The making of a dream started with a chance encounter

The making of a dream started with a chance encounter

For scuba diving fanatics, making it to Bunaken is only a matter
of time. Daniele Marianelli, 27, and Patrick Trancu, 40, both
from Italy, were no different, and in August 2001 they set foot
on Bunaken Island.

Like many others, they were captivated by the beauty of the
place, and in particular Siladen. Like many others, they dreamed
of staying. The difference is that they really did stay put, and
Siladen Spa Resort is what followed.

Thomas, 41, is the head of security at Siladen Spa Resort
while his wife works in the laundry department. "We are
comfortable and happy," he said.

It was a different story back in 2001 when -- to make ends
meet -- he had to go fishing for long hours. Thomas was the first
person to meet Daniele and Patrick in August 2001 and the one who
introduced them to John Rahasia.

Charisma and natural authority were strong personality traits
of the late John Rahasia, whose family had been given Siladen in
concession for military distinction. He talked a lot but never
uttered empty words. He believed in teratology and claimed that
(somehow) Siladen was at the center of the perennial movement of
the continents. His theories have been formalized in books and --
regardless of scientific basis -- betray a deep love for Siladen.
Fittingly, his grave still dominates Siladen's landscape from the
only hill in the island.

"John was old, and worried about the future of the island,"
Welly, 60, the village head says. "He had a fascination with
ancient Roman history and liked the fact the Daniele came from
the 'Eternal City'." Patrick is from Milan.

The personal relationship that developed between John, Daniele
and Patrick was the making of Siladen.

"He would invite us for tea and talk about his theories for
hours while showing us his shell collection. His paramount
concerns were the villagers' welfare and the environment,"
Daniele said.

Good cooperation with the villagers has been essential for the
success of the resort from the start.

"The first clear sign of the people's commitment was when the
two one ton generators had to be moved inshore and everybody came
out to help" Daniele recollected.

Today, with over 80 of the village's 300 inhabitants working
for the resort, the two are so intertwined that they would be
difficult to separate.

"We are like a big family. Prior to the resort, no one knew
about Siladen and no one cared... all our sons had to leave to
look for work elsewhere," Welly said.

Parman, 22, who has worked as a dive guide at the resort for a
year, agreed.

"To find work, I had to leave Siladen when I was 16 and I
really missed it. Now it is nice to be back, to live with my
family and spend the evenings with my friends."

The resort also provides free electricity for the village's 86
houses that, thanks to the steady income, are slowly replacing
wood and bamboo with bricks. Staff is generally very happy;
salaries range from Rp 500,000 to Rp 5 million monthly, and are
complemented with overtime pay, holiday pay (20 days a year) and
contributions towards a pension fund. A well laid out staff area
is a lively meeting point, just like the three churches (with a
fourth being built) in the village.

But building Siladen was not a walk in the park, and from the
first meeting with John to the opening ceremony on Jan. 27, 2003,
the road was a winding one, to say the least.

"The first six months were spent getting the various permits
and doing very little in terms of material work. However, it was
an important period in gaining the trust and collaboration of the
villagers. Once the permits were all in order, we started working
in earnest, and at one stage 120 people -- mostly from the island
-- were working for us" Daniele said.

However, since Siladen is within Bunaken's national park, how
the license was granted in the first place has been the subject
of speculation. In truth the allegations have mainly been
directed at Massimiliano Salvai's dealings and connections.
Salvai is a former third business associate who has since left.
Nonetheless, all the speculation has remained unproven, apart
from the deforestation of a larger part of the island than
needed, which has been acknowledged by all parties.

"We accepted the mistake and have since spent US$20,000 on a
tree replanting program," Daniele said.

Patrick added: "Siladen's concern for the environment has
meant using mainly natural material in building the resort, and
since opening it has continued with refurbishing the old pier
(instead of building a new one even when authorized) and with the
daily transportation of 5,000 liters of clear water a day from
Manado instead of using Siladen's."

Siladen has also distinguished itself for its waste disposal
program that divides organic from nonorganic material. In
recognition to its eco-friendly approach, the resort has been
chosen by the USAID, involved at Bunaken since 1991, to run a
pilot scheme in waste and residual management. If successful, the
program will be further used in Manado.

Daniele recalled how things did not look very bright after the
opening, because "the fear of international terrorism, the Iraq
war, the Bali bombing and the outbreak of SARS, really affected
us. It wasn't until July 2003 that Mr. and Mrs. Spiagiari from
Rome checked in as our first customers" Daniele added.

Now the future looks brighter: The island's acknowledgment
among the upmarket tourist segment is growing, and the resort has
been classified among the world's best by a series of magazines.

"We are very pleased with these last few months and with the
reviews we have received," Daniele said. "On Jan. 27, it was
Siladen Resort's first anniversary and it was an emotional day to
celebrate with all the staff.

"It was nice to see how now everybody is positive and looks
ahead with a smile. Yes, the dream is still alive..."
-- Fabio Scarpello