Irianese tribe learns farming, cattle breeding methods<\/p>\n
By Neles Tebay<\/p>\n
MOANEMANI, Irian Jaya (JP): Since the 1963 integration of
\nIrian Jaya until now, the local government has said it has been
\ndifficult to help develop a better way of life for the Irianese
\nwho live in isolated places, especially those living in the
\ncentral highlands of Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The Irianese have been categorized as reluctant to adopt to
\nnew knowledge offered by the government.<\/p>\n
The government has always pointed out geographical constraint,
\ntransportation difficulty and the culture as reasons for the
\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
However, this is not true for the Mee tribe, who are also
\nliving in the central highlands of Irian Jaya. They have
\nsuccessfully learned new methods of farming and cattle breeding.<\/p>\n
Paulus Goo, 43, is a simple farmer and member of the Mee tribe
\nin Mogotogo village, Ikrar district, which is about 230
\nkilometers northeast of Nabire. He has a fourth grade education
\nfrom a Catholic-run elementary school. He has a plot of land with
\nvegetables such as peanuts and corn. He also owns an area where
\nhe grows 250 coffee plants, and has 100 rabbits, 50 chicken and
\n10 cows in the village.<\/p>\n
He can be categorized as a tonowi (rich person) in his
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
At a recent lunch, he offered The Jakarta Post some sweet
\npotatoes, a staple food of the Mee tribe, green vegetables,
\npeanuts and an egg.<\/p>\n
Paulus said before the Catholic Church became established in
\nthe Paniai region, the area was occupied by the Mee tribe. In
\n1937, the tribespeople did not know anything about growing
\npeanuts, soy beans, onions, carrots or raising chickens, ducks,
\ncows and rabbits. \"We did not even know their names or what they
\nlooked like,\" he said.<\/p>\n
They came to know about all these things after the local
\nCatholic Church of Moanemani Parish established the Foundation
\nfor Farming, Husbandry, Plantations, Fishery and Carpentry (Y-P5)
\nin Moanemani in 1970.<\/p>\n
\"I learned all these new things when I attended two years
\ntraining at the foundation in 1986 and 1987,\" Paulus said.<\/p>\n
\"When I returned to my village, I implemented what I learned
\nin the course. The result is what you see here,\" Paulus, a father
\nof seven children, said.<\/p>\n
His first child is a nurse and the rest are still in school.<\/p>\n
Paulus is one of more than 1,000 Mee farmers who have
\ncompleted a two-year training course at the Y-P5 foundation. The
\ngraduated farmers have been scattered in every village in Paniai
\nand Nabire regencies.<\/p>\n
They plant vegetables and raise animals in the area
\nsurrounding their houses and teach their skills to fellow
\nvillagers.<\/p>\n
Didimus Tebay, the executive director of the foundation, said
\nthe graduates were the cadres of the foundation.<\/p>\n
\"Other farmers in the village could learn from them about
\nvegetables, coffee planting and cattle breeding,\" Didimus said.<\/p>\n
In Manwa village, Kamu district, the Post saw that almost all
\nthe families had rabbits.<\/p>\n
\"I raise some rabbits, even though I am not attending the two-
\nyear course run by the Y-P5 foundation in Moanemani,\" Yulius Koga
\nsaid. He added that he learned how to raise rabbits from an
\nalumnus of the course.<\/p>\n
Didimus said the Mee tribespeople learn more by watching than
\nby listening. \"They have to see what a rabbit looks like and how
\nto breed it from other people. When they return home, they may
\ntry to do what they have seen earlier,\" Didimus said.<\/p>\n
He also said that the people are quick to respond to the
\nmethods because they basically are farmers and cattle breeders in
\ntheir culture. Therefore, in order to improve their well-being,
\nthe foundation trained them to be effective farmers and cattle
\nbreeders.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irianese-tribe-learns-farming-cattle-breeding-methods-1447893297",
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