Written by Sophia Nusantara, in collaboration with Agetha Lestari, Campaigner at Kaoem Telapak
The sea breeze in Payum moves gently through the coastal village, carrying stories that are rarely heard beyond its shores. Here, life flows between the ocean, family ties, coconut trees, and the everyday resilience of Indigenous women supporting one another.
“Sa mama Honorata, ketua Payum Iwag,” Mama Honorata says as she introduces herself.
In Papuan dialect, the phrase means, “I am Mama Honorata, Chair of Payum Iwag.” In Papua, the word mama is more than just a greeting for women — it reflects respect, closeness, and the important role women hold within community life. Meanwhile, Payum Iwag refers to Malind Indigenous women who are independent, strong, and capable of standing on their own.
For Mama Honorata, those words are more than a definition. They represent a direction and a shared spirit born from the daily lives of Malind Indigenous women. Many of them are fishers’ wives who play a crucial role in the coastal economy, particularly in processing and selling the daily catch. Within Payum’s relatively inclusive social structure, Indigenous women are not confined to domestic roles alone — they also sustain the economy of both family and community.
Over time, however, fishers in Payum Village, Samkai Subdistrict, Merauke, have faced growing challenges. Dependence on middlemen, low market prices for fishery products, and limited access to knowledge and business diversification have made livelihoods increasingly uncertain. These realities encouraged the community to look for alternative sources of income rooted in local potential and traditional knowledge.
That was how Payum Iwag emerged — as a collective space to strengthen Indigenous women’s economic independence while supporting the self-reliance of coastal Indigenous communities.
For generations, Indigenous women in Payum have been deeply involved in sustaining household economies. They not only manage domestic responsibilities but also actively process and market seafood products. Yet despite their contributions, limited access and opportunities have often restricted their ability to grow further.
From these challenges came a new initiative rooted in something familiar: coconuts, which grow abundantly around the village. Together with support from Sophia Nusantara, Malind Indigenous women began transforming coconuts into value-added products such as body butter, body scrubs, lip balm, and natural soaps.
(Doc. Sophia Nusantara)
In the hands of Payum’s Indigenous women, coconuts became more than a natural resource. They became a bridge between local knowledge and new economic opportunities.
The women are no longer simply selling raw materials. They are now defining the value of products they create themselves. This process is not only about production or income, but also about rediscovering the strengths and potential that have long existed within the community.
Choosing to develop natural body care products has also opened wider space for Indigenous women within the creative economy. Malind Indigenous women in Payum are not merely consumers — they are creators and innovators, bringing local knowledge into high-value products without losing their cultural identity.
Kristina Isop, Marketing Manager of Payum Iwag, has become part of that journey.
“I’m proud to help Malind IP Women bring our products beyond the village so more people can know our work,” Kristina says.
The process has involved collective learning, from packaging and marketing to building the confidence needed to reach wider markets.
(Doc. Sophia Nusantara)
“Through Payum Iwag, we’ve learned that Indigenous women are equally capable of growing, competing, and moving forward through the work we create ourselves,” she adds.
Her words reaffirm something that has always existed: the capability of Indigenous women flourishes when they are given space and opportunity.
The coconut-based initiative has not only helped improve household incomes, but also strengthened the position of Indigenous women within the local economy. At the same time, it reflects a sustainable approach that uses local resources responsibly without damaging the surrounding environment.
The changes may not always appear dramatic, but they are deeply felt in everyday life. Indigenous women now have greater space in decision-making processes, both within families and community groups. Confidence is growing, along with the courage to try new things and the belief that they can move further forward.
Payum Iwag shows that the strength of Indigenous women has always existed within their lived experiences, knowledge, and everyday work. When that space is opened, Indigenous women do not merely survive — they create change for themselves, their families, and their communities.
