Written by Soeren Petersen
I had the privilege of visiting one of the communities that Mitra BUMMA is partnering with in Namblong, Papua, earlier in October and had a number of amazing experiences:
The trip coincided with the formation of the local BUMMA in Namblong, a tribally and collectively owned Indigenous People’s Corporation which comprises 44 different tribes (and their heads, called “Irams”). This new structure supports the tribes’ work in terms of developing various businesses around vanilla production, carbon credits, as well as other ecosystem services on their land. This is a major milestone as it allows the various tribes to operate as a collective and find their common voice for the benefit of the local community.
The vanilla business, currently in development, provides the community an alternative to growing palm oil, a decision that was not easy to make given the strong economic incentives to do so. An essential part of this project has also been the building of a dry house to keep the vanilla from being spoiled and providing the local growers the opportunity to decide when to sell at the right price.
The new vanilla farm
We visited the cultural center, which is an important place in the community and provides a place for the children to learn their local language and the cultural treasures of the region, a critical part of maintaining their identity.
At the Women's Committee (ORPA) and cultural center in Benyom
While exploring the jungles of Papua and going bird watching, we were blessed to see some amazing birds of paradise including the King Bird of Paradise. Spotting these birds is extremely difficult, and we would never have been able to do it by ourselves. The birds also play a significant role in the community as these birds not only are important for their role in eco-tourism but also as part of the local biodiversity.
Alex, our tour guide
We also witnessed the replanting of sago trees. The Sago tree (cycas rumphii) is the lifeblood and staple for the local people in many parts of western Indonesia. This tree grows for around five years before being taken down for its provision of nutrients in the form of a starch that is used in many of the dishes and foods served in the region.
Taking down of a Sago tree
While taking down trees in general is never a pleasant endeavor, for every tree they take down, they plant five new trees for posterity. I was humbled to learn that these sustainable practices have been practiced by the local community for centuries.
It was an amazing experience seeing how all the catalytic work done by Mitra BUMMA on the ground has had a significant impact for the community, which we were able to see, feel, and hear during our visit. We are very excited to continue this learning journey with them and see their good work in further supporting the existing Namblong and Mare communities on Papua and hopefully many other areas in the future.
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