In the mangrove forests of Jayapura, Papua, Paula (55) paddles her small canoe at dawn, navigating through the mud in search of shellfish. Her catch will either be used as food at home, or sold to supplement their income.
In the same mangrove forest, her neighbor, Persila (68 years old), searches for wood to build her house. The villagers rely on mangrove wood for building their homes. Therefore, the sustainability of the mangrove is very important for the lives of coastal residents. “Mangrove trunks that fall into the mud and stand upright, those are the ones we take care of because they will grow into new mangroves,” she says.
Paula and Persila are just two of the many indigenous Papuan women who play a vital role in preserving mangrove forests. These women, commonly called “Mama”, inherit traditional wisdom from their ancestors on how to utilize and sustain mangrove forests. This knowledge is passed down through generations and serves as a guide for interacting with nature.
In their daily lives, indigenous Papuan women gather food and firewood, while also safeguarding the mangrove ecosystem. They actively engage in conservation by planting mangrove fruit found drifting in the currents while collecting shellfish, shrimp, and other marine life. Moreover, Mama Papua utilizes the mangrove forest for their social activities. In some areas, such as Tobati and Enggros in Jayapura, they socialize, discuss, and share stories while searching for food.
Mangrove forests are vital ecosystems that provide habitat for a wide array of marine life, including fish, shrimp, crabs, shellfish, and more. They also play a crucial role in protecting coastlines from natural disasters such as tidal waves and erosion, as well as storing vast amounts of carbon, which contributes to climate change mitigation. According to data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia possesses approximately 20% of the world’s total mangrove forests, with Papua being home to the largest mangrove forest in Indonesia, covering around 1.6 million hectares.
Recognizing the importance of indigenous women’s roles in mangrove conservation, the University of Papua and the University of Queensland in Australia, with support from KONEKSI, are collaborating on research to explore and analyse the expertise of Papuan women and their adaptation and conservation strategies. This research aims to support innovative and inclusive blue carbon initiatives and policies by involving indigenous women as holders of traditional knowledge.
The research is being conducted in several locations across Papua: Teluk Bintuni in West Papua, South Sorong in Southwest Papua, Mimika-Kamoro in Central Papua, Waropen and Jayapura in Papua province.
“To ensure the sustainability of mangrove forests, it’s crucial to listen to the voices of women who work in the mangroves daily. They possess invaluable local knowledge,” stated Dr. Aplena Elen Siane Bless, a researcher at the University of Papua.
Dr. Jenny Munro from the University of Queensland highlighted the importance of collaboration in this research, “The partnership between Indonesia and Australia in this research demonstrates that even in remote and politically sensitive areas, we can still provide a platform for collaboration.”
Mama Papua play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and are inheritors of traditional wisdom. Their knowledge is invaluable and should be listened to, especially in preserving mangrove forests, which serve as a source of life for coastal communities. They are the true heroes of mangrove conservation.
