Islanders' daily life no paradise idyll<\/p>\n
PULAU KELAPA (JP): Lying 30 nautical miles north of Jakarta in
\nthe Thousand Islands is the Kelurahan Pulau Kelapa (Coconut
\nIsland subdistrict).<\/p>\n
The subdistrict consists of 64 islands -- three of which are
\nhome to fishing communities and the rest of which are privately
\nowned or reserved for tourists.<\/p>\n
The islands are well protected by smaller surrounding islands.
\nCalm seas, mild currents and soft breezes are typical weather
\nhere.<\/p>\n
In the midst of the calm, azure sea lies a typical traditional
\ncommunity shoved aside by modernization, misgovernance and social
\ndysfunction.<\/p>\n
On Pulau Kelapa, one of the islands inhabited by a fishing
\ncommunity, 2,087 families are cramped onto 13 hectares of land.
\nThe other two inhabited islands, Pulau Kelapa II and Pulau
\nHarapan, are not much different.<\/p>\n
Local people refer to themselves as Orang Pulo (island
\npeople). They are a blend of Bugis, Sundanese and Javanese and
\nhave occupied the islands since the 18th century.<\/p>\n
According to Abdul Manap, former village chief of Pulau
\nKelapa, when Krakatau erupted in 1883, 500 people lived on Pulau
\nKelapa.<\/p>\n
Time for the communities seems to be marked by the change in
\nseasonal winds and extraordinary events such as the volcano's
\neruption.<\/p>\n
\"Orang Pulo are an assiduous community. They may be
\ncharacterized as hard workers and rational and prudent people,\"
\nsaid researcher Yayan Indriatmoko.<\/p>\n
Yayan, Dian Herdiani and Hasantoha from the University of
\nIndonesia (UI) school of anthropology lived with the community
\nfor three months while conducting research, which last year won
\nan award at The XI National Week of Science.<\/p>\n
They found that Orang Pulo viewed themselves as a
\ndisadvantaged community isolated from outside progress.<\/p>\n
Their view might not be totally wrong. Pulau Kelapa, Pulau
\nKelapa II and Pulau Harapan are surrounded by private and tourist
\nislands. Large yachts and tourists from many different countries
\nfrequent the islands at weekends.<\/p>\n
\"Orang Pulo are perceptive. They have observed the changes and
\nthen weighted their living standards against the luxurious lives
\nof visitors which they bump into in their own backyards at
\nweekends,\" the report said.<\/p>\n
Direct interaction with only the most elite members of society
\nmay be the reason for the narrow social perspective held by the
\nfishing communities.<\/p>\n
From the window of his raised house on the west side of the
\nisland, Pak Musro, a fisherman, looks over at Pulau Pamegaran
\nevery night. While Pulau Kelapa is cramped, the privately-owned
\nPamegaran is empty.<\/p>\n
It is owned by Probosutedjo, a well-known Jakarta businessman,
\nwho occasionally goes there at the weekend. Otherwise the island
\nis only inhabited by four attendants who rake up the leaves.
\n\"Tuan (master) rarely comes these days,\" one of the attendants
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta municipality's plans for the area currently focus
\non the further development of tourism.<\/p>\n
The plan disregards the communities' traditional way of life
\nand current standard of living, according to the researchers.<\/p>\n
Only 10 percent of their catches are bought by the island
\nresorts here, Yayan said. The fishermen have to look for buyers
\nas far away as Cianjur in West Java to sell the rest, he added.<\/p>\n
Although investments and job opportunities are always welcomed
\nin the area, the development plan does not focus strongly enough
\non ensuring that the benefits of tourism are passed on to the
\nlocal people.<\/p>\n
Poor education and skills place job seekers from the islands
\nat low entry levels in the tourism industry, with wages of no
\nmore than Rp 110,000 a month.<\/p>\n
Although the wage comes with security, the high cost of living
\nin the islands and the limited availability of jobs means that
\nthe industry has a minimal impact on the overall welfare of the
\ncommunity. Less than five percent of resident families currently
\ndepend on tourism for a living.<\/p>\n
It is unlikely that more island resorts will be developed
\nwhile the crisis persists. However, future investments and plans,
\naccording to one of the inhabitants, \"will be gladly received, as
\nlong as they keep our community in the picture.\" (46)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/islanders-daily-life-no-paradise-idyll-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}