ABSTRACT
Women in East Nusa Tenggara and the mothers of Mt. Kendeng in Northern Central Java have been in the public spotlight for fighting against environmental injustice. Nine mothers of Mt. Kendeng cemented their feet in concrete blocks to protest against the construction of a cement factory in 2016, while women in East Nusa Tenggara received death threats and were badly beaten for their stand against mining companies in 2006. These women were not politically driven in their protests against big companies, but instead stressed earth-based spirituality: the woman–nature link, an interconnecting and expanded view of self, and caring or promoting a compassionate lifestyle. This study examines their indigenous cultural identities, which include naturism, and how these shape their gender structures. The findings of this study indicate that although these women are “saving the earth”, they restrict themselves to their local beliefs and do not question other forms of oppression such as sexism.
