Gawai and Shemittah: The sacred relationship between human, land and God

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between Shemittah in the Jewish tradition and Gawai in the Dayak culture as expressions of eco-theology that affirm the sacred relationship between humans, land and God. Shemittah emphasises resting the land every seven years as a form of respect for creation and ecological balance. At the same time, Gawai is a harvest celebration that reflects respect for the agricultural cycle and the sustainability of nature. However, modernisation has shifted the ecological values in both practices, turning them into an arena for excessive consumption and exploitation of resources. By rereading Gawai in the light of Shemittah, this study offers a reconstruction of contextual eco-theology that integrates local wisdom with the principles of Christian ecological theology. This model can be applied in churches in West Kalimantan as a strategy to strengthen ecological awareness rooted in Christianspirituality.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study includes ecological theology, cultural anthropology and environmental ethics. This approach opens space for a sustainability model based on local spiritual and cultural values to mitigate the global ecological crisis.