On the third day, I arrived at Miangas. When I went down from the boat, it seemed like everyone saw me and said, “here’s the newcomer. What a handsome guy.” I was sure they were rarely visited by strangers, in fact for my two-month visit, there were no strangers.
When I went down the boat, I was interrogated a lot by the police. Well I took it as a normal thing in Miangas because Miangas was the tip island and often made as terrorist track to enter The Phillipines.
I knew Miangas from my last visit because last year I have stayed here for a month. I went straight to the house of the head of the village. They welcomed me warmly just like they did on other strangers.
For two months, I stayed in the house of the village head, including eating there. For this friendliness I got, they didn’t want to receive my money. I gave the money to their kids instead. For them, I was unite with them and they considered me as their own family member and there was no paying for family.
Every day, my activity was interviewing the people about the border concept that is hooked with kinship, economy, and the development of the area in the border. I observed and get involved also with their activities. I was interested to examined the border issue here because first, outside Indonesia and South East Asia, the study of border has been developed, mostly in West Europe and North America’s social sciences and it has become a new field of studies.
Second, I was just a small group of anthropologist who give special attention in the study of border in South East Asia. From this study field brought more attention about the consciousness of border as social-culture changing lab, especially in South East Asia. From my writing, I would try to discuss a coheren concept about boundary, border area and frontier area, also to identified research questions and future agenda of this study of border.
I liked Miangas beach so much. It got the characteristic of very clear water and clean beach, just like beaches I found in Lombok and Bali. It’s not just only the view that was beautiful, the society also has their values that they still closely hold.
One afternoon, I sat on the beach, looking at fishermen came back from the sea. At that time, there was only few people there. I was asked to help the fishermen to carry the fishes to the land. As a result, I got a fish as big as half human hand.
There was many surprises in Miangas, including the telecommunication. There was only one spot with only 100 meters of radius of signal area. So, the people from that island can only call or text in that area. What was more unique was that only seven people that can use their handphones to call. If there is other people who want to call or send texts, they have to wait until that seven people finish their call. That if they win the booty, if they lose, well they have to wait again..
There was an interesting experience for me. The ladies of Miangas often flirt me. They were very happy if I respond it. All this time, I respond normally to them. Holding my self from their flirtness was very hard, because they looked prettier everyday. They tried many ways for me to marry them. Thank God until I went back, I wasn’t tempted by them. Believe it or not
http://www.backpackinmagazine.com/my-journey-miangas-island/
