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narrative, though viewed from the fields of sociology,
anthrophology, and ethnography, it actually describes
things or events happen in the past. The folklore that
has been told from one generation to another cannot
be forgotten as it is not merely a product of a mind
and imagination. It is almost always based on things
happened in the past as parts of people experience.
This product also transfers way of life, value, belief,
and system of people belief created for the next
generation (Kayhan, 2013).
Society’s belief is not based on scientific
knowledge and involves creatures or powers. It is
much more understood as religious thing, such as the
statement of thinking and human social relation.
Further, folklore contributes to the dynamics of larger
daily life and sometimes creates a ritual practice as
shown in the myth of lake guard fish (Herva and
Ylimaunu, 2009). Viewed from scientific point of
view, folklore actually covers scientific fact.
Sometimes, it illustrates plants, animals, heroic
figures, geographical conditions, histories, and
certain cultures (Guernic, 2004; Kayhan, 2013).
Folklore also relates to the belief of society, implying
the change of behavior or attitude. Likewise, a folkore
related to a myth can view society’s behavior who
obey all myth-related rules. The myth has given
guidance and certain direction on things to do and not
to do in humans daily life. Humans interaction with
many elements of lives demands a rule to manage
relations among humans, God, nature, and themselves
(Sedyawati, 2008). In daily life, it is said that myth
functed to make people aware of other powers beyond
themselves that influencing the universe and their
lives as well, guaranting their future, acting as
mediator between humans and the power of nature,
giving knowledge about the world, and guiding
humans behavior.
The myth of Si Layung and Si Kohkol is
manifested in daily behavior of people live near Situ
Cibeureum. At least there is a connection between
water consumption and behavior and attitude in using
the water, especially those for household purposes
(Otaki, Ueda and Sakura, 2017). The people living
around the lake use the water for paddyfield and
fishery purposes. The usage itself is not exploited,
such as for the fishery, for ponds inside the area of the
lake. For the paddyfield, the water is flown using the
pipes, volume and number of pipes are limited to
prevent from water overuse. Therefore, the water is
always available for the paddyfield, regardless the dry
season. People living near the lake do not use the
water for domestic purposes, such as for washing or
for taking a bath, since it can be contaminated by
plastic trashes and the lake will get dirty. This is also
based on the strong belief on the lake guard fish so
they will not do such kind of action. Society’s
behavior to use the lake wisely is a form of local
wisdom on the knowledge of environment balance.
People believe that they do not live alone but side by
side with nature and other invisible creatures. They
also believe that those creatures will not disturb as
long as they do not disturb them. Those creatures can
be used as the media to conserve natural environment,
manifested in the form of myth.
The myth of Si Layung and Si Kohkol showing up
when visitors behave bad has become the guidance
for the people to behave. It does not mean that people
more believe on something mythical or beyond
reason, it is actually a form of respect from society on
the harmony of interaction between humans life and
natures and other creatures. Atang, 72 years old
informant stated that lake guard fish can come into
real as big as a giant drum. There are some rules to
obey regarding the myth, including do not say bad
and rude words, do not act arrogant, do not make any
commotion, do not make the lake dirty, do not do
immoral act around the lakes. Campers need to ask
permission from the guard mediated by a person
called juru kunci. It is a person who takes care of a
sacred place. If they did not do this, something bad
usually happens to them, such as being possessed.
These rules are commonplace and can be applied in
many places, it does not have to be in a lake or a
graveyard. However, the implications of the rules are
greater, those are to create respects, tolerance,
obedience, and humble attitudes. By having those
characteristics, an individual will grow into a man of
charater, for society and for environment. The
absence of the rules in the area will give a chance for
irresponsible people to exploit the lake. As a result,
the lake will get dirty, its balance is disturbed, the
water supply will be restricted, people will not be able
to make use the water optimally and in the long run,
the economic life of people around the lake will also
be ruined. There is a concept of maintenance of a
thing in rules creation, in this case, is to conserve the
resource of water. The appearance of Si Layung and
Si Kohkol has become the media to manage the
environment since its emergence will also mean that
poor attitudes or bad actions take place. A myth is a
way to preserve the environment naturally.
Apart from this myth, near the area of Situ
Cibeureum, stood a grave, believed to be Ki Bagus
Djamry, the figure who built the lake. Si Layung and
Si Kohkol are tasked to guard the lake built by Ki
Bagus Djamri. The grave has become a medium of
environment conservation as it is considered as a
sacred place and visited by many people to pay a
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
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