Southern Papua Research Articles

Exotic ceramics from the Murray Islands, Eastern Torres Strait

The discovery of Lapita-decorated ceramics in the Massim region and southern Papua New Guinea coast, along with finds of pottery on Jiigurru (Lizard Island) in the Great Barrier Reef and in the Torres Strait demonstrates the presence of seaborne movements in the Coral Sea as early as ∼ 2900–2500 cal. BP (Ulm et al. 2024). As an introduced Austronesian technology, ceramics are central to archaeological understandings of early maritime routes and cross-cultural relationships between Island Southeast Asians, Papuan peoples, and Indigenous Australians. In the Torres Strait only a small number of pot sherds have been reported. Those found in the western islands were probably made using local materials, while the ceramics from eastern islands have been sourced to southern Papua New Guinea (Carter 2004). In this paper, petrographic examination of sherd tempers recently recovered from the Eastern Torres Strait islands of Dauar and Waier indicate derivation from the Purari River basin in southern New Guinea. A distinct granitic temper sherd dated to ∼ 2600 cal. BP differs from known sherd tempers and likely originates from the Western Torres Strait. The provenance of this granitic sherd is consistent with the early movement of ceramic-making groups along the south New Guinea coast and into the Torres Strait, and with the ability of these groups to make long-distance passages in the Arafura and Coral Seas.

A new species of lobe-lipped bat (Chalinolobus: Vespertilionidae) from southern Papua New Guinea

The Hoary Bat Chalinolobus nigrogriseus is the only species of the genus known from the island of New Guinea. A new species of Chalinolobus from Papua New Guinea is described based on DNA sequence and morphological criteria using material previously assigned to C. nigrogriseus. The new species most resembles the eastern Australian subspecies of the Hoary Bat C. n. nigrogriseus in general size and appearance but is easily distinguished by an enlarged, rather than rudimentary lobe at the terminal outer ear margin. The new species might also be confused on external characters with smaller individuals of Australian Gould’s Wattle Bat C. gouldii, from which it differs in having bifid first upper incisors and uniform dark dorsal fur. The inclusion of C. nigrogriseus in the bat fauna of New Guinea is now in doubt, pending a re-assessment of the identity of Chalinolobus specimens in world museum collections. Locality records of all Chalinolobus spp. from Papua New Guinea are reviewed. Most localities are below 60 m elevation in coastal savannah and woodlands. The identity of specimens of C. nigrogriseus and C. gouldii from northern Australia should be reviewed to determine whether the new species also occurs in Australia.

Parental socioeconomic status, school physical facilities availability, and students’ academic performance

Education is a key driver in reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity. This study aimed to examine the impact of parental socioeconomic status and the school’s physical facilities availability on academic performance. A quantitative survey research approach was utilized taking the state junior high school students in Southern Papua Province, Indonesia, as the population and samples. Data on parental socioeconomic status and the school’s physical facilities availability were gathered using two quantitative survey questionnaires, while data on student academic performance was obtained by getting the surveyed students’ academic records. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS software version 21. The results revealed a significant positive impact of parental socioeconomic status and the school’s physical facilities availability on academic performance among the state junior high school students in Southern Papua Province, Indonesia, both partially and simultaneously. The result highlights the importance of addressing the disparities in access to quality education between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. This study’s findings may endorse the efforts to eliminate class-based gaps in students’ academic performance in compulsory education. In addition, government policy on the socioeconomic status of parents and school grants should be implemented thoroughly to promote educational equity so that students from low economic backgrounds have equal access to quality education.

Indonesian Primary School Teachers’ Work-Related Stress, Emotional Exhaustion, and Job Performance: A Survey Study in Southern Papua

This study aimed to explore the relationship between work-related stress, emotional exhaustion, and job performance among elementary school teachers working at Catholic schools in Southern Papua, Indonesia. The research employed a quantitative approach and utilized a survey research design. A total of 95 elementary school teachers from Southern Papua participated by completing three survey questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using correlation analysis techniques with SPSS version 21 software. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between teacher work-related stress, emotional exhaustion, and job performance in the elementary schools of Southern Papua, Indonesia. These findings offer valuable insights into the intricate dynamics among work-related stress, emotional exhaustion, and job performance within the surveyed district. The theoretical implications of these findings enrich the current understanding of this subject matter, while also providing practical guidance for educators, policymakers, and educational institutions to formulate focused interventions and cultivate supportive work environments.

Evaluation of Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S) precipitation forecast performance from NMME-2 over Indonesia

Abstract Global Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S) precipitation forecast was known to bridge the gap between weather and seasonal forecast, can be utilized as supporting information for decision-making related to hydrometeorological disaster mitigation activities. However, uncertainty in global models caused forecast performance can be different across regions and time periods. Therefore, it is important to evaluate forecast performance before utilizing the prediction result in any region. In this study, performance of probabilistic precipitation forecast from Multi-model Ensemble (MME) of three models in The North American Multi-Model Ensemble phase 2 (NMME-2) project was evaluated in Indonesia region based on two evaluation metrics: continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) and reliability diagram. The evaluation was conducted during the boreal summer (May–October) and boreal winter (November–April) periods, as well as during the active period of subseasonal climate variability phenomenon Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). Our result shows that S2S precipitation forecast from MME of CFSv2, CanCM4 and GEOS5 models are sufficiently accurate and reliable during the boreal summer period for Central Sumatra, Southern Sumatra, Southern Kalimantan, Java, Southern Sulawesi, and Southern Papua regions, with a range of CRPS values between 4-16 mm/7 days and a ‘perfect’ reliability category. There is no notable distinction in the performance of S2S precipitation forecast between the active and inactive events of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). The difference in CRPS values between these two periods is only around 0.8-1.2 mm/7 days, and there is no difference in reliability categories across Indonesia as a whole, nor significant spatial pattern differences.

Comparative Analysis of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Distribution Scheme using Milk-Run and Hub-Spoke Methods on Small-Scale LNG Carrier in Eastern Indonesia

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) has been seen as a promising alternative in the face of these challenges. However, attention remains focused on the efficiency of LNG distribution, especially in the face of unpredictable demand fluctuations. Currently, with demands for increasing distribution efficiency, Indonesia, one of the largest LNG producers in Southeast Asia, faces a particular challenge in achieving efficiency in meeting domestic energy needs. To address the problem, the Indonesian government has initiated a program to streamline energy infrastructure development, focusing on LNG distribution in Eastern Indonesia. The study will use two distribution schemes, Milk-Run and Hub-Spoke, with different types of ship capacity to calculate operating costs. This study focuses on comparing the effectiveness of the two popular distribution schemes, the Milk-Run and the Hub-Spoke, especially in optimizing LNG distribution in the area. The data in this study was obtained from institutions that openly publish data in a digital system. The findings suggest that the Milk-Run distribution scheme was identified as an optimal solution for LNG delivery to multiple points from a single source for Northern and Southern Papua. The results of this study are expected to provide practical guidance to the parties concerned in their efforts to improve the efficiency of LNG distribution in eastern Indonesia and further study in other regions of Indonesia.

Nature-Based Solution Water Governance from the Indigenous People inthe Coastal Northern and the Southern Papua

The Malind Anim and the Indigenous People in three customary Villages around Youtefa Bay Jayapura (the Enggros People, Tobati People and Nafri People) occupy southern and northern sides Papua respectively. These Indigenous People have their own traditional ecological knowledge as natural based solution to mitigate the impact climate change, to govern water resources and also to provide food security. This aim of this article to identify their culture values as natural based solution in water governance. The combining qualitative and quantitative including systematic literature review, interview and mapping are conducted to cope the result. The Result shows the Malind Anim develop traditional cultivation called wambad complementing with drainage system called kamahib. While the Indigenous People in three customary villages around Youtefa Bay by have their own traditional management resources in mangrove that can maintain the ecosystem and also supporting the policy of blue carbon to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Thus, the Indigenous People already have practiced the natural based solution for intergeneration and their knowledge should be integrated to the policy of government in order to tackle the impacts of climate change and ensure the availability of water resources.

Early Aboriginal pottery production and offshore island occupation on Jiigurru (Lizard Island group), Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Aboriginal manufacture and use of pottery was unknown in Australia prior to European settlement, despite well-known ceramic-making traditions in southern Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, and the western Pacific. The absence of ancient pottery manufacture in mainland Australia has long puzzled researchers given other documented deep time Aboriginal exchange networks across the continent and the close proximity of pottery-bearing Lapita and post-Lapita maritime communities in the western Pacific with ocean-going watercraft and sophisticated navigation abilities. We report the oldest securely dated ceramics found in Australia from archaeological excavations on Jiigurru (Lizard Island Group) on the Great Barrier Reef, northeast Australia. Comprehensive radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling constrains ceramic deposition to between 2950–2545 cal BP and 1970–1815 cal BP. This timing overlaps with late Lapita and post-Lapita ceramic traditions of southern Papua New Guinea. Geological characterisation of the sherds strongly suggests local manufacture as the vessels belong to three temper and clay groups locally sourced to northeast Australia, and most likely to Jiigurru. The oldest occupation layers date to 6510–5790 cal BP, making Jiigurru the earliest offshore island occupied on the northern Great Barrier Reef. The results demonstrate that northeast Australian First Nations communities had sophisticated canoe voyaging technology and open-sea navigational skills and were intimately engaged in ancient maritime networks, connecting them with peoples, knowledges, and technologies across the Coral Sea region.

Analysis of seven populations of cultured redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, using newly developed microsatellite markers

Cherax quadricarinatus, also known as the redclaw crayfish, is native to northern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea and is an important freshwater aquaculture species in many countries. Studying the genetic structure of the current cultured population can improve the breeding plan for redclaw crayfish to better manage the hybridization and germplasm bank and promote their rational utilization; however, microsatellite resources for redclaw crayfish remain insufficient. The purpose of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of different redclaw crayfish populations in China. After screening 18 pairs of microsatellite markers from redclaw crayfish transcriptome data, 240 samples from seven main breeding areas (Changsha, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huzhou, Jiangmen, Wuxi, and Zhanjiang) were evaluated and detected using these microsatellite markers. In total, 97 alleles were detected, of which the minimum number was two and the maximum number was twelve. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.258 to 0.807, with an average of 0.559, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.288 to 0.815, with an average value of 0.558. The polymorphic information content values of seven populations ranged from 0.268 to 0.791, with an average of 0.511. Moreover, pairwise genetic differentiation within the population was between 0.007 and 0.031. The UPGMA clustering results showed that the Zhanjiang population stands alone on a branch, but the genetic variation between branches is very small. Meanwhile, STRUCTURE analysis further revealed that the genetic backgrounds of each population are essentially identical, with no noticeable genetic differentiation arising from geographic differences. These results provide a basic assessment of the genetic diversity of the main cultured populations of redclaw crayfish and a molecular foundation for future genetic monitoring and selective breeding research.

Local harvest of pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in the Kao River, Boven Digoel District, Southern Papua, Indonesia

Abstract. Kusrini MD, Triantoro RGN, Manurung R, Setiawan RA, Kim N. 2024. Local harvest of pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) in the Kao River, Boven Digoel District, Southern Papua, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 522-532. The pig-nosed turtle has been harvested in the Papuan region, including Merauke area in South Papua province, Indonesia. This study aimed to observe the harvesting characteristics of pig-nosed turtles around the Kao River in Boven Digoel district, South Papua. We interviewed harvesters, collectors, and village officials and participated in harvesting during harvest season, coinciding with the nesting season in August to early November 2022. The use of the pig-nosed turtle on the Kao River is primarily for eggs, not for meat. The collected eggs were incubated in an ex-situ hatchery until the juvenile form was sold to the collectors. All egg harvesters are local Papuans, while collectors or buyers are generally of non-Papuan descent. Harvesting is carried out by local people in land-owned nesting habitats as part of their inheritance-based customary rights. At least 23 clans from two tribes in the Kao River have the customary rights to harvest pig-nosed turtle eggs. Since harvesting has been carried out for more than 10 years, there is a need to ensure that harvesting will be sustainable without sacrificing the local communities' economic benefit.

Inside the Treehouse: Ethnographic Musings on an Architectural Research in Korowai, Southern Papua

Inside the Treehouse: Ethnographic Musings on an Architectural Research in Korowai, Southern Papua

Principals’ Managerial Skills in the Elementary Schools of Southern Papua

This study aimed to describe teachers’ perceptions of principals’ managerial skills in the elementary schools of southern Papua, Indonesia. We used a survey research approach to explore the elementary school teachers' perceptions of school principals' managerial skills. To attain the objective, one survey questionnaire was distributed to 1277 respondents, conveniently picked from amongst the elementary school teachers in Southern Papua, Indonesia. All respondents were asked to give their perceptions on a four-point Likert scale by providing a checking mark (√) on each given item that they value to be the most appropriate to describe the situation. The descriptive statistical analysis technique was performed by generating frequency and mean scores to describe teachers’ perceptions of their school principals’ managerial skills. The descriptive statistical analysis revealed that the elementary school principals’ managerial skills were perceived as moderately low by the respondents as the general mean of the data is 2.6924E3 with a standard deviation of 174.34789 and a general mode of 2. Based on the result of descriptive statistical analysis, it is recommended that educational policymakers in Southern Papua to recruit school principal candidates based on the national standard required for a qualified school principal

Outside the Box Leadership pada SMP Negeri Buti, Merauke, Papua: Perspektif Guru

Effective leadership is crucial for guiding schools towards their goals. While traditional leadership traits play a role, this study focuses on identifying the non-traditional qualities that characterize the principal of SMP Negeri Buti, Merauke, a model school in Southern Papua. Utilizing a quantitative survey with all 20 teachers, the research revealed that the principal's willingness to take risks, respect for colleagues, and openness to diverse perspectives are key factors in their success. The data were analyzed statistically by calculating the frequency and percentage of responses on each item of the questionnaire. The result of descriptive statistical analysis indicates that daring to take risks, respect for sub-ordinates, and being open to the diversity of thinking and acting are the main keys to the success of the school principal in bringing SMP Negeri Buti as a ‘model’ for all schools around Southern Papua in general and in Merauke district in particular.

School Principal Leadership, Teachers’ Commitment and Morale in Remote Elementary Schools of Indonesia

This study was intended to explain how principal’s leadership predicts organizational commitment and morale of teachers within the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua, Indonesia. This study was guided by two problem statements as the following: (a) does the principal’s leadership significantly positively predicts the organizational commitment of teachers within the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua, Indonesia? and (b) does the principal’s leadership significantly positively predicts the morale of teachers within the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua, Indonesia? Three surveys using a four-point Likert scale were administered to 376 teachers, conveniently induced from amongst the remote elementary school teachers of Southern Papua. Using the SPSS as the tool of data analysis, this study showed that the organizational commitment and morale within the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua, Indonesia, were significantly positively predicted by the principal’s leadership. The result of this study would be advisable for the government of Southern Papua, Indonesia, to create different programs of providing principals with the suitable knowledge and skills to effectively promote teachers teaching commitment and morale. Well-educated and trained school principals will be able to inspire all the school elements to continuously improve the learning of all.

IDENTIFICATION OF MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX (MCCS) AT SOUTHERN PAPUA FOR THE PERIOD OF DECEMBER 2017 – NOVEMBER 2022

One factor contributing to rainfall in a certain region is the presence of convective cloud growth. Extensive convective clouds can trigger extreme weather conditions and the occurrence of Mesoscale Convective Complex (MCC) phenomena. MCCs phenomena are characterized by circular cloud cover with eccentricity ≥ 0.7, core cloud area ≥ 50,000 km², cloud cover area ≥ 100,000 km², and cloud top temperature ≤ -52 °C or 221 K. This study aims to identify the spatial and diurnal of MCC in the Southern Papua and for the period of December 2017 to November 2022, as well as to assess its impacts on rainfall during MCC events. Satellite data from Himawari-8 in IR channel was used to analyze MCCs criteria, which were then plotted using a geographic visualization software. Rainfall data in GSMaP was processed using GrADS to display rainfall values. The data processing procedure is carried out using an algorithm based on the study conducted by Maddox. The results of the spatial distribution analysis showed that there were 20 MCC events that occurred during the 5-year period, with dominant growth in inland areas near mountainous and high-topography regions. Seasonally, MCC events predominantly occurred during the MAM period and were least frequent in the JJA period. The diurnal distribution revealed that MCC events had a nocturnal life cycle, forming during the nighttime until early morning. Analysis of the GSMaP rainfall data indicated that the dominant rainfall intensity caused by MCC events was heavy rain (20 – 50 mm/hr).

Recent Active Fires in Indonesia’s Southern Papua Province Caused by El Niño Conditions

This study was conducted to identify the fire weather conditions needed to assess future peatland fires under climate change. Recent peatland fires in Indonesia have resulted in globally significant environmental impacts. Nevertheless, diurnal fire weather in the peatlands has not been clarified. The objective of this study was to determine the fire weather conditions needed to assess future peatland fires under climate change. An analysis of fire weather using diurnal weather data during the most active fire period in 2015 showed a strong wind speed of 35.7 km h−1 at 3 p.m. that continued to blow for about two weeks, suggesting that peatland fires in 2015 became very active under these very strong wind conditions. The temperature increase rate (ΔT), the RH decrease rate (ΔRH), and the wind speed increase rate (ΔWS) during morning hours from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. were 2.3 °C h−1, −10.3% h−1, and 5.2 (km h−1) h−1 respectively. These weather parameters will be used to predict occurrences of active fires. The results of this report may help to predict fire activity under high temperatures in the future based on predictions of global warming made by other researchers. The rapid air temperature increase rate from morning will be useful for fire forecast in Papua.

Four species in one: taxonomic revision of the Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) complex (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) from Australia and New Guinea

AbstractTaxonomic investigations of the Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) complex from north‐eastern Australia and mainland New Guinea based on adult morphology (male genitalia and wing colour pattern elements), together with a phylogenetic hypothesis of the genus (18 or 69% of the recognised species) based on molecular data (1 mitochondrial and 12 nuclear genes), and examination of type material, indicate that there are five species within this monophyletic lineage, here referred to as the E. helenita species‐group. Four of the species, previously classified under the name Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) sensu lato and characterised by iridescent turquoise dorsal colouration in the male, are predominantly allopatric, as follows: Eirmocides callainus Braby & Müller, sp. nov., is endemic to the Wet Tropics biome of north‐eastern Queensland; Eirmocides helenita (Semper, 1879) sensu stricto is restricted to Cape York Peninsula of northern Queensland; Eirmocides rouku Braby & Müller, sp. nov., is endemic to the Western Province of southern Papua New Guinea; and Eirmocides dimorphus (Röber, 1886), stat. rev., occurs more widely throughout mainland New Guinea and its adjacent islands. The fifth member of the group, Eirmocides cupreus (Röber, 1886), is sympatric with E. dimorphus on mainland New Guinea. The taxonomic revision brings to 26 the total number of species recognised in Eirmocides and within the tribe Candalidini to 40 species. Lectotypes are designated for Plebeius dimorphus Röber, 1886, Plebeius dimorphus var. cupreus Röber, 1886, and Holochila subargentea Grose‐Smith & Kirby, 1896.

The Pahoturi River language family, with special reference to its verbal puzzles

Abstract This profile of the Pahoturi River language family of southern Papua New Guinea draws from extensive fieldwork on Idi [ISO 639-3: idi] and Ende [kit] – two of six varieties comprising this family – and brief surveying of the other four, which we illustrate in print for the first time. We present the first typological treatment of Pahoturi River in pursuit of shining more light on this understudied corner of the linguistic landscape. This profile is organized into two parts: first, we present sections on the basic structures and systems of Pahoturi River, illustrated with examples from across the family and supplemented with descriptions of Idi and Ende as relevant. From our preliminary data on the four other varieties, we gather that they are similar to Idi and Ende in many respects, but more investigation is warranted. Second, we provide an in-depth treatment of the verbal complex of Idi and Ende. We highlight two intriguing aspects of these complex systems – analytic constructions and ditransitive indexing – that distinguish the Pahoturi River family and the linguistic region of southern New Guinea.

NURSING BEHAVIOUR AND PREVENTING COVID 19 TRANSMISSION: A CASE STUDY IN MERAUKE HOSPITAL PAPUA

The Merauke hospital became a reference during the COVID-19 era for people living in Southern Papua - Merauke, Mappi, and Boven Digoel regencies. Thus, hospitals must prepare the nursing care staff in terms of cognition, psychomotor, and behavior in managing COVID-19. This research reviewed the nursing care behavior in preventing COVID-19 transmission at the Regional Hospital of Merauke. This cross-sectional study approach applied a total sampling technique, resulting in 60 nurses. The researchers distributed a questionnaire to collect cognitive, psychomotor, and behavioral data. From the findings, the researchers found 31 respondents, 51%, with very excellent behavior. Of those numbers, 22 respondents or 36.7% had excellent prevention while 9 respondents, or 15% had excellent prevention. From the total of 28 respondents, 46.7% had average behavior while sixteen respondents, or 26.7% had very excellent prevention. Respondents with excellent prevention consisted of 9 respondents, 15%. Respondents with average prevention consisted of 3 respondents, 5%. Then, respondents with low behavior and average prevention consisted of a respondent, 1.7%. The Chi-square obtained a p-value of 0.002, lower than 0.05. Conclusion: From the result, the researchers found the nursing behavior and COVID-19 and COVID-19 infection at Merauke Regional Hospital. The results also suggest managerial evaluation and supervision keep and improve the preventive behavior on COVID-19 transmission.

Working Conditions of Indonesian Remote Elementary School Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study in Southern Papua

The quality of the teaching-learning process is determined not only by the qualifications and competence of teachers, but also by the school conditions in which they work. Teachers are clear about the working conditions that they need for them to be successful with students. A better working condition improves mood and concentration and provides an excellent working approach for teachers. This case study was intended to learn what working conditions teachers note as challenging while teaching in the remote elementary schools of Southern Papua. Seventeen teachers were willing to be interviewed to assist in answering the main inquiry question: “What are the most concerning aspects of working conditions that the remote elementary school teachers in Southern Papua have to deal with?” The study found four aspects of working conditions facing the remote elementary school teachers of Southern Papua, Indonesia, as the following: (a) school physical facilities and resources, (b) school principal, (c) salary and allowance, and (d) parents’ support and involvement. From the results, we recommend the need for the regional government of Southern Papua, Indonesia, to create and maintain good conditions for teachers to remain teaching the youth of nations in a quality manner.