Experiences from Mt Merapi, Indonesia

The notes share the experiences of the researcher on how culture influences people’s reactions to volcanic hazards in Central Java, Indonesia. One of the main themes that emerged during the research was that hazard experience influences cultural beliefs and in turn reactions to volcanic hazards. Cronin and Cashman (2007) explain this in some detail, and suggest that experience is often influenced by geographic location. This is especially true at Mt Merapi where within living memory reasonably small eruptions have only effected certain areas. This has caused a spatially varying hazard perception and cultural beliefs system. At Mt Merapi, at least, the local people’s socio-cultural beliefs are decisive before, during and after an eruption.