Buru Island, Maluku - Indonesia
Buru Island formerly part of central Maluku District, the province of Maluku, since Oct 12,1999 has become a new district together with Ambalau island and some other small islands. Namlea (3000 ha) on the district of East North Buru is the Sub District's Capital as well as the district's.
Buru island is the second largest island in the Maluku Province after the island of Seram, appr. 11.117 sq.km. There are some rivers on Buru island, some big ones like wae Apu (wae means water/river) on the north, wae Mala on the south, having their water coming from Rana Lake. The large level lands on East North Buru are wae Apu, wae Kumu, wae Mala and wae Li, which are feasible for the development of agricultural production. The island can produce appr. 50 thousand tons of rice in 2 harvest time a year. Beside that, Bum is very famous for its original eucalyptus oil.
Other plantation products are cashew, cocoa, coconut/ copra, nutmeg, cloves, coffe'e, tobacco etc. A local grain plantation, named "hotong" is also popular in Buru Surea Sp, Vitex Goffasus, Tektonagrandis, Aloe, Lepiniop-sis Ternatensis, dominated the wood from the forest.
The existing fauna are parrots, reptiles, fishes etc.
Most of the development is concentrated on the Subdistrict of East North Buru. The structure and infrastructure/facilities are concentrated in Namlea, as the capital of the District of Buru and the East North Buru sub Subdistrict as well, so compared to the other four subdistricts, the East North Buru Subdistrict' more developed and become the commercial centre of Buru.' island.
Buru is very famous for its original eucalyptus oil. Other plantation products are cashew, cocoa, coconut / copra, nutmeg, cloves, coffee, tobacco etc. A local grain plantation, named "hotong" is also popular in Buru Surea Sp, Vitex Goffasus, Tektonagrandis, Aloe, Lepiniop-sis Tematensis, dominated the wood from the forest. The existing fauna are parrots, reptiles, fishes etc.
Most of the development is concentrated on the Subdistrict of East North Buru. The structure and infrastructure/facilities are concentrated in Namlea, as the capital of the District of Buru and the East North Buru sub Subdistrict as well, so compoi"r to the other four subdistricts, the East North Buru Subdis more developed and become the commercial centre of Buru island.
Demographic
The population of Buru island is about 125.000, comprises different ethnics from Maluku itself as well as from other parts of Indonesia ; most of them reside in the district of East South Buru.
The native people of Buru island, alifuru, named themselves the "Bumilale "people, which has a wide and a deep meaning and is regarded sacred. Bumilale derives from the word "bum!", means land and "/ate" means large. The main part is land from the Date mountain and water from Rana lake. Bumilale refers to the meaning of life, those are the sacred regarded Rana and Date, which are believed to be the original place of the first man being in Buru island.
Culture
The population of Buru island in gener Moslem, Protestant, Catholic, Hindu and Budha. Before these religions came to Buru island, the native people had owned their ancestral beliefs. According to the tribe believe, the ancestors those were believed as god, live on " Date " mountain and on the " Rana" lake. So Date and Rana were the reincarnation of the ancestors. The worship towards the ancestors also means the worship towards Date and Rana.
Date and Rana have holy and sacrade means and as a main worship in their ancestral believe. Therefore the Date mountain and the Rana lake are the holy and sacred places for the Buru people.
The first man who stepped his feet on Buru island were the ancestors who were symbolized by a white feathered mythical bird that perched on Date mountain. So this mythical bird is
regarded as the shape of the ancestors, according to the belief of the Buru community. The mythical bird always appears in every traditional precession at Rana lake and Date mountain, ,.s appearance is believed to be the attendance of the ancestors' spirit and it shows that the ceremony is blessed by the ancestors and will bring peace and happiness.
Economic
The economic activities in Bum island in general are dominated by the agricultural and forestry sub sectors. Bum island products rice and export the logs and the plywood. Bum,island also product a big quantity of rice. Qther earnings of the community are from the tuna fish, the product of the original eucaliptus oil. There are some people work as government or private employees and some work as police and army.
Climate
Buru island has the sea tropic and seasonal climate on the south of Buru island and the small islands near it have the rainy season in the months of May to September, and at the most is in the months of June to August. In the months of November to December the rain fall is small. The dry season is in October and November.
The Northern of Buru island and the small islands in the surroundings have irregular season. The more northern they are the more clouds they have. The highest rain fall is in the month of March. The everage temperature is 24,2C (max 28,2C onrl min 21,4C). The minimum rain fall is 153,2 mm. The rel; humidity is 77,3%.
Namniwel Lake
It is located between Sawa and Waiperang villages, and is a beautiful tourist object where you can watch the" belibis" birds, a kind of wild duck.
Jikumerasa Lake
Jikumerasa lake is a salt water lake, located on Jikumerasa village, 16 km away from Namlea. This lake has a very beautiful view and is accessible by using the local people's canoe or just walk for a distance of appr. 200 m from the main road. To reach this location, take a public car from the bus terminal in Namlea toward the Jikumerasa direction for Rp. 1.000,-per person.
Rana lake
Rana lake has beautiful view with Rana tribe who still live in their traditional culture. This lake is regarded holy (has supernatural qualities) by the Buru island community. The location of this lake is accessible through :
Wamlana village, 11 km from Airbuaya village. To get to Wamlana village (85 km from Namlea), someone must take the Wamlana public car, then contact the elder people to be taken to the Rana lake. The trip to the Rana lake can be done by using the plywood company's car then continued on foot for appr. 3 days from the beach of Wamlana through the hilly path.
Namrole village (South Buru)
From the Namrole/Leksula to Tifu village, then take a car to Unit village (appr. 26 km) then continue on foot to Rana lake.
Reserved Forest
Buru island posses 155.396 ha of reserved forest from the total forest of 833,061 ha, on the south, where there is also 8.818 ha Natural Forest Conservation, of among others are Surea Sp, Voitex Goffasus, Tektonagrandis, Lepiniopsis Ternatensis.
Source: disbudparmaluku.org
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photo by paparisamanise2's album
