Water resources are abundant in Papua. There are five officially classified main river basins: Kamundan-Sebyar, Omba, Eilanden-Bikuma-Digoel, Mamberamo-Tami-Apavaur, and Wapoga-Mimika. The latter three basins are in five customary zones (Saireri, Mamta, Mee Pago, La Pago, and Ha Anim) and together distribute to 153 watersheds, 15 lakes, and 40 groundwater basins. This means that the majority of Papua Indigenous people either live surrounded by fresh water, along the coastal areas, and/or on small islands.

For Indigenous Peoples, water is not only an economic resource or an environmental service, but has value by itself, in a spiritual way. They consider water and water bodies such as rivers and swamps as having their own spiritual dimensions. This seminar will give an introduction to the water governance practices by three different tribes in Papua – the Malind Anim people in Ha Anim, the Enggros people in Mamta, and the Sambom people in La Pago – highlighting both their uniqueness and similarities.

This seminar is partly based on this article.

Speaker: Elisabeth Veronika Wambrau (Universitas Cenderawasih)

Tuesday, 9 May 2023 at 10.00-11.30am WIB (12.00-13.30 WIT)