A year ago, in the middle of 2009, I was given a chance by my campus to show my loyalty to my country, as known as K2N, Kuliah Kerja Nyata or Real Lecture and Work. The 2009 K2N wasn’t a common one because we were asked to do something for one remote area in the northest area in Indonesia, Miangas.
At that time, I was still an active student in campus. My experience in Miangas for a month made me make the decision to nail my dream to take Miangas as my thesis topic. At first, many people refused it, mostly because of the location which is very far away, but I still tried. But then, January weather wasn’t support me. Finally I went there in April 2010.
There were many things that made me interested in observing Miangas. I am sure one day every people in Indonesia will give their attention to Miangas, just like they did on Sipadan-Ligitan islands (the islands that were in conflict with Malaysia –red). Miangas is the northest island in Indonesia, it is the island that borders Indonesia and The Phillipines. To go to The Phillipines only took 2,5 hours by boat, meanwhile to go to the surrounding islands which are in Indonesia area, like Tahuna and Melonguane, it took for about 24 hours.
But the access to that closest area was limited by Indonesian Government because of the worrisome of The Phillipines ruled Miangas. The conflict between Indonesia and The Phillipines was related to the waters between Miangas Island (Indonesia) and Mindanao Beach (Phillipines), also about the bottom of the sea between Balut Island (Phillipines) and Sulawesi Sea Beach which goes for less than 400 miles distance.
The ownership of Miangas Island by Indonesia resulted from 1928 Arbitrage Judicature in Den Haag. Phillipines was still using the explanation that Las Palmas (Phillipines version of Miangas) was in the square position based on 1898 Paris Treaty and this was backed by the finding of Pardao (monument) of Magelhaens landing on that island in 1512. That’s why The Phillipines claimed Miangas several times and proposed the island to United Nation UNCLOS as part of their territory. I was very interested in analising this case.
From Jakarta, I flew to Manado. The standard plane ticket was about Rp 700.000. If ordered days before the price would cost Rp 500.000. After I arrived in Manado, I took ‘black’ taxi for Rp 120.000 until Bitung. Mostly the taxi was ‘mobil sedan’ which is usually parked in front of the airport. Rp 120.000 was the standard price. Usually the drivers would asked for Rp 150.000 if he saw the attitude of the passenger was like first time coming to Manado. No need to worry about the criminal rate there, it is guaranteed that Manado is saved for new comer. The people are nice.
The ride took around 2-3 hours. Along the journey, the common view was many restaurants selling many foods like bat’s meat, mouse, pig and dog. On the left and right of the road there were many coconut trees.
From Bitung I took Meliku Nusa boat, sat on the deck, like other passangers. Actually there were rented rooms on this boat but I chose deck because I only had to pay Rp 50.000. It needed extra fee to enter the room.
I kept sitting, looking at the sea and observing people around me. If I got bored, I talked to other passangers. They told me about the islands group that we had through. The islands was beautiful. They would feel happy if newcomer who sees it would tell it to other people so that the story would spread. For me, they were pretty nice to strangers like me.
There was something wrong with the boat. No one sold food. I thought the condition would be like in economy train in Java that is full with food seller. It turned out to be a big false! Well, there was food seller on the deck, but it was complicated for me because I brought many stuffs.
I prefered to stay sit and hold this hunger. One big mistake because of the wrong assumption. One day I hold my hunger until the boat moored in Tahuna Island. I went straight to search for food. Not many choices and the price was very expensive! One wrap of rice contained of egg and noodle priced Rp 25.000. Argh! Wished I brought foods from Manado or Bitung, it would be cheaper. Everything was expensive, including mineral water. But what could I do? I had to bought it. I bought many foods for my supplies on boat.
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/
