The Exotic of Mentawai

Some foam bed or stored in uma custom homes in the Mentawai Butui, District of South Siberut, Mentawai Islands regency, West Sumatra. The existence of manufactured goods is very striking compared with other uma content, such as animal skulls and cooking equipment are all made the Mentawai people.

"The bed was for the tourists. They also bought, as well as other items such as bags, "said Aman Jazali, sikerei inhabiting these custom homes. Sikerei ceremonial leader.

According Jazali, almost every week there were foreign tourists, usually from the United States and Europe, who spend the night at 1-2 uma. There are two attractions there: own experience the life of the exotic Mentawai tribes and enjoy the river flow clear and Butui nan and rocks surrounded by white sand in front of the uma.

Mentawai beach

Exotic style is still added Butui wonderful way to achieve it, that is up-pompong wooden boat with outboard engine, for about 4 hours from Muara Siberut, the capital district of South Siberut, toward the village of Madobag. From Madobag, walking about 1.5 hours through the jungle to get to the uma. While the Muara Siberut can be reached by motor boat for 10-12 hours from Padang, West Sumatra.

Exotic Mentawai

The presence of these foreign tourists make Jazali considerable revenue for each group used to give him money before leaving. It also made him able to speak a little Indonesian, English, and arithmetic.

"We stay here, tour guide and foreign tourists are often taught me and also the family," said Jazali who never received his high school. While her three children now study in schools managed forests are a monk because formal schools are far away from umanya.

The presence of foreign tourists also make a number of places in the Mentawai overgrown luxury resort, especially in coastal areas that have good waves for surfing. In the resorts, moneyed tourists enjoy the exotic Mentawai consisting of 213 islands and to surf.

Waves in the Mentawai islands, by various organizations surf-universal is the third best after Hawaii and Tahiti.

Surf Mentawai

In Mentawai, surf is usually done in Nyangnyang Island, Coral Majat, Masilok, Botik, and Mainuk. Peak tourist visit there in July and August. At that height of waves in the Mentawai reaches 7 meters.

"The island is beautiful. I'll come back here again, "said Andrea, tourists from Italy, about the Mentawai visited for a week.

Biosphere reserve

In addition to beautiful, Mentawai also play an important role for conservation. Since 1981, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural (UNESCO) set Siberut in the Mentawai Islands as one of the biosphere reserve, so its existence must be protected and kept away from exploitation.

Siberut Keeksotisan plus the four endemic Mentawai primates, namely simakobu pigs or monkeys (Simias concolor), Kloss's Gibbon or dwarf siamang (Hylobates klosii), joja or leaf monkey Mentawai (Presbytis potenziani), and monkey Mentawai (Macaca pagensis).

To examine the wealth of this Mentawai primates, Primate Center University of Gottingen, Germany, in cooperation with the Bogor Institute of Agriculture founded the Siberut Conservation Project.

Neglected

However, the advantage was as yet unable to make the country to look more seriously Mentawai. Public facilities such as health and education in wealthy areas are still largely neglected. Electricity and roads is very limited.

"Tourism has never come here. If there are tourists who come, so be it, we handle alone, "said Secretary Sabaggalek Matheu Madobag Village.

Mentawai islandAkibatnya further, people not only do not have clear guidelines for managing the area. A number of assets in the region also started to run a stranger, like a luxury resort in the number of surfing locations. "Land of the resort is still owned by the Mentawai. However, because they do not know and do not have the capital to manage it, and then leased out to foreigners, "Matheu said.

Matheu also told, there have been Canadian tourist who had offered to provide capital Kulu organize Kubuk waterfalls in the region. "The tourist had offered USD 25 million as capital, and its management remains handed over to us. However, residents who have still not allow the land, "Matheu said.

Countries need to manage natural resources do not let it fall into foreign hands, including the ability to equip local communities to manage their area. If not, the natural wealth of this pretty Mentawai is possible given the management to foreign hands. If so, what the meaning of the state's presence in the Mentawai Indonesia?

(Agnes Rita Sulistyawaty and M Hernowo)
Source: Kompas.com
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