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How Moi Kelim tribe saves millions of dollars by preserving forests in West Papua
According to a study conducted by Padjajaran University, the villagers’ use and conservation of its traditional forest and coastal regions is valued value at Rp 156 billion (US$11.2 million).
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Benyamin Kalami, a Malaumkarta village official in Sorong, West Papua, blows a conch to signal the villagers to gather. (JP/Karina M. Tehusijarana)
M
oi Kelim tribe member Adolfina Sapisa has lived all her life in Malaumkarta village, Sorong regency, West Papua, and has spent most of it fishing, farming, as well as gathering sago and other plants from the surrounding forest.
While demonstrating how to make noken (traditional Papuan bags) out of dried tree bark, she talks about the plentiful fish available near the village and asks visitors from Jakarta about fishing on the coast of Java.
“You can’t catch fish this easily in Java can you?” she said. “We couldn’t live like that. Here, you only need to dive a little to catch something.”
Adolfina is one of around 200 of the Moi Kelim tribe who lives in Malaumkarta and one of around 420,000 members spread across the northern part of West Papua.
In an attempt to demonstrate the value that indigenous people can bring through their traditional way of life the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) commissioned an economic study of the Moi Kelim tribe in Malaumkarta village.
According to the study, conducted by Padjajaran University economist Zuzy Anna, the villagers’ conservation of their traditional forest and coastal regions is valued Rp 156 billion (US$11.2 million) per year with a monthly per capita income of Rp 3.4 million, which is higher than the regency's minimum wage and its non-oil and gas gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
Most of the villagers make a living by fishing, hunting, and growing fruit and vegetables such as mangos, bananas and cassava.
