WITNESSING THE BUKA SASI TRADITION IN MENARBU VILLAGE
Since March 17, 2018, the people of Menarbu Village in Roon District of Teluk Wondama Regency have been conducting Sasi in their waters where they close part of their waters with an area of 1194 hectares from the use of natural resources by humans. This sasi area is divided into 2 areas, the waters in front of Menarbu Village and another area called War on the other side of Roon Island. Sasi applied in Menarbu is Sasi with prohibition of utilization based on location (Sasi place) and type (Sasi type). The activity begins with a prayer by the local priest to mark the 2-year Sasi.
Sasi is a Maluku cultural tradition that was brought down by Christian evangelists during the era of the spread of Christianity in Roon in 1886. Initially, Sasi was used as a nasar (people's promise to God) of the village community in a certain area for the sake of church construction. This tradition has been applied by the ancestors of the Roon community and is found in several areas in Papua such as in Raja Ampat and Kaimana. Sasi in the Roon language is referred to as kadup which means closing (pele or palang) a place, clans that have customary rights in Roon conduct sasi by crossing bamboo on the beach to mark that the area has been sasi. Sasi has now transformed from being a symbolic customary right enforced for the benefit of the church and certain clans, but now it has become a form of community awareness of the importance of nature that needs to be protected for the sustainability of the natural resources they have. Now Sasi is not just about custom, but there are three stoves that support Sasi, namely the church, custom and government.
In 1995 Kadup or sasi in Menarbu Village was implemented by the customary elders in collaboration with the church to support church funding in carrying out the inauguration of the construction of the GKI Sion Menarbu church building. The rules applied also used church rules when opening sasi all funds from the Sasi harvest were only used for the benefit of the church and were managed directly by the church.
On March 17, 2020, the people of Menarbu Village carried out the tradition of opening Sasi. During the first 2 months, the Menarbu Village Sasi Management Group did not allow utilization to be carried out carelessly. There are rules that govern the utilization of the results of this open sasi period. Among them, there are areas that are opened and there are also areas that remain closed, this is deemed necessary as a sense of affection and respect for the positive changes from sasi which resulted in fish being able to return to play under the community's houses above the water when the tide is high.
The sasi opening activity was held on Tuesday (March 17, 2020) and was attended by Bernadus Imburi as the Regent of Wondama Bay, the Secretary of Wondama Bay, the Head of the Fisheries Service, the Head of the Tourism Service, the Head of the PTSP Service, the Head of the West Papua Province Marine and Fisheries Service, the Head of the Cenderawasih Bay National Park Office, representatives of agency staff, the media, and the local community to witness together this rarely held tradition. The Sasi opening procession was carried out with several stages of activities, such as; welcoming invited guests by traditional dance attractions, then the group was taken to attend a short Sasi opening service at the Sion Menarbu Church, then the group went to the sea by being escorted by several boats following traditional boats. Pastor Musa Bisai performed the Sasi opening prayer by spreading his hands towards the sea and praying, witnessed by all invited guests and the people in other boats.
The opening of Sasi is expected by the community to get abundant fish according to their waiting for two years and the results they harvest can be marketed properly and bring economic benefits to the community. The community must still comply with the rules regarding fishing gear that is made by themselves and only use traditional tools such as fishing rods and molo wire, not allowed to use compressors and no nets let alone potassium. The security of the opened location is also something that continues to be expressed by the community, the participation of other villagers in utilizing the results of opening Sasi. The use of fishing gear that is not environmentally friendly or does not follow the rules made by the Sasi Management Group is a concern for the community. On this basis, the Sasi Management Group is preparing a patrol program in the Sasi area, and will conduct socialization to neighboring villages to inform the rules of fishing and other important things that apply in the Sasi area.