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Menoken Tano Batak

admin_samdhana — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:55:03 +0000

Menoken Tano Batak admin_samdhana Wed, 07/10/2024 - 07:55

Written by A. Ruwidrijarto |

Dear J,

There’s so much I want to tell you about the recent Menoken event I went to in North Sumatra.

In the heart of Tano Batak, where the mist embraces Lake Toba like a shroud, a group of passionate souls gathered in defiance of the bulldozers and the relentless march of industrialization. We were bound together by a common purpose: to preserve the sanctity of our land and the spirit of our people.

During this event we shared many things together, including music, poems, tuak (palm wine), coffee, meals, rituals and a lot of laughs. We enjoyed the beauty of the lake, the valleys, and the hills. We each had our share of anger, but tempered by passion and love. Defined more by love than hate, we are the proud and beautiful people of Tano Batak.

The day and evening at Harian Boho will forever be etched into our memories; a moment when the weight of our struggle hung heavy in the air. Humanity has been torn asunder by greed. This greed feeds the monster that is grabbing and eating lands, turning a whole living world into a pulp and paper maché. We fight it. We resist.

We were sad and weary, but found solace in music. With a guitar, bamboo flute and percussion, we embarked on a journey through the melodies of our ancestors; a musical tapestry, interwoven with the power of the Batak people.

Songs are some of our weapons, our voices rising against the monstrous forces that sought to devour our land. Safe in our circle, shrouded by the mist enveloping the lake, in the deep mystery of a volcano at rest, we shared ancient tunes and modern ballads. Our playlist, a small fraction of Batak musical heritage, stretched across the night and into the days that followed. With every song, we became stronger.

Each chord struck was a protest, each note sung was a declaration of resistance. As the night unfolded, and the next day broke, the music carried us out of the realm of despair. It wrapped around us like a shield, fortifying our spirits and rekindling the fire of determination within our hearts.

Martahan, a beacon of hope himself, stood tall amidst the rhythms and harmonies. His voice, weathered by many years of his personal journey, resonated with a power that transcended words.

Martahan led a series of informative sessions that delved into the significance and nuances of Batak Indigenous music, which is an integral part of life and ritual. Through engaging discussions and interactive demonstration, Martahan shed light on the unique rhythms, melodies and instruments that constituted the rich tapestry of the Batak musical heritage. He did so in collaboration with Andre, who has been dreaming of performing together with Martahan the maestro since he was still in elementary school.

Together, we immersed ourselves in the captivating sounds and dances, discovering a renewed sense of pride and connection to our cultural roots. Our music embodies tales of bravery and love for the land. We found a new sense of unity. The anger and weariness were transformed into a collective resolve, a promise to defend our heritage against the forces of destruction. In the face of adversity, we found strength in our music, a strength that binds us together and propells us forward.

In poems we paid respect to Sitor Situmorang. His writings, poems, essays and his deep connection to Batak culture and history helped us find the strength to love and wander, and eventually come home.

The cultural tapestry of Tano Batak was worth preserving at any cost.

And so, amidst the haunting beauty of Lake Toba and the quiet strength of our songs, we, the people of Tano Batak stood united, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. Our melodies echoed across the valleys and up the hills, a testament to the enduring power of music in the face of injustice. The struggle continues, but we will face it with hearts and harmonies fortified by our ancestors and the unwavering spirit of resistance.

Please contact us if you would like to see more pictures, or watch videos of our performances, etc.

Our journey to explore the beauty of Lake Toba led us to another stunning location, the Pea Farm in Martoba, Samosir. The days and the evenings at Pea Farm in Martoba, Samosir, were nothing short of mind-blowing. We were amazed by the beauty and serenity of our surroundings at the top of Martoba Hill, which overlooks the tranquil landscapes of Lake Toba. But even more amazing was Heryober.

“I will be 30 soon,” he had thought one day. “Will I get married; will I have a family of my own after doing this all alone for so many years up to this point?” he wondered. And here’s what his universe and his intuition replied: whatever will be, will be; you’ll know when the time comes.

His story is truly remarkable. He returned home from a well-paid job abroad, having collected 25 stamps in his passport from countries around the world. He had been a farmer, a tourist guide, an ecotourism business owner. But above all, he was a warrior. He fought loneliness as he transformed this hill into a green, productive, beautiful landscape; as he organised fellow villagers, the youth, in striving for better village governance, better regency administration, better works and programmes for the community and for the environment.

But now he will stop battling this loneliness – because all of us nokenners are with him now. This community includes several Mossak practitioners who are harnessing the power of the universe, the ancestors and the Creator through beautiful and potent traditional Batak martial arts.

What do you think of that as a sign of things to come for Tano Batak?

From Pea Farm House, you can get directions to 25 countries around the globe.

Pea Farm House, Martoba, Samosir

From the top of the hill at Pea Farm House, we move to another magical place.

At Parbaba Dolok Samosir, Pardosir, we enjoyed Coffee Pardosir and the many stories that went with it. Again, the narrative was a homecoming. This time it was the Sinagas Clan who, after receiving a message through a dream, decided to return home to Bona Pasogit.

At that time, in 2006, the village on the hill was abandoned. The people left and moved to lower areas in search of water, more fertile soil, and jobs. The Sinagas returned there and started planting. They planted many seeds, but coffee was the one that helped them get to where they are today.

Pardosir Coffee is currently a well-known establishment that’s devoted to the art of coffee cultivation and appreciation. The Sinagas pointed out their house and said they were able to build that house in just one harvest season. They then pointed to a truck and said they bought that truck in another season. After that, they pointed to the paved road and said, “That was not there in the beginning, but now it’s almost completely paved with concrete all the way from the provincial road up to this place. All because of coffee.”

The Sinagas spearheaded discussions on the development and cultivation of coffee within the Batak community. With their vast knowledge and personal experience, they shared valuable insights on creating sustainable coffee farms, researching and experimenting, along with various tips about fertilizers, organic pesticide and herbicides, nurturing the plants and producing exceptional coffee beans that would rival the world's best.

Menoken at a lapo tuak in Parbaba Dolok, Samosir

Following a walk in the rain, the night at Pusuk Buhit marked the culmination of our Menoken experience in Tano Batak.

We first stopped by at Nagoes’ place, where his family runs a cottage and small restaurant. We had lunch and stored the things we would not need for the climb and overnight stay at Pusuk Buhit. We had a briefing before the walk, then distributed tents, sleeping matts, ritual materials (including limes and sirih leaves) and packages of rice (the fish, sambal, veggies, eggs and all the rest of the food were supposed to be distributed later at Pusuk Buhit; however, this didn’t happen).

Pusuk Buhit is a majestic and the most revered mountain, where the first Batak came into this world. The origin and epicentre of all Batak people in the world, it serves as a living embodiment of their spiritual and cultural foundations. This is where we paid homage and sought blessings for all our endeavours. It’s also the place where we engaged in solemn prayer rituals and moments of personal reflection, honouring ancestral connections to the spiritual realm and acknowledging the profound wisdom and strength embedded in the mountain.

It’s a long walk up the mountain, mostly in the rain. It was cold. Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly joyful experience; incredibly beautiful, abundantly sacred.

Dear J,

This letter is not enough to record and express the breadth and depth of Menoken Tano Batak. I am so grateful to have been part of it. I know you are too. We are overjoyed that during this menoken activity many hearts (and at least two couples) became One Heart.

I particularly enjoyed the way we prepared our meals during the menoken. It was a brilliant idea to form a breakfast team and a dinner team (naturally I chose to be on the breakfast team, as I am so used to just having coffee for breakfast – plus, intermittent fasting is usually a good excuse to skip breakfast).

But how nice it was to see so many passionate chefs roll up their sleeves and then chop, stir and savour the process of creating authentic local food from whatever ingredients were close at hand, including the veggies in Pardosir. Our gastronomic adventure not only delighted our taste buds but also served as a reminder of the importance of food and partying in gatherings and celebrations.

I’m even more happy now, hearing all the ideas and plans coming out of Menoken Tano Batak: focusing on topics like Indigenous education, ethnomusicology, coffee planting, culture, Batak opera, ulos, ecotourism, land rights, etc.

To our Papuan friends,

I am happy to know that you’re bringing home with you a rich array of ideas and motivation. You’ve now had first-hand experience of how proud we are of our Batak identity; our language, culture, tradition, history, spirituality and rituals. And indeed, we have all seen and felt how connected we are, as fellow travellers of this earth and as Indigenous Peoples of the Indonesian archipelago.

From Tano Batak with love,
Yours truly, nokenners

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Tue, 07/02/2024 - 12:00

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The beginning of the event, held in Sianjur Mula Mula. (Photo by Participant of the Menoken)

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Muney Neked Peneng Uwit: Self-Governance of the Menuvu in Southern Bukidnon

admin_samdhana — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 08:03:59 +0000

Muney Neked Peneng Uwit: Self-Governance of the Menuvu in Southern Bukidnon admin_samdhana Thu, 10/05/2023 - 15:03

By Bernadie Jamora/Samdhana Institute

Culture serves as the ultimate refuge for the survival and progress of a tribe. Such is the case for the Menuvu belonging to the Kirinteken-Ilantungen Ancestral Domain, duly recognized by the government through the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title 206 in Southern Bukidnon. The Kirinteken-Ilantungen Ancestral Domain straddles seven towns namely, portions of Maramag, Don Carlos, Pangantucan, Kalilangan, Kitaotao and Kadingilan, and is inhabited by 48 gaup or clans. The tribe struggles with corporate agricultural activities and infrastructure projects that have encroached into their territory without their consent.

Sezukadang, one of the Menuvu communities in Don Carlos town belongs to the Kirinteken-Ilantungen Ancestral Domain. Like other areas, it is confronting the threats caused by the unwanted entry of a banana plantation and road projects to their livelihood, and the damage to their sacred grounds and environment. The ancestral land in Sezukadang, which belongs to the Ompigan clan, is where they grow crops for their daily consumption.

Community members lamented that the road project desecrated their sacred burial grounds, resulted in the cutting down of balete trees and other violations against customary law. In addition, the use of chemicals in the banana plantation established in 2022 has created fears it might endanger their health as well as the immediate environment. These projects were implemented without getting the community's Free and Prior Informed Consent or FPIC as required under Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.

IPRA provides a legal framework for the recognition of Indigenous Peoples rights to their ancestral lands to ensure their social, cultural and economic wellbeing. Four bundles of rights are enshrined therein — right to ancestral domain, right to self-determination and empowerment, right to cultural integrity, and right to social justice and human rights.

Sezukadang’s situation, on top of other land and natural resource conflicts in the other communities, and internal leadership issues within CADT 206, led to an awakening among the Menuvu that they should focus on strengthening self-governance to assert their right to self-determination and empowerment.

The Sezukadang community in particular, is focused on strengthening their Muney Neked Peneng Uwit, or Indigenous Political Structure (IPS) of governance. Through a consistent practice of buron-buron, or a gathering of all community leaders and members where they tackle problems and come up with actions in a collective manner based on their cultural values, they continue to remain united and address the issues before them.

Datu Benjie Ompigan, Punggus (Head Leader) of Serukadang explained: “Addressing community concerns can be made easier through buron-buron and cooperation, particularly in asserting the rights of the tribe. It makes us prepared to face threats that may affect the tribe. And, through tigker, or humility we can overcome all challenges.” Through decisions agreed during buron-buron, Sezukadang was able to demand to the Barangay Local Government Unit (LGU) and to the road project contractor to pay for the damages and conduct a ritual as part of the process to seek acceptance from the community. The community members have also sent letters to government agencies, to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, and to LGUs in relation to the entry of the banana plantation sans FPIC.

Meanwhile, the Menuvu indigenous people's organization, Unified Kirinteken-Ilantungen Menuvu Tribal Council (UKIMTRICO), has undertaken steps to strengthen each clan through dinegey (Menuvu term for listening, and also refers to their plan to conduct assemblies), to collectively discuss problems and give solutions. It also held a leadership training among the gaup leaders.

As for the Menuvu youth, they are deepening their understanding of their rights, through their organization Neumpung ne Memenguhed Te UKIMTRICO (NMTU), and with the continuous guidance of the UKIMTRICO leaders. Aside from learning about their rights, they are increasing their environmental consciousness particularly through establishment of tree nurseries of endemic species, and tree-growing activities in at least eight communities inside the domain to date. More importantly, they strive to be molded in the ways of their culture and tradition, especially in learning to speak Menuvu.

The Muney Neked Peneng Uwit is the fuel that enables the Menuvu to reclaim the control of their land and life. Through their self-governance, they are building back their dignity as a people. ###

#yestheycan

Innate knowledge of their culture and relationship with the land, and technical information about their territory helps the Indigenous Peoples to stay in control over their ancestral domains.

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Rituals are a regular part of Sezukadang community's gatherings and discussions

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The Lelapoy Creek and Me

admin_samdhana — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 07:05:42 +0000

The Lelapoy Creek and Me admin_samdhana Fri, 09/22/2023 - 14:05

By Reah Mae M. Ompigan, Unuten

I still remember my younger days in Sezukadang, in New Visayas, Don Carlos town, Bukidnon, when all of us would go to fetch water from the wells dug by the Lelapoy Creek that sort of filter the water for drinking, do our laundry, take a bath, and go fishing for a meal. At times I had to leave for school late because I had to fetch water for the family. I felt sorry for my parents, who, after doing "hurnal" (farm work) for a P150 daily wage, would still go down the creek to get water for all of us.

During school breaks, our elders as well as my childhood friends would gather by the creek, have conversations, and play to their heart’s delight. Everything appeared to be in order, with our elders in a good working relationship with one another, and us happily enjoying Nature's gifts.

The creek also became my silent friend, whom I would talk to every time I got surprises, felt happy or confused as I approached my teenage years. But as we grew older and began going to school, Lelapoy seemed to have become distant, especially during rainy times.

Aside from Lelapoy Creek, I also treasure those moments witnessing our elders perform "buron-buron," or meetings, for updating and settling conflicts among families or clans. For their part, the young people used to have regular gatherings to talk about our cultural practices as Kirenteken-Menuvu. These, however, have stopped due to economic difficulties that forced some of them to leave our place for work. Others have even permanently moved.

In 2019, The Samdhana Institute arrived to facilitate the installation of our water system. Moreover, by accompanying us — the youth and women's organizations, and the Indigenous Peoples Structure — Samdhana has indeed helped a lot in terms of deepening our understanding of our rights as IPs, the Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC), and, most importantly, equipping us with the knowledge and skills to facilitate trainings and meetings.

Neumpong Ne Memenguhed te Sezukadang, our youth group in Serukadang, has been replicated through the organizing of other youth groups inside CADTs 206 and 202. But I couldn’t believe myself leading the CADT 206-wide youth group that we named the Neumpong Ne Memenguhed te Ukimtrico, which consists of 48 clans. (CADT stands for Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title.)

Being a woman leader, I have learned the value of patience, effective conflict resolution skills and humility by always remembering my roots despite receiving an educational grant from Samdhana. Besides, I know that in difficult times we will have the support of our elders who would address the problems using our customary ways of resolving disputes.

Entering college wasn’t easy for me. I had to adjust to changes or new situations, including meeting people of different viewpoints, and being away from home, my younger siblings, and parents. Nevertheless, my self-confidence has gradually grown, and I've been able to control my tendency to cry.

It’s not so much the material assistance that people or Samdhana has given me, but rather my resolve and vision for our tribe to go through positive changes over time—the kind of change that does not jeopardize our future and the generations to come. This is what consistently gives me extraordinary strength.

Nonetheless, my heart bleeds for Lelapoy Creek, my refuge and ever loyal friend, every time I hear about the use of chemicals by the banana plantation that entered our place without undergoing the FPIC process. Chemical contamination will eventually lead to the death of the creek of my beautiful memories, and this will leave me feeling empty.

I and the other young people of my tribe must fight until the end to protect and conserve Lelapoy.

Reah Mae M. Ompigan, Unuten / IP Youth Org President / Neumpong Ne Memenguhed Te Ukimtrico (NMTU)

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Lelapoy Creek/ Sezukadang Water Source

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Intellectual Property Rights for Indigenous Peoples in Papua

admin_samdhana — Wed, 24 May 2023 02:11:47 +0000

Intellectual Property Rights for Indigenous Peoples in Papua admin_samdhana Wed, 05/24/2023 - 09:11

From intellectuals to artists and humanists, West Papua Province is home to rich cultural diversity and artistic expression. Much of this culture can be traced back to ancestral knowledge, passed down from generation to generation. These traditions are alive and well in Papua’s dance, music, fairy tales, traditional clothing and various handicrafts, including noken (woven bags), batik and other woven fabrics.

The rapid growth of technological development in Indonesia has allowed artists and craftsmen in West Papua to promote and publish their work in a wider market. However, there are growing concerns that this work could be appropriated or plagiarised. For this reason, such work needs to be protected through official certification that grants Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to the creators of cultural works.

IPR can protect the rights of Indigenous artists, while also raising welfare standards and improving economic conditions in their communities. According to Regulation no. 7 of 1994 Concerning Ratification of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement, IPR certification is a recognition of intellectual property rights in relation to cultural and creative output; while ostensibly concerned with the rights of the individual, this regulation is also related to and inseparable from the wider context of human rights.

IPR are exclusive rights granted to a person – or group of people – for their copyrighted work; materials eligible for IPR certification can be anything resulting from human intellectual ability. Essentially, this gives creators the exclusive right to enjoy the financial rewards of their creativity.

The Registration Process for Intellectual Property Rights

In Indonesia, IPR (known locally as hak kekayaan intelektual, or by the acronymous portmanteau ‘HAKI’) fall under the jurisdiction of the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in each province. In West Papua, this is handled by the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of West Papua which is located at Jalan l. Trikora Arfai 2 Logpon, Anday, Manokwari, Manokwari Regency, West Papua.

As a development partner in West Papua, Samdhana is working with the Regional Research and Development Agency (BALITBANGDA) of West Papua Province to support the process of registering copyrights for artists and craftsmen in West Papua with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

This supportive process began in November 2021, with a series of menoken discussions. These dialogues involved West Papuan artists and humanists, as well as various parties involved in the copyright registration process. Despite being held during the Covid-19 pandemic, the discussions were the setting of enthusiastic participation from start to finish.

Following on from those initial discussions, Samdhana continued to oversee the IPR registration process with a number of artists and craftsmen in West Papua. From 13 -14 April 2022, Samdhana worked alongside the Regional Research and Development Agency (BALITBANGDA) of West Papua Province to facilitate coaching clinics, assistance and registration of IPR for the works of Papuan craftsmen, artists and culturalists. This work was carried out in both an online and offline format.

During the two-day facilitation activity, a total of six participants submitted their creations to the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia. Among them, Meriyones Fami registered woven motifs and batik patterns, David Womsiwor submitted batik images, Oktovianus Malagifik registered an original song and Febriyanti Wally registered a trademark. Samdhana subsequently provided assistance to each of these IPR applicants, via supervision of document completion and ongoing communication, in order to ensure the registration requirements were completed in full.

Furthermore, in early 2023 Samdhana also worked closely with BALITBANGDA West Papua to facilitate community IPR applications among culturalists and entrepreneurs. This activity was held over two days, from 2–3 February at the Kampung Noken Studio, KM. 13 City of Sorong West Papua Province. During this process, Meriyones Fami, Zubaidah Rumagesan, Yuliance Ulim, Meiyun Gifelem and Pulanda all registered their respective trademarks, while Otovianus Malagifik and Maros Osok each registered a song. Motifs were registered for IPR by Anigreth Malibela, Frans Yadantrar and David Womsiwor, while Febriani Waly also registered an industrial design.

In attendance at the event were representatives from the Klasaman Village Government and West Papua BRIDA, along with 30 participants comprising members of the Sorong Noken House Studio, Mamta Jayapura Studio, business actors and activists for the protection of customs and culture. It is hoped that the activity will encourage more and more West Papuan creators and craftsmen to apply for IPR, in order to protect the cultural and customary assets of Indigenous Papuans.

An End Product: Delivering Positive Results

On 20 February 2023, the long wait for IPR certification finally paid off. Six artists who registered their works in April 2022 received a brand certificate from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights through the Regional Office of West Papua Province at the Ball Room Hotel Mansinam Beach, Manokwari, West Papua. Each certificate was received following completion of their application, which was officially verified and declared by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

The six recipients of IPR certification are David Womsiwor (batik motifs and images representing the Biak tribe), Meriyones Fami (woven motifs and batik patterns representing the Moi tribe), Febriyani Wally (trademark of Kain Kuok Moi), Florida Reba (trademark for ‘Papua Designs’), and Oktovianus Malagifik (for traditional folktales and the song ‘Pau Maladum’).

Having received official certification, each brand owner can take advantage of their registered trademark. They now have exclusive rights to display, sell and monetise their work, thereby helping to preserve West Papuan artistic tradition and protect its peoples from piracy, theft and misuse of their cultural heritage by irresponsible parties.

Samdhana actively welcomes IPR certification and will continue working to forge collaborative links between the Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA) of West Papua Province and the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of West Papua Province.

Samdhana will upscale and expand this cooperation, not only for individual IPR but also communal IPR in relation to Indigenous communities. The latter will encompass a variety of traditional cultural expression, traditional knowledge, genetic resources and geographic considerations.

IPR certification enables Indigenous assets and heritage to be protected by law, so they can be put to the best use possible for the welfare of Indigenous Peoples. Having helped to facilitate major steps forward for Indigenous Peoples in this area, Samdhana will continue working to ensure progress continues moving in a positive direction.

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“Continue What We Have Started”: Meet the Papuan Youth Group Reviving their Heritage

admin_samdhana — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 02:39:09 +0000

“Continue What We Have Started”: Meet the Papuan Youth Group Reviving their Heritage admin_samdhana Wed, 10/12/2022 - 09:39

Sanggar Seni Budaya Alam Semesta Selemkai (SALSES – Selemkai Arts and Culture Centre), is a community consisting of young people who are active in preserving arts and culture, while also managing eco tourism in Kampung Klabili (Klabili village). Also known as Kalabili (from the language of the Moi Kelim sub-tribe), the village can be found in the Selemkai district of Tambrau regency in West Papua.

From 17–21 February 2022, SALSES held an event entitled ‘Temu Miye Libih Suku Moi dalam Memperingati Hari Bahasa Ibu Internasional’ (the meeting of young people from the Moi tribe to commemorate International Mother Language Day). The purpose of the event was to encourage young people of the Moi tribe to preserve the Moi language and help save it from extinction

The meeting was attended by a Moi Tribe council and members of the House of Representatives of Tambrau, along with several Selemkai village heads, Moi leaders, people from Klabili village and various young people from the sub-tribes of Moi Kelim and Moi Salkhma. These groups learned how to say the names of local plants in sub-tribal dialects, while also rediscovering the myriad ways in which their ancestors used these flora, as herbal remedies, accessories and food.

The event also featured a forum that explored current issues, hopes, aspirations and future plans. This group discussion was led by Torianus Kalami, an activitist from Gerakan Muda Suku Moi (the Moi Tribal Youth Movement). Participants then enjoyed a wide range of music performances, dances, poetry readings and sharing of folklore. These performances involved young people, senior citizens, children and women.

During the meeting, the Head of the Moi Council, Dance Ulimpa, conveyed a number of reasons why preserving the Moi language is important; not least because of its centrality to the identity of the Moi people.

“What we have done as parents is not perfect, and it still has shortcomings,” said Dance in his speech. “You, as (the) young generation, should continue what we have started – now we need to focus on our native language; that’s our future target.”

“Don’t make separation. I have emphasised this everywhere. Our big house is Moi. We have to improve ourselves. Our young people need to work. Our language is a local wisdom, just like Abun Jii, Abun Taat, Moi Kelim, Moi Salkma, Moi Klabra, Moi Sigin [other local sub-tribal dialects],” he continued. Dance sees the Temu Miye Libih event as a potential catalyst for the betterment of the Moi tribe in various fields. As he explained, “we have to build this country; from a cultural perspective, this is Moi's land.”

Another impactful speaker at the event was Chairperson of the Local House of Representatives of Tambrauw, Yeri Sidik, who encouraged the SALSES community to expand their impact by collaborating more closely with local government officials when implementing their activities.

“This event should have been attended by executives, (then) SALSES could have had a chance to present the mission of Tambrau Regency,” said Yeri. “This is a form of conservation of arts, culture and language; don’t hesitate to send proposals to local government,” he continued.

“We appreciate this event. We do have other activities to be done later in the future, but those activitites need to be socialised to people. What you did is important,” added Yeri, before going on to close his speech by expressing hopes that Selemkai will become a hub for livelihoods and a centre for arts and eco tourism.

“The people of Selemkai have struggled to develop themselves,” he noted. “I really hope this event will continue (to grow); we need to coordinate with the Tourism Office of Tambrau Regency and ask them to support SALSES,” he added.

At the end of this event, before returning home to their respective villages, participants expressed their gratitude, shared their opinions and their hopes for the future. After a packed schedule of five days, attendees went home motivated to preserve their traditions and their mother tongue, proudly carrying their heritage into the future.

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INDIGENOUS PEOPLE & LOCAL COMMUNITY

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Tue, 05/03/2022 - 12:00

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Indigenous youth of the Moi in activities to commemorate International Mother Language Day. (Agus Tafuran/SAMDHANA)

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Samdhana Participation in W20

admin_samdhana — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 02:28:51 +0000

Samdhana Participation in W20 admin_samdhana Tue, 07/19/2022 - 09:28

Women20 (W20) held the third meeting in Manokwari, West Papua on Thursday (8/6) and Friday (8/6). This meeting raised the themes of rural women, women with disabilities, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Samdhana, as part of a development partner in West Papua, is committed to supporting the event.

In collaboration with Balitbangda West Papua and Inspirational Young Papua (PMI), Samdhana facilitated the presence of four participants who were part of the MSME group and village women activists in Sorong and Raja Ampat. Samdhana also facilitateding an exhibition booth for Papuan women's products at W20.

The four participants included Febri Wally and Mama Meriyones Fami from Noken Art Center Village, Sorong Regency; Yuning Fonataba from the Yufon Raja Ampat Gallery, Waisai Raja Ampat; and Frorida Reba from the Papua Design Gallery, Sorong City.

On this occasion, the four participants also participated in a series of W-20 events, such as discussions and field visits.

Besides presenting female figures of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in West Papua, Samdhana also held a talk show with the theme of "Indigenous Intellectual Property Rights of Papuan Women as Pillars of the Family Economy".

The results of this discussion highlights that women have big role in family economy. The initiatives carried out by the Papuan community and women have made a significant contribution to the income and economic resilience of the family.

This is evidenced by the existence of studios and socio-cultural movements that become a forum for channeling the spirit, stories, and hopes of Papuan women, with various dynamics of social issues in them.

For example, the Yufon Raja Ampat Studio. This is a place for learning and connecting the coastal communities of Raja Ampat with young women with an unintended pregnancy. Then, there is Noken Village Studio in Sorong which has become a home for Moi’s women, especially widows and victims of domestic violence, in order to strengthen the family's economic resilience.

Currently, these studios operate with different business models and tend to market their products in their respective homes. BI (Bank Indonesia), together with the West Papua Dekranasda, is interested in establishing cooperation and networking for the development of MSMEs based on traditional products. Business incubation will be an important part of it. This is certainly an opportunity for groups of women who belong to are small and medium enterprises to get support, "said Yunus Yumte, Samdhana Program Officer in West Papua.

It didn't stop there. Samdhana's support in W20 activities was also given to Yonnece Demetouw from the Menoken (Nokener) Domberai community. She is the facilitator who mobilized community products to be displayed in the exhibition on 9th– 12th June 2022.

At this event, the booth of the Menoken (Nokener) community was visited by the Acting Governor of West Papua, Komjen Pol (Ret.) Paul Waterpauw. He also discussed it directly with Yonece Demetouw.

This article was uploaded on Samdhana blog: "Partisipasi Perempuan Papua dalam W20 di Manokwari"

Category

GENDER & SOCIAL INCLUSION

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Photo Caption

Papuan women's delegation attended the W-20 activity. In addition to the exhibition of community processed products, they also participated in the whole series of W-20 delegation engagements, 8-9 June 2022

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Blog

Frequency of Love

admin_samdhana — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:16:23 +0000

Frequency of Love admin_samdhana Mon, 07/12/2021 - 17:16

Frequency of Love: This was one of the reasons Ruwi would never get tired to go on a #Nokening journey, because it never ended with a short love story. Everyone who is involved in #Nokening journey remain in the same frequency, what’s the Frequency? It’s the frequency of love He said. “I then shared that I experienced the beauty and richness of forest, rivers, swamp, the delicious food of sago, tubers, fish, banana, and so many more, and most importantly the friendliness, the openness, the welcoming, the joyful, the artfulness of and the singing and dancing Papuans communities”. That is how he and other #nokeners may experience the #Nokening.

The stories collected here are coming from #nokening in Sekolah Alam Gudang Arang, that turns to be very exciting and deeply affecting. Whether the fun of the evening camping or just listening the kids sang or endless talking to each other. These stories weave together to form a knitting and a moving portrait of the children in Papua making their way through in a paradise world of their own, armed only with a keen sense of excitement to keep their nature guarded, find more story on #Nokening in Anim Ha Merauke, Papua on this link.

https://blog.samdhana.org/2021/07/09/frequency-of-love/
https://blog.samdhana.org/2021/07/10/frequency-of-love-reloaded/

Category

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE & LOCAL COMMUNITY

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Posting Date

Mon, 07/12/2021 - 12:00

Photo Caption

Everyone who is involved in #Nokening journey. Nokening in Merauke, Anim Ha Land, Papua.

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menoken

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Blog

Green Butter Tengkawang from Pikul Pangajid Forest

admin_samdhana — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 05:55:36 +0000

Green Butter Tengkawang from Pikul Pangajid Forest admin_samdhana Thu, 03/11/2021 - 12:55

Tengkawang, is an endemic plant of West Kalimantan, a species from the Shorea Sp, Depterocarpacae family that can only be found in Kalimantan rain forests. The tengkawang tree in general, harvest once in 3 to 4 years, but in the Pikul Pangajid Customary Forest area in Melayang hamlet, Bengkayang Regency, West Kalimantan there is a type of Tengkawang Layar that can be harvest yearly.

In addition to tengkawang trees, which total around 1500 trees, the Customary Forest has other tree species that are classified as rare, including meranti, ironwood, medang, gaharu, resak, rattan, orchids and spices.

Samdhana Institute in collaboration with the Institute for Research and Development of Forest Product Technology (INTAN) in Pontianak, since 2018 has provide support for an investment program focusing on the tengkawang fruit management for the indigenous Dayak Bekati Rara community in Melayang hamlet. They have established the Tengkawang Layar Group in 2015, which aims as a business unit for processing tengkawang fruit into butter or green butter.

The tengkawang layar group has successfully producing various products made from green butter, from food products such as noodles, pastries and tengkawang sticks, as well as cosmetics.

The Pikul Pangajid Customary Forest itself has received recognition from the government of the Republic of Indonesia through a Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry on September 20 2018. This recognition provides certainty for the Indigenous Peoples in Melayang hamlet to make the most of the potential of their customary forest in simultaneously preserving it.

http://bit.ly/3ra12e6 [read story in Bahasa Indonesia]

Category

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE & LOCAL COMMUNITY

SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

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Posting Date

Tue, 03/09/2021 - 12:00

Photo Caption

Our new video about green butter Tengkawang is out now!

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Blog