The community of Moi Tribe enacted tradition knowledge on natural resources protection into a regulation. Through regional and regent regulations, recognition and protection of Moi indigenous people get legal certainty. The community initiative to map customary land will become a standpoint for peoples’ welfare.
Chairman of the Malaumkarta Youth Generation Association (PGM), Torianus Kalami, said that the community of Moi Tribe at Sorong Regency, West Papua, considers that land and forests are their ‘mother’ that always nurture her love to the people. In Moi language, they call is tam sinih. They keep their love for fisheries and ocean resources by holding up the tradition knowledge.
“We need regulation that supports traditional knowledge and indigenous community initiation to which the community will refer. So, when there is external threat, we have regulation that help us safeguard the natural resources,” said Torianus in EcoNusa Outlook event held offline and virtual in Sorong, West Papua, on Wednesday (17/2/2021).
Sorong Regency issued Regent Regulation (Perbup) No. 7/2017 on Custom Law and Local Wisdom in Marine Resources Protection at Malaumkarta Village, Makbon District, Sorong Regency. The Perbup acknowledges and respects indigenous community and their rights and protects tradition knowledge in biodiversity protection.
Article 8 of Perbup No. 7/2017 stipulates 9 types of sea biota protected by the indigenous peoples, namely dugong, kima, turtle (including egg and baby), stingray, cetacean, dolphin, whale shark, napoleon, and coral reef. Meanwhile, Article 9 stipulates that sea biota under egek (Moi language to name sasi) protection by the community are sea cucumber, lola and lobster.
The regulation also stipulates the ban for the use of destructive catching tool with hazardous effect to environment. Article 12 stipulates that each person or legal entity is prohibited to catch fish by using net, explosive substance, poison, potash, kakup, rabon fruit, endrin and other poisonous concoctions.
“Why we should urge this (deliberation of Perbup)? Because when we campaign to save forest and ocean by external intervention, the indigenous community could hardly follow it. The indigenous communities in 5 villages have mastered knowledge on egek for a long time. Egek was born from quite long process of tradition education,” said Torianus.
In addition to Perbup, the protection of Moi community is also strengthened by Sorong Regency’s Regional Bylaw (Perda) No. 10/2017 on the Recognition and Protection of Moi Indigenous Peoples at Sorong Regency.
In support of Moi’s indigenous community initiative and implementation of Perda No. 10/2017, EcoNusa backed up PGM to map Moi sub-tribe’s customary land that consists of 14 clans at 6 villages. The activity also includes an inventory of local potentials and development of customary land management plan.
“We hope our work at Malumkarta gives influence on some villages that culturally have similar knowledge. The tradition knowledge such as egek exists when Moi Tribe does. So, if Malaumkarta can do it, we hope we can do the same at the other place,” said Torianus.
Editor: Leo Wahyudi
