Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, Indonesia - Amidst the mesmerizing beauty and diversity of the sea, there is a tradition that has been passed down by the community to maintain the balance of the marine ecosystem. This tradition is divided into two, namely land sasi and sea sasi. This time, we will discuss the sea sasi tradition that still exists until now.
The sasi tradition is not only a local wisdom, but also recognized as one of the relevant marine conservation in the modern era. This tradition not only protects the sea, but also strengthens the resilience of local communities in the face of climate crisis and overfishing. In the midst of climate crisis and massive ocean exploitation, this tradition is a local answer to global challenges.
What is Sasi?
Sasi is a customary rule that prohibits anyone from taking natural resources within a certain period of time. This is to protect their natural heritage as Raja Ampat has 75% of the world's coral reefs.
This tradition is usually established through consultation between traditional leaders, religious leaders and village communities. There is a ceremony to mark the opening and closing of sasi. The ceremony is led by the customary chief and lasts for 1 - 7 days. People who violate the sasi will be subject to customary sanctions. Biota that are sasi according to the agreement such as clams, lobsters, fish, lola, sea cucumbers (ykan.or.id).
Sustainable Harvesting Practices
“The harvested marine biota cannot be arbitrary. They can only harvest the agreed types of marine life, such as sea cucumbers and lobsters. In addition, the size of marine life that can be harvested must also be in accordance with the agreed provisions, for example sea cucumbers that can be harvested at least 15 centimeters in length,” explained the Senior Manager of the Bird's Head Seascape of the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN) Lukas Rumetna, cited from YKAN.
During harvesting, people are not allowed to use tools, but must use their bare hands. The community is also allowed to harvest marine life in shallow waters using wooden spears called the balobe tradition (ykan.or.id). This keeps the ecosystem of the sasi area sustainable so that it can bring benefits to the community.
This practice is becoming increasingly important as Indonesia's oceans face major challenges such as overfishing, pollution and climate change. This makes the sasi tradition a real solution for marine conservation.
Collaborations for Conservation
The sustainability of sasi also relies on cross-party collaboration. In Kapatcol Village, West Misool District, Raja Ampat, there is a Waifuna women's group that is given the right to organize and manage the sasi area. Similarly, in Aduwei Village in North Misool, Raja Ampat, there is a women's group called “Joom Jak Sasi”, which means women guardians of the sea.
In addition, Conservation International and WWF Indonesia, two leading environmental conservation organizations, have also worked with indigenous communities in Raja Ampat to support the sustainability of the sasi tradition. This collaboration includes the preparation of customary area maps, ecological education, and strengthening the legal aspects of local wisdom-based marine resource management.
As reported on jubi.id, WWF has worked with the Indonesian government, local community groups, and conservation partners such as Conservation International (CI) and The Nature Conservancy to create the Bird's Head Seascape.
Covering 183,000 km², the Bird's Head Seascape includes seven marine conservation areas in Raja Ampat, totaling 9,100 km².
Hope for the Future
Scientific research has shown that many coral species in this region are more resilient to rising sea temperatures due to climate change. These findings provide hope that the conservation areas could become recovery centers for surrounding coral reefs damaged by mass bleaching.
The collaboration between customary values and science in sasi shows that cultural heritage is not only of historical value, but a foundation for shaping a more sustainable future.
The younger generation also plays an important role in continuing this tradition. By combining creativity, technology and traditional values, they show that cultural and environmental conservation can be the movement of the future.
Source:
- https://www.ykan.or.id/id/publikasi/artikel/siaran-pers/kiprah-perempuan-di-raja-ampat-dalam-menjaga-kearifan-lokal-melalui-tradisi-sasi-laut/
- https://www.rri.co.id/lain-lain/683413/tradisi-sasi-kearifan-lokal-di-raja-ampat
- https://www.ykan.or.id/id/publikasi/artikel/perspektif/cara-aduwei-jaga-laut-lestari/
- https://jubi.id/lingkungan/2024/terumbu-karang-raksasa-di-kepulauan-solomon-sasi-dan-terumbu-karang-raja-ampat/
- https://indonesianoceanpride.org/id/artikel/budaya-raja-ampat-sasi-laut/
