to the present ( Widianto, 2011).
The results of the discovery of the prehistoric human skeleton in the Harimau Cave which is estimated to be more than 5000 years old is a very important and spectacular discovery, because the data obtained from the research has opened the veil of a human civilization of the past, it can even be concluded as the folk of the archipelago (Simanjuntak, 2012). Thus the existence of the Harimau Caves with the findings of prehistoric prehistoric human skeleton and some of the unique objects and unique cave painting has made special attractions for researchers from within and outside the country to take part in research in this cave area.
As well as a place of research site, Harimau Cave has the potential to be developed as a historical tourism destination that will affect the economic and prosperity of the community around the area (Simanjuntak & Octaviana, 2012).
In line with the concept of tourism destination development, tourism development will affect the reduction of unemployment, as it will provide opportunities or job opportunities, efforts and poverty reduction (Tosun, 2006; Talib, Jusoh, & Ibrahim, 2009; Wilkerson ,1996; Chok, Macbeth, & Warren, 2007; Scheyvens, 2007; Zhao & Ritchie, 2007).
Based on the above explanation, it is necessary to conduct further studies on community involvement in the effort of building the Harimau Cave as an archaeological tourism destination
This paper describes the efforts of the central government to cooperate with the local government to build and construct a Harimau cave not just as an archaeological research center, but then the government will make it area become one of the archaeological tourist destinations which in turn can open job opportunities and reduce local poverty, and will provide business opportunities to improve the economy of the local community around the tourist area.
Therefore, it is important for the local community to be involved so hopefully they will support the development of Harimau Cave area as a tourist destination.
Finally, this paper it is hoped to increase the knowledge and development of tourist attractions in South Sumatra.
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