'Kewang' and 'sasi' -- how long will they last?

'Kewang' and 'sasi' -- how long will they last?

HARUKU, Ambon (JP): Haruku, a small island in the eastern part of Ambon island, in Maluku, is inhabited by around 500 families. It is one of the few places in Maluku that still practices sasi, along with Lolot and Iamahu villages in Saparua Island and Kei Besar in Southeast Maluku.

Oral history in Maluku indicates that sasi used to be widely practiced in Maluku province. Today, however, it is being challenged by changing traditions.

"The increasing use of explosives by outsiders and the use of bagan, modern fishing traps, are the main factors for the sasi's decline. The bright light from the bagan attracts the fish and thus diverts their path. The fish, including the lompa, do not want to go to the sasi area," said Oom Elli sadly.

"We could have an open sasi this time because we (Kewang) lit torches for two consecutive months. The light from our torches managed to attract the lompa to our sasi area," Oom Elli explained. But the use of explosives has decimated the fish population.

Oom Elli admitted that even though in Haruku itself sasi and Kewang are recognized, it is getting more and more difficult to maintain and conserve natural resources since the exploiters are not Haruku people, but fishermen and business people from outside the village, sometimes even outside the province. These people do not know the sasi system and do not recognize the authority of the Kewang. Even if they do, they refuse to acknowledge them.

The use of explosives is an example of this attitude. In Haruku, in addition to the sasi, the local community also recognizes the sasi regulations which govern human relations with nature and the relations between community members. This is called Sasi Dalam Negeri (Internal sasi). The village sasi includes the prohibition of making a lot of noise on Saturday nights and of fishing in the evening.

"On Sundays, people go to church and pray, therefore no activities is allowed. But these 'bombers' throw their explosives on Sundays, when we pray, as if waiting for the moment when we are not on our guard," said Oom Elli excitedly.

A more complex problem is the punishments for explosive users and bagan installers. If they were Haruku people, the Kewang will impose punishment according to the regulations, but since they are outsiders, there is nothing the Kewang can do.

"If we catch a 'bomber' and bring the person to the village, it is very possible that the villagers will beat him to death because they are very angry and of course this is not right. But if we take them to the police, sometimes they are easily released without being fined or punished," Oom Elli complained.

Oom Elli has faced a number of such a case. In his experiences, these cases drain his energy since "I have to go to the police station in Ambon and then to the court in Ambon back and forth during the trial process," he said.

Moreover, he has to pay for his own transportation fare because the Kewang does not have a budget nor do they have a salary. Still, he does that because he believes that it is the best way to defend the community's rights and to defend the dignity of the Kewang institution -- one of the few remaining traditional institutions in Indonesia.

Unrecognized

Researches and studies on sasi system suggest that one of the main factors of the diminishing sasi system and Kewang tradition is the passing of Law no 5/1979 which regulates, reorganizes and restructures the village-level government but does not give space to the existence of traditional institutions.

"During the Dutch colonial time, the sasi system survived. I can still remember when the area of Rumah Tiga (the area where Pattimura University is located) was full with fishermen and fish were abundant. This was because the community practiced the sasi system. After the passing of Law no 5/1979, everything collapsed," said a senior researcher from the Environmental Study Center, Pattimura University.

According to the Director of the Environmental Study Centre, Pattimura University, J.J. Wenno, "the ability of sasi to sustain itself, depends heavily on the willingness of the community to defend the system, revive and recognize the controlling institution, i.e. the Kewang institution."

It is this willingness that sustains sasi and Kewang in Haruku.

But the price is very high. "I am a very skillful fisherman and also quite capable of raising pigs, but I gave all this up ever since I become Kepala Kewang (the head of Kewang," Oom Elli said.

Oom Elli is the seventh generation in the family who has held the position. "I could have earned more with my skills, but as Kewang head, I have to concentrate on my duty and often neglect my family's needs. My two elder children have had to make sacrifices, they cannot continue their education to a higher level," Oom Elli said.

As Kepala Kewang is hereditary, one of his children will become Kepala Kewang one day, but as the situation changes, he is not too sure whether he should start preparing one of his children to later hold the position.

However, it seems that the community in Haruku, including Oom Elli himself and Berthy Ririmase, would like to maintain both the sasi and Kewang. Starting this year, they are developing the Kewang Kecil (Young Kewang) system, involving around 50 children aged around 10 to 14 years old who are assigned various Kewang duties.

"Our task is to water the plants in the field, weed, and prevent our friends from playing around the plant. They cannot do that, it is not allowed," said Agus, one of Kewang Kecil proudly, his T-shirt displaying the words Beta Kewang Kecil (I am Kewang Kecil).

"The idea is that the younger generation understands the sasi regulations and is able to practice them," said Berthy Ririmase.

Since the modern education system only recognizes formal education in schools, Oom Elli, in collaboration with the local elementary school and Teachers Training Institute (IKIP), have developed a training package on sasi for elementary school children.

Seeing the enthusiasm of the Kewang Kecil and various efforts in Haruku to maintain the system, it is very likely that the Kewang and sasi tradition will remain. But, probably a bigger challenge is whether the system can survive the environmental exploitation connected to big businesses and whether there is enough political space for them to revive and practice the system.

-- Binny Buchori