mentawai surfingSejumlah foam beds stored in Mentawai uma or custom homes in Butui, District of South Siberut, Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra. The existence of manufactured goods was very striking in comparison to other uma contents, such as animal skulls and cooking equipment are all made Mentawai residents.
"The bed was for the tourists. They also buy, also other items such as bags, "said Aman Jazali, sikerei who inhabit the custom house. Sikerei is a ceremonial leader.
According Jazali, almost every week there are foreign tourists-usually from America and Europe-staying 1-2 nights at uma. There are two appeal in situ: experience the exotic life of the Mentawai tribe and enjoy a flow of clear, distant Butui River and surrounded by white sand and rocks in front of uma.
Mentawai beach
Exoticism ala Butui are still added to achieve the beautiful trip, which rose pompong-wooden boats with outboard engines-for about 4 hours from Muara Siberut, South Siberut District capital city, to the village of Madobag. From Madobag, walk about 1.5 hours through the jungle to get to uma.
While Muara Siberut can be reached by motor boat ride for 10-12 hours from Padang, West Sumatra.
The exoticism Mentawai
The presence of foreign tourists have made considerable Jazali earn income for each group use to give money before leaving. Moreover, it also allows him to little Indonesian, English, and arithmetic.
"While staying here, the tour guide and foreign tourists frequently taught me and my family," said Jazali who never went to school. While her three children are now taught in schools managed forest monk because of formal schooling is far from umanya.
The presence of foreign tourists also make a number of places in Mentawai overgrown luxury resort, especially in coastal areas that have good waves for surfing. In the tourist resorts moneyed enjoy the exoticism Mentawai consists of 213 islands as well as to surf.
The waves in the Mentawai islands-by various organizations-the third best surfing universal after Hawaii and Tahiti.
Mentawai Surf
In Mentawai, surfing is usually done in Nyangnyang Island, Coral Majat, Masilok, Botik, and Mainuk. Peak tourist visits in July and August. At that time in the Mentawai waves reached a height of 7 meters.
"The island is beautiful. I will come here again, "said Andrea, tourists from Italy, on Mentawai which he visited for one week.
biosphere reserves
In addition to beautiful, Mentawai also play an important role for conservation. Since 1981, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) set Siberut Mentawai Island as one of the biosphere reserves so that their existence should be protected and kept away from exploitation.
Plus their exoticism Siberut Mentawai four endemic primates, namely monkeys Simakobu or pigs (Simias concolor), bilou or dwarf gibbon (Hylobates klosii), Joja or monkey Mentawai (Presbytis potenziani), and the Mentawai macaque (Macaca pagensis).
To investigate this wealth Mentawai primates, Primate Center, University of Gottingen, Germany, in cooperation with Bogor Agricultural University established the Siberut Conservation Project.
overlooked
However, the various advantages it is as yet able to make the state to look more seriously Mentawai. Public facilities such as health and education in the rich area generally still dormant. The flow of electricity and the road is very limited.
"The Department of Tourism has never come here. If there are tourists who come, so be it, we handle alone, "said Secretary of the Village Madobag Sabaggalek Matheu.
mentawai islandAkibatnya further, citizens not only do not have clear guidelines to manage the region. A number of assets in the region also started to be managed stranger, like a luxury resort on a number of surf. "The land is still owned by the resort Mentawai. However, because it does not know and does not have the capital to manage it, and then leased to foreigners, "Matheu said.
Matheu also told, there have been a Canadian tourist who volunteered to provide capital to organize waterfall Kulu Kubuk in the region. "Tourists already offered USD 25 million as capital, and management remain submitted to us. However, residents who had land is still not allowed, "Matheu said.
Countries need to set up this natural wealth should not fall into foreign hands, among others, the ability to equip local communities to manage their areas. If not, the natural wealth of this pretty Mentawai very likely be transferred into foreign hands. If so, what does the meaning of the presence of the Indonesian state in Mentawai?
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