Plane's arrival only entertainment in Irian Jaya highlands
By Neles Tebay
MOANEMANI, Irian Jaya (JP): For many who live in a city, a plane is just a means of transportation. Most people do not pay much attention to plane arrivals. People go to the airport to travel to another place or to pick up somebody coming from somewhere by plane.
However, for those living in the central highlands of Irian Jaya, the arrival of a plane is eventful. It is the only entertainment.
On a Friday in July 1999, many people in Moanemani, the capital of the Kamu district, 200 kilometers northeast from Nabire, were rushing toward a one-kilometer grass runway.
"A plane is coming to Moanemani from Nabire," Willem Yobe, a local, told The Jakarta Post. Children were running to the airfield shouting to people "Merpati, Merpati coming," referring to the Twin Otter airplane run by Merpati Nusantara Airlines.
The children were running to the airfield not to pick up guests or family members or to wait for belongings. "They just run to see the plane," said Yobe.
Amir, a trader from Ujungpandang, also left his kiosk and rushed to the airport in Moanemani. "I want to see the plane," he told the Post. "I will miss out if I cannot watch the plane land," said the father of three.
"The arrival of a plane, especially a Twin Otter, is the only entertainment for us in the central highlands of Irian Jaya," said Amir, who has lived in the area for 17 years.
Yacobus Pigome, a fourth year elementary school student, left his class to run to the airport. "I told my teacher I wanted to go to the toilet. When he gave me permission, I went out of the class and ran to the airport -- so my teacher does not know that I am watching the plane land," he said.
Mrs. Supono, a wife of a teacher at a private elementary school, appeared at the airport. "I ran from home while holding my eight-month-old baby just to see the plane. The coming of a plane, for us, is the only means of entertainment," she said.
Mrs. Supono, originally from Madiun, East Java, came to Moanemani with her husband in 1990. In this remote area, there are no cinemas, motorcycles, cars or parks for picnics.
"What we see every day is just these mountains surrounding the Kamu valley. We get bored. So the arrival of a plane is very entertaining. That's why, every time a plane comes, I must go to the airport just to entertain myself by watching it land," said the mother of two.
"If I get a letter from my parents in Java, I am entertained twice. First by watching the plane, and then when I receive the letter," she added.
It is not surprising that when the plane lands, a crowd of people are already at the airport. The children are very busy watching the plane slowly approach the airfield. They watch its wheels touch the ground, how its propeller stops, and then how it takes off and slowly flies over the mountains and out of view. Then they continue to tell each other what they have seen.
For traders who have established kiosks in Moanemani, the arrival of a Twin Otter airplane is truly good news. It is the only plane which transports merchandise from Nabire, the capital of the regency, to Moanemani.
"We get a double bonus when our goods are sent here by plane. We are entertained by the arrival of the plane, and then again when we receive our merchandise," said Nurdin, a trader who has lived in Moanemani for 18 years. "Therefore, we are hopeful as we await the arrivals of the Twin Otter airplane," he said.
Yohana Yobe was in her garden a kilometer away from the airport when she saw the plane coming. She stopped work and rushed to the airport. As a mother, she was very happy when she saw that her son had come back home by plane. "The plane has brought my son here. I am happy," said Yobe.
"I just came here to see the plane, but my son also arrived on the plane. So I was entertained twice," she explained.
Meanwhile, Albertina Tibakoto went to the airport to send a sack of vegetables filled with carrots, peanuts and beans to her sister in Nabire. "I am sending these to her so that she can sell them in Nabire," she told the Post.
With the arrival of the plane, Albertina was happy because her goods were about to be sent. Her happiness was doubled when she received some coconuts from her sister. When she saw a sack with her name on it, she was immediately happy. "Let me get my sack. It is mine," she exclaimed. She then hauled the sack out of the airport.
"I am happy because the plane has brought me a sack of coconuts," said Albertina, which she intends to sell in a market in Moanemani for Rp 1,000 (10 cents) each. "People will come to buy these. All will be sold in under 30 minutes," she added.
Albertina explained that her sister always sends her fish, tofu or coconuts. "Therefore, for me, the arrival of the Twin Otter airplane is really good news because I am sure I will receive something from Nabire.
"That is why I pray on Wednesday night. May God give us good weather so the Merpati plane can fly to Moanemani," said the happy local.
When a Twin Otter airplane comes, many people quickly gather at the airport. But if a single-engine Cessna comes, only a few people come to watch. When the Cessna from the Catholic Church comes, mostly Catholics go to the airport, and vice versa when a Cessna from the Protestant Church lands.
When two Cessnas land in Moanemani at the same time, "Catholics gather around the Catholic-run plane, and Protestants surround the Protestant-run plane," the head of Kamu district, Paul Reyaan, told the Post.
Paul said the locals easily recognize the planes from their characteristic sounds. "Just by hearing its sound the locals know whether it is a Twin Otter or a Cessna from the Catholic or Protestant churches. It's because only two kinds of planes usually come here," he said.
A Cessna can bring five passengers including the pilot, whereas a Twin Otter can bring over 10 passengers, two pilots and one mechanic. A Cessna can carry a maximum of 400 kilograms, whereas a Twin Otter can carry over 1000 kilograms. "Perhaps these are the reasons why many people gather at the airport when a Twin Otter comes and less when a Cessna lands here," said Paul.
Merpati's agency in Nabire schedules Twin Otter flights to Moanemani every Thursday. However, these flights are not certain and depend heavily on the weather.
"If the weather is not good, a scheduled flight can be canceled. Today's flight is a substitution for yesterday's flight. There was no flight yesterday due to weather problems. A scheduled flight can even be canceled for a week or two if the weather is not good," explained Yobe.
"A flight can also be canceled if there is a technical problem with the plane," said the local, who lives in Ekemanida Village, one kilometer north of the airport.