By: Dhiya Rahmawati and Kaoem Telapak*
Powerful wind from the salty sea hit the face as the ship set sail and left behind the harbor. Endless waves continued to hit the ship, as if to test the resolve of every passenger who set sail to the Masela Island in Southwest Maluku Regency and Sapeken Island in Sumenep Regency, both of which being parts of the outermost islands in Indonesia.
The Old Village area in Ibalatmuntah Village. This is a form of Indigenous Forest protected by the ‘Sasi.’ Picture by Dhiya Rahmawati, 2025
During this arduous journey, I learned one humble lesson: To understand life on the edge of the country, one must overcome the sea and land to solitude.
The first island was Masela, a place that almost felt like it welcomed me upon arrival with a fragrance of wet soil and lush trees that stood close to one another along the seashore. The Indigenous Peoples there greeted me with such a warm smile and calming gaze, acting like they hid a vast and long secret about how to live alongside the nature.
They called their Indigenous Forest as the ‘lungs of the island;’ a sacred space protected by an indigenous rule called “Sasi.”
Sasi is not only about a prohibition from taking the forest and marine harvests. The moment that sasi begins taking place, the local community stops taking the nature harvests and then they provide ample time for the earth to recover. An Indigenous Elderly explained the story as he looked upon the branch of an old walnut tree, “We don’t live from the forest; we live alongside the forest.”
It is quite a simple statement, but one that contains such a profound wisdom that the modern life simply lacks. Spending days in Masela, I saw how sasi became a core guidance and value in every aspect of lif.
Children learned from their parents about the proper time to open their forest farm, when they could set sail to the sea, when to keep the sea alone in peace. From the forest, they took the harvest appropriately; from the sea, they spread their respect. Amid the solitude of that tiny island, I saw a real proof of sustainability, born not from a project but rather from a collective awareness.
Fishers bring their catch at the shoreline of Sapeken Beach. Picture by Dhiya Rahmawati, 2025
The next adventure brought me far to the west, across the waves to the Sapeken Island, a small cluster to the east of Sumenep Regency, Madura which became well-known as a fish barn in East Madura as written by Muhandis Sidqi (2013) in his book titled, “Sapeken Island: The Fish Barn in East Madura.“
Every morning, fishers set sail before dawn, brought along their fishnets and hopes. Small, wooden boats set sail simultanously and left behind the coastal line which faded away little by little. Their catch were not only for the local market, but also for delivery all the way to Surabaya and Bali.
Almost every family in Sapeken depended on the sea. It was such a deep and close relationship to the point where they considered sea to be something much more than the source for their economy; it was also a spiritual and cultural space that shaped the identity of the local community.
However, the fishers in Sapeken are now facing new challenges. Climate change, the declining quality in the sea ecosystem, and threats of pollution continue to reduce the quality and quantity of their catch.
Many youths began innovating to promote the usage of eco-friendly fishery tools, planting mangrove trees, and educating the local residents about the importance of protecting the coral reef. They act under the same and powerful belief, in that protecting the sea means protecting the future.
This very belief is the embodiment of the youths initiative, #KAoemMUda Action that doesn’t stop at the rhetoric alone, but continues to exist alongside the people to support them in protecting their living space.
In Sapeken, a number of youths even began creating a small group to clean up the forest and observe the vulnerable fishing area. It was the tiny seaside that gave birth to hope that a huge change could begin from the small steps.
As the nation commemorates the Youth Pledge Day, this trip reminds me that unity doesn’t only mean one nation and one language, but also one awareness for the Earth that unites us all. From the Masela Indigenous Forest to the Sapeken Sea, the young generation has shown how their love for the nation can be reborn through real actions.
One sea, one forest, one voice for Nusantara.
*This article is the creation of Dhiya Rahmawati, the 2nd winner of the “Karya #KAMU” contest that was held by Kaoem Telapak and KAoem MUda
