(2025)
The villagers there choose to stay, living in houses that gradually subside following the pace of nature’s changes. They are not just losing physical buildings but the essence of the home that holds memories, hopes, and their identity. The environment that once was their life’s foundation has turned into a place full of challenges and wounds. Their reluctance to relocate is not merely a physical matter but a deep emotional bond to their homeland, to roots that are hard to sever.
A clear example is the family of Pasijah, affectionately called Mak Jah, who lives in Desa Bedono, Kecamatan Sayung, Kabupaten Demak. Together with her family, she refuses to leave the home that has witnessed her life’s journey. Having lived there for so long, the house is not just a space on earth but a soul tightly connected. Mak Jah even tries to adapt, changing her livelihood from farmer to fisherman, as her rice fields have been submerged by seawater. This shift forces them to move their way of life from agrarian to coastal, even though income from the sea often falls short of sustaining the family.
