Sobey Indigenous Community Strengthens Customary Territory Recognition

The indigenous community of the Sobey Great Tribe in Sarmi Regency, Papua, is strengthening efforts to obtain recognition as a customary law community by agreeing on the external boundaries of their customary territory, discussed in a workshop held from 29 June to 1 July 2026. The workshop, attended by 78 participants, involved elements of satemto, safu, ondoafi, village heads, indigenous community leaders, local government, academics, and civil society organisations. The forum discussed the results of participatory mapping of the customary territory through a process of discussion, verification, and clarification based on history, indigenous knowledge, and territorial boundaries passed down through generations. Yoseph Watopa, Programme Manager of the Intsia Foundation in Tanah Papua, said in a press release that documenting customary territory is a crucial stage in the process of recognising customary law communities. “The documents produced are not only maps of customary territory but also include history, origins, customary institutions, and the living space of the community, which form the basis for the recognition and protection of customary law communities,” he said. Yehuda Hamokwarang, a researcher at Cenderawasih University’s PPIIG, stated that the participatory mapping of the Sobey Great Tribe’s customary territory has been carried out since 2022 through collaboration with the indigenous community, local government, and various stakeholders. He noted that mapping customary territory considers not only geographical aspects but also history and the community’s relationship with its land, so boundary agreements must be reached through consultation with the indigenous community. Meanwhile, Yan Saerewi, Head of the Community and Village Empowerment Office of Sarmi Regency, assessed that recognising customary territories requires collaboration between the government, customary institutions, and the community so that natural resource management can benefit the community while maintaining environmental sustainability. Through this workshop, the Sobey Great Tribe indigenous community is expected to produce a mutual understanding regarding the external boundaries of their customary territory as a step towards recognition as a customary law community through local government policy.