THE MISSING WAVES
Nopri Ismi (Mongabay Indonesia, Kab. Bangka Tengah)
“Yes, I still remember. During the (President) Soeharto era, we were moved from Semujur Island to the Baskara Bakti Village. Since then, the people around here started fishing less and less, most of them shifted to tin mining,” said Batman (83), a local figure and descendant of Sekak Sea Tribe who lives in in Baskara Bakti Village, Central Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands.
The tin mining industry has brought drastic changes to the lives of one of the oldest tribe in Bangka Belitung Islands. Their close ties with the sea was suddenly broken when tin mining started sounding more profitable than fishing.
These days, Sekak Tribe and their descendants have no other choice than joining the tin mining industry to make ends meet, because the sea, a mere two miles from the seashore, has been affected by the tin mining activities.
“There are only two fishermen left, because our boats can’t head further down to the sea,” said Batman, who still attempts to maintain Sekak Sea Tribe identity by keeping the spoken literature tradition alive.
In the past, Sekak Tribe has built a strong tie with the sea. One of its manifestations is the tradition of Taber Laot as a form of hope, prayer and gratitude for the things they receive from the sea.
“But, the people’s belief and spiritual tie with the sea has started to fade. As a result, the spirit of the wind, the waves, and earth are angry, there are less and less fish, the weather is fluctuating, and the storm comes more frequently,” said Batman.
Looking ahead. Batman hopes that the Sekak Tribe’s relationship with the sea could get better. But seeing the current situation of the Sekak Tribe and the sea today, his hope almost becomes the symbol of their inability, also ours, to care for the environment, especially the sea.