Help the Yali
Help the Yali
Thank you for including the little article Tribal People
Misunderstood (Across the Archipelago section of The Jakarta Post
Oct. 3). An official from Maluku is quoted as saying: "Most
government officials and the public have little knowledge about
isolated tribes in Indonesia".
Aside from occasional glimpses on TV, of the Irian Jayan Dani
tribe from near Wamena, or the Asmat, we are kept pretty much in
the dark about the condition of the hundreds of different tribal
peoples scattered throughout Indonesia. This has also been true
for me until last year, when I was able to make a trek from
Wamena, Irian Jaya, into the Jaya Wijaya district in the
direction of Angguruk and Wali. I was surprised to find the
people there still living in Stone-Age conditions. One does not
recognize the 20th Century in the land of the Yali.
The Yali people of Irian Yaya live high up in the mountains
and valleys of the Yaya Wijaya district. It is beautiful there,
but very cold, especially at night. They are suffering because
they have no clothing. They wear only grass skirts or small
gourds called koteka.
They need and want clothing very badly, but they have little
money to buy clothes. They try to stay warm at night by huddling
together -- all the men and boys in one honi (a small round
hut), and all the women and children in another honi. They build
a small fire which may last halfway through the night, but they
dare not open a window to let the smoke out because then the cold
night wind would enter and they would suffer even more. Because
of the smoke, many have bad coughs and respiratory illnesses.
Because of this lack of clothing they become easy prey for
disease like tropical malaria, for they don't possess the
inherited resistance of those living in the lowlands or along the
coast. Neither do the Yali have any fish or seafood to supplement
their meager diets, which consist mainly of ubi (sweet potatoes).
Nor do they have any doctor to help them when they become sick.
Many die young.
The government is already doing all it can to help, but has
only limited funds, and has many other priorities and
responsibilities. The overall progress of the past 50 years in
Indonesia is quite laudable. However, it will be several more
years before the fruits of progress trickle back into the sweet
potato gardens of Jaya Wijaya. They need help now.
The only way they will experience the warmth of clothing or
blankets is if we share and send some of ours. Two kilos of new,
or good used clothing can be sent by registered mail from Jakarta
for less than Rp 20,000.
If anyone would like to help the Yali, please send your
parcels for distribution to either:
* Majelis Bp. Ismael, Angguruk, Wali, Irian Jaya, or
* Kepala Suku (Village Chief), Bp. Sulaeman Angguruk, Wali,
Irian Jaya.
They have little or no milk, or soap. Maybe you would also
like to include a box of each.
F. DANIEL ADAMS
Jakarta