Mira Hasti Hasmira, Eri Barlian, Aldri Frinaldi
This study evaluates the meaning of Nyarai Salibutan ecotourism as the main message in environmental communication. This is a qualitative study with a hermeneuticoriented approach, which is later known as the interpretive approach. Data was collected through observation, in-depth interviews and documentation studies.. The location of the study was in Nagari Salibutan, Lubuk Alung Sub-district, Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. The results showed that there were four groups of meaning for environmental components by society: (1) meaning based on previous stories; (2) meaning based on reality; (3) meaning based on value systems, and (4) meaning based on government policies. Based on the interpretative analysis, the meaning given by society to the Nyarai Ecotourism area is as a cultural symbol. This meaning is based on the cognitive, evaluative and symbolic systems in society. This observation is further examined with the theory of cultural ecology, that over time the meaning given by society is by the existing ecological wisdom with the government’s policy of making this area an ecotourism realm, changing the meaning of the society into a tourism meaning. © Penerbit UMT
Department of Sociology, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia; Department of Coaching, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia; Department of Public Administration, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia
