The Kalabia team attended the celebrations and declaration of "Raja Ampat Earth Day", to be celebrated the 10th of December each year.
The Bupati, or Head of the Raja Ampat Regency, was on-hand to make the official declaration. He planted a tree, presented awards to local conservation leaders, and gave a fairly succinct speech about conservation and the reason that Earth Day should be celebrated in Raja Ampat.
The village of Arborek is on a very small island of the same name - probably 2 square kilometers! The population of only one hundred live very closely interconnected with their natural environment. They are dependent entirely on the sea for food, and some of the elders here tell stories of the good old days when fish would literally jump into their boats in their abundance! With the currents raging around the island it is no wonder! One of the best-known, and most awesome dive sites in Raja Ampat is 'Manta Point', a feeding station for the giant Manta Rays on a reef just to the South of Arborek.
Aside from the abundance of fish, Arborek is also known for their 'Topi Durian', or Durian hats... not because they're made of that noxious fruit, or the tree which bears it for that matter, but instead because of the weaving style, which results in a somewhat spiky shell. The hats are woven from palm leaves, and used to use only natural materials; I note that mine is held together with fishing line, and the colours are much too bright to be from natural dyes - the times they are a-changin'. During the welcoming ceremony, the village presented one to the Bupati. I bought one to support the local initiative - the woman in the photo below is the one who made mine, and is the head of one of the weaving cooperatives.
Arborek is a quaint little town with two well-kept sandy streets, and a new jetty which is going to be opened for Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment