Sumur Sinaba lan Lumaku Tinimba: Epistemologi Jawa dalam Konteks Keseimbangan Alam dan Krisis Bencana

Abstract

This study begins with the quiet wisdom preserved in the Javanese aphorisms sumur sinaba and sumur lumaku tinimba, expressions that view the well not as an inanimate object but as a living subject within the cultural cosmos. Sumur sinaba depicts a well that is visited by people, whereas sumur lumaku tinimba symbolizes a well that comes to the people. These two proverbs serve as the point of departure for uncovering micro-narratives, small stories that contain ethical and cosmological depth beneath their seemingly simple form. Framed by micro-narrative theory and Gestalt perspectives, this research traces how expressions about wells shape an integral cultural space where humans, nature, and spirituality mutually interrelate. Methodologically, it employs a micro-hermeneutic reading of proverbs, myths, and oral fragments from Javanese communities, treating them as living texts that reveal social and metaphysical relations through their symbolic layers. The findings show that the well represents a relational ontology: its silence embodies social continuity, while its movement signifies ethics and social receptivity. Through these small stories, the study demonstrates how Javanese culture embeds philosophical reflection in everyday practice, transforming banal actions into epistemic gestures. Ultimately, this research reminds modern society that truth often begins in ordinary encounters where humans draw meaning from their surroundings, affirming the value of micro-narratives as vessels of cultural wisdom and the ethics of sustainability.