One thing that old traditions should keep in mind in the modern era is the traditional and local wisdom on taking care of the environment. Papua and West Papua and many other eastern parts of Indonesia are great examples of the idea. In the land of black pearl, the locals still hold five different rites and practices to take care of their sea. What are they? Here are the details.
Five Traditional pearls of Wisdom And Rites To Take Care The Marine
1. Sasi Nggama
Sasi is probably one of the most common rites implemented in some eastern parts of Indonesia. For your information, Sasi or Sasi Nggama is a rule and wisdom that no one should not violate. In its practices, Sasi is mostly done to protect and take care of the marine area in the region. It was decided and led by the tribe leader of communities.
In Sasi Nggama, the procession is started with the tribe or community leader doing some ritual. The rites will include going to the sea and informing the law. The law can change based on the situation of the area, time, and needs. However, the local wisdom mostly highlights two laws. First to harvest the sea based on the need, and second is to prevent using harmful material.
Sasi Nggama itself can differ from one place to another. It is mostly based on the marine product, need, and also capabilities. In general, Sasi Nggama is one of West Papua’s wisdom and law to utilize the region’s marine products. It includes prohibition and permission in certain places or for designated products.
The idea is pretty good. It helps limit yield and only harvest some products to avoid overdoing the process. The process will help preserve the marine habitat. At the same time, the limitation and prohibition to not using harmful material will also aid in conserving marine life which includes coral, fish species, and food security.
2. Tiyatiki
Together with Sasi Nggama, locals also have unwritten rules on regulating, utilizing, managing, and conserving marine or coastal resources. Timati is another hereditary tradition that helps forecast the marine cycles, including climate, current, and migration of birds. It later helps locals find out the proper place to harvest the marine product.
Based on a study, the local wisdom highlights the role of the local community in conserving nature and the environment. The wisdom pinpoints how locals perceive nature as a mother and practice of conservation are based on the social solidarity in the West Papua community. The study also found that Tiyatiki is an unwritten or subconscious rite in the public.
Most locals understand it as a rule and are subconsciously adept with the conservation idea. Moreover, the wisdom also includes the use of environmentally friendly tools. It will enhance the function and create a better goal in the future. To keep the tradition going, local or government can write the rules as standard operation.
3. Balobe
Balobe is a name of traditional fishing from the coastal community in some Papua locations. It is a practice where locals use a stabbing tool (spear) called Kalawai. The spear has three pointy metals at the tip of a wooden stick. It is used to hunt animals and fish. In this case, locals will do Balobe during nighttime, especially during the dark moon.
As local wisdom, Balobe underlines the practice of safe and environmentally friendly fishing. Local only yield and fish for daily need and consumption. Balobe helps prevent overexploitation and harming west Papua coral. It has the potential to aid conservation efforts by limiting yield and preventing the use of harmful chemicals.
4. Molo
Molo is another fishing tradition by diving using Molo diving eyeglasses. The point of Molo is similar to Balobe, in which the local community will fish and yield the product with the safest possible tools. In this case, Molo uses a traditional speargun made out of wood. The arrow is made out of metal wire with a sharpened tip. It is mostly done by children and adults.
5. Bemeti
Bemeti is considered the oldest fishing and marine conservation tradition by locals. Based on the Mariadei tribe in Yapen, this rite happens when the sea recedes. Local will handpicked sea products during the time (or local call the receding sea as Meti). It is mostly in dusk or night when the sea is receding and uncover ranges of sea pool or coral reef.
As a West Papua or Papua tradition, Bemeti is not only for fishermen. Everyone can do the tradition either to gather food, recreation, or conservation practice. The yield is limited, but locals can gather ranges of products such as fish, lobster, seashells, and many more. People use basic tools such as palm sticks or pry tools.
The idea of conserving the local and traditional wisdom has been helping Papua land become as it is. The forest cover and the rich marine area will always stay intact. However, the current fast progress can affect the environment. That is when the locals should contribute to the conservation and help take care of their land in the future.
