Kei Islands, Maluku - Indonesia
Since January 7,2003, Aru islands become its own district of the Maluku Province; before, it was only a sub district of Maluku Tenggara district. It covers an area of 54.395 km sq. comprises land 6.325 km sq. and sea 48.070 km sq. with Dobo as its capital lies on Dobo island.
The south part is bordered with Arafura Sea, the north and east are bordered with southern part of the Papua Province. The west is bordered with the eastern part of Kei Besar island and Arafura sea.
The Aru islands district has 3 subdistricts, Kecamatan P.P. Aru, Kecamatan Aru Utara and Kecamatan Aru Selatan. Aru Islands district has 187 islands. The islands are inhabited by 60.084 population (according to 2002 cencus) and 98 islands are not inhabited. Some big islands are Kola island, Kobror island, Tarangan island, Maekor island, which are connected by narrow straights. The islands are flat, covered with mangrove swamps.
Most of the people live as fishermen and farmers. The main commodities of the Aru islands are sea products, Pearls/Shells, Tripang, variety of fishes and shrimps.
There are 16 language families and 2 big social life societies (Teon) those are "Ursia" and "Urlima". "Ursia" owns north Aru area covers 90 villages, symbolized by "Shark", while "Urlima" owns the southern part of Aru, covers 50 villages, symbolized by "Whale".
Aru Islands since long time ago have been known to be home of the birds of paradise and the original land of the pearl, both are much being interested.
Aru Islands have been visited by the foreign traders since two and a half century after Christ, on their journey to look for the bird of paradise for its beautiful feathers.
According to stories, in Nepal, the bird of paradise was used as the symbol of the Kingdom authority. The type of the feather they used was found only in Aru Islands.
In 1830, the Spain's Marie Christine de Bourbone wore the bird of paradise skins on her crown.
In 1500, the Portugees declared about the bird of paradise trade that persisted in Maluku islands to be exported to Persia and Turkey.
To find the birds of paradise was one of the main reasons why Sir Alfred Russel Wallace had travelled to the far east. When he arrived at Dobo on January 8,1857, he found only a settlement in the wild on a flat area formed by swamp and covered with green mangrove and was inhabited only during the trading season when the Chinese merchants and Bugis traders from Sulawesi arrived on their prahus. He spent five to six months, waiting for the local people to bring in bird feathers, pearl and dried sea slugs for sale. During the five months of his staying, Wallace witnessed the arrival of big prahus from Maccassar and many smaller boats from Kei, the New Guinea and other parts of outer Dobo.
He had also the chance to see for himself how the bird of paradise lived. Equally important, he could gather specimens which ought to fetch handsome sums when sold in London. The king birds of paradise are still to be found on the Baun Reserve. He found peaceful environment for the marketplace was in everyone's interest. People got on so well without any formal rule or law, courts or police to keep order.
Before the Europeans came, in 15th and 16th century, the Maluku islands were already being part of a well arranged regional system for the local inter islands trade on the eastern part in Indonesia. And the Aru islands were included in this system that can be seen by the trade stuffs at that time among others were Sagu, Timber, Birds of paradise, Black cockatoos, Sea cucumber, Turtle shell and Pearl. The imported stuffs from abroad still kept are silk, gong gong, and China ceramic.
Kai Marine Tourism :
Disuk Beach
Disuk Beach , located in Disuk village, is decorated with corals, cliff wall, clear water and beautiful scenery where one can enjoy the sea, and traditional food provided by the family who manage the site.
Taman Sos
Tanan Sos is nowadays, a marine tourist object, which has a beautiful panorama and coral reef , located west of Elat, can be reached by boat appr. 12 minutes from Elat.
Source: disbudparmaluku.org
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photo: vgsiahaya.files.wordpress.com
