West Papuan Research Articles

Anxieties about a Porous Border: Australian Government Responses to Melanesian ‘Boat People’

Starting in 1969, small groups of West Papuans have occasionally crossed the Torres Strait to Australia and sought its protection. In public discourse, these arrivals have figured as part of a narrative about Australia’s relationship with Indonesia. By contrast, in the public discourse about border control, which focuses on attempted travel across the Indian Ocean and distinct ‘waves’, they have been treated as a footnote, at most. In this article, we closely examine the Australian government’s response to West Papuan ‘boat people’ over time to demonstrate that, unlike in public discourse, border control considerations have loomed large in the government’s response. We argue that, in order to understand Australia’s approach to border control, we should see West Papuan asylum seekers in the context of border control policy and not only as a problem in Australia’s relationship with Indonesia.

Hunger as more‐than‐human communicative modality on the West Papuan oil palm frontier

Hunger as more‐than‐human communicative modality on the West Papuan oil palm frontier

OBITUARY: Arnold Clemens Ap: His West Papuan legacy lives on

Arnold Clemens Ap was born on 1 July 1946 on Numfor Island in Biak, at the time, part of the Dutch colony of Netherlands New Guinea. After schooling at church missions in Biak, he studied geography at the Teacher Training School of Cenderawasih University in Abepura, Jayapura, between 1967 and 1973. That year, he was appointed as the curator of the university’s museum, known as Loka Budaya, which became a centre for West Papuan cultural revival. His work to collect and perform songs in Papuan languages played a vital role in the development of a West Papuan national identity, transcending colonial boundaries and inter-tribal conflicts. He was murdered by Indonesian special forces in 1984. This year, 26 April 2024, marked the 40th anniversary of the death of this charismatic cultural leader. For West Papuans, in exile and at home, it has been an important time for commemoration.

Examining The Achievement Motivation Of Papuan And West Papuan Students At Universitas Negeri Semarang

Students of the Papua Province and West Papua Province through the Affirmation, ADik, and 3T scholarship programs are allowed to continue their education in higher education. Semarang State University (Unnes) is one of the universities that accepts students from the Papua and West Papua Adik programs. This research aims to know the achievement motivation of active Papuan and West Papuan students at Unnes and the learning strategies they apply to increase achievement motivation. The research method used in this study is qualitative, with observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of this study are: 1). The academic motivation of Papuan and West Papuan students in completing their education at Unnes is quite good, it can be seen from their characteristics, namely daring to take moderate risks (middle way) and success is carefully calculated. 2) The learning strategies that Papuan and West Papuan students apply in completing lectures and academic problems are pretty good, where they choose the most appropriate strategy to master the learning material.

The Role of Fear and Memory in West Papua's Ethnonationalist Conflict

In the West Papua conflict, fear fuels both Papuan ethnonationalist and Indonesian nationalist sentiment. We argue that this reciprocal fear and memoria passionis plays a significant role in fuelling political violence. On the one hand, it provokes Papuan activists to respond violently to Indonesian military operations. Fear of losing future generations of indigenous Papuans has strengthened their identity as Papuans and encouraged them to join armed movements against Indonesia. On the other hand, fear of West Papuan independence leads the Indonesian military and police to conduct operations against members of the Free Papua Movement and affiliated groups and other activists not in the independence movement. This results in a "reciprocal fear-fuelled nationalism," whereby Indonesian security forces and Papuan separatist activists are drawn into increasing conflict. In this context, fear becomes institutionalized and socially constructed. By understanding the unending violent conflict in Tanah Papua as related to the transfer of emotions across generations, it becomes clear a military operations approach will not be effective in the long term. Non-violent approaches, especially dialogue with separatist groups, will be more effective in breaking the chain of violent memories, resulting in more positive outcomes for conflict resolution in Papua. Learning from negotiations between the government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement in 2005, we support the proposition that dialogue is the best entry point by which to end this prolonged separatist armed conflict.

Pengelolaan Program Pendidikan Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Insan Cendekia

This research aims to describe the educational management of MAN IC Sorong as a superior madrasa that the supporting community can be proud of, with the hope that the results can be used as input in improving the quality of its management towards equality with the quality of the previous MAN IC. The result is that MAN IC Sorong needs a breakthrough to achieve the five advantages that were the main targets of its establishment. Efforts are needed to achieve this, through increasing commitment to developing curriculum and learning towards quality standards above national education standards, emphasizing the choice of local excellence typical of MAN IC Sorong, improving information and communication technology-based learning management, showing more of a spirit of excellence in daily activities such as which is ordered by MAN IC's vision, maximizing the use of available learning facilities, improving dormitory management to be more professional, and improving the daily process of mastering English and Arabic in the madrasah community. That is why strengthening management, especially in the aspect of developing collaborative networks with various related parties, is a priority for improvement as well as ensuring that native West Papuan students receive special quota allocations as an answer to the doubts of the local community and government in supporting the existence of superior Madrasahs in the Papua region.

Pengelolaan Program Pendidikan Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Insan Cendekia

This research aims to describe the educational management of MAN IC Sorong as a superior madrasa that the supporting community can be proud of, with the hope that the results can be used as input in improving the quality of its management towards equality with the quality of the previous MAN IC. The result is that MAN IC Sorong needs a breakthrough to achieve the five advantages that were the main targets of its establishment. Efforts are needed to achieve this, through increasing commitment to developing curriculum and learning towards quality standards above national education standards, emphasizing the choice of local excellence typical of MAN IC Sorong, improving information and communication technology-based learning management, showing more of a spirit of excellence in daily activities such as which is ordered by MAN IC's vision, maximizing the use of available learning facilities, improving dormitory management to be more professional, and improving the daily process of mastering English and Arabic in the madrasah community. That is why strengthening management, especially in the aspect of developing collaborative networks with various related parties, is a priority for improvement as well as ensuring that native West Papuan students receive special quota allocations as an answer to the doubts of the local community and government in supporting the existence of superior Madrasahs in the Papua region.

Papuan Voices: An Initiative for Decolonized Filmmaking to Document Indigenous People’s Lived Experiences in West Papua

Abstract Film making provides a tool for Indigenous peoples of West Papua to tell a story, consolidate community collective memory (solidarity), support human rights advocacy and assist trauma healing. Moreover, films raise critical awareness among Indigenous Papuans in relation to the outside world. Film making allows Indigenous voices to be seen and heard by others beyond West Papua. So, film is an important media tool with the potential to enable vulnerable Indigenous communities to produce knowledge, and tell stories about life and culture from their own perspectives. It also supports Indigenous West Papuan communities to document human rights abuses and to advocate for their human rights in the international arena. Film making therefore provides an important medium to expose the oppressive realities of Indigenous peoples’ lives in in West Papua, so often distorted by the propaganda of the occupying Indonesian military. This article explains the context of film making in West Papua. Next it shares some personal experiences of film making in West Papua before sharing three approaches adopted by Indigenous West Papuan filmmakers. These film making approaches empower Indigenous communities to tell their own stories and support their own decolonization goals.

Strengthening Indigenous parents’ co-leadership through culturally responsive home-school partnerships: a practical implementation framework

ABSTRACT The momentum of the decolonising education movement has led many scholars to rethink the ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous peoples and generate catalysts for change. Using the decolonisation lens, the aim of this phenomenological study was to investigate the barriers, outcomes, and enablers of effective collaboration between West Papuan parents and teachers. Results suggested that although they encountered many obstacles, both groups of participants still believed in the possibility of establishing sustainable, culturally responsive home-school partnerships. In addition, when teachers embraced West Papuan culture in home-school partnerships, it increased their professional skills, parents’ agency, and self-efficacy, which in turn, enhanced children’s learning outcomes and strengthened children’s Indigenous identity. We offer a culturally responsive home-school partnership framework, developed from the bottom-up narratives of teachers and parents. The framework centres on three key strategies: culturally responsive communication, decolonising pedagogical practices, and emancipatory support.

Shifting the belief of the “hard-to-reach parents” to “reachable parents”: Parent-teacher collaboration within schools in a post-colonial country

Interacting with Indigenous parents effectively can be a challenge for primary school teachers, regardless of their teaching experience. Unfortunately, within schools in post-colonial countries, teachers often perceive that this challenge exists because Indigenous parents are hard-to-reach or unresponsive to their children’s educational needs. With the intention of dismantling these destructive colonial views towards Indigenous groups, this phenomenological study explored how 22 Indigenous West Papuan parents perceived their roles in their children’s education and how these parents and 8 teachers discursively established their own versions of parent-teacher collaboration. Parents in this study believed that their role is critical for their children’s educational success. Two types of parent-teacher collaboration were identified: transactional and culturally responsive. Although both parents and teachers understood the importance of their collaboration, this did not necessarily result in effective collaboration. Some parents reported that their collaboration with teachers was hindered by teachers’ lack of understanding of the impact of discriminatory treatment, colonisation, and erosion of Indigenous culture on their communities and the implications of teachers’ attitudes towards pedagogical practices. Further implications for practice are also discussed.

‘I want to read this book again!’ decolonizing children’s literature to support indigenous children in reading and mathematics learning

ABSTRACT Although children’s literature is often viewed as a means to achieve educational goals and to strengthen children’s identities, existing or ongoing literature projects devalue Indigenous identity – or, more tragically, systematically obliterate it – to the point that every narrative within postcolonial education systems is inherently harmful to children. This study was intended to decolonise children’s literature to increase children’s reading and mathematics learning. We designed and implemented a decolonised picture storybook as a complementary resource for the third graders with integrating Indigenous West Papuan culture. This collaborative work involved an Indigenous elder and teacher, a homeroom teacher, and an expert. The results of the study showed that students were immersed in the narratives of the books they were reading during reading time. Due to our emphasis on social justice-oriented approaches – familiarizing Indigenous students’ experience in this book, students began sharing analytical, intertextual, personal, transparent, and performative responses. They expressed their genuine excitement by saying, ‘I want to read this book again!’ When brain-crossing pathways took place, students gained a more thorough understanding of the mathematical concept (i.e. multiplication). It occurred as they visualized, drew, estimated, and synthesized the narrative symbols in order to make sense of what they read.

Sociocultural Variations of Verb Markers in the West Papuan Language

The problems discussed in this study are based on variations in verb meaning in west Papuan speech, namely Irires and Miyah Language. These two languages are in one area in Tambarauw Regency but have different verbs. For this reason, a study of verb and hyponymy categories is needed in morphology studies to identify variations in verb meaning in Irires and Miyah languages. This research was conducted to find out socio-cultural variations in verb meaning in the West Papuan language, namely Irires and Miyah. The researchers used qualitative, in the Iris and Miyah districts of the Tambarauw Regency. Data collection techniques were carried out by observation, interview, and documentation techniques by participating directly with the Irires and Miyah communities, supported by relevant research references as a complement to information. The instrument was an instrument in the form of a list of questions to record the classification of verb variations in prices and Miyah language. Triangulation methods carry out data analysis techniques by transcribing the results of recording variations in the pronunciation of Irires and Miyah languages which are then represented in good language and understood. The results of the study showed the use of Irires and Miyah eating verbs that resulted in verb structures that have a pronominal persona that has a practical name including {d}, {b}, {a,i,u,e,o}, {g}, {ig}, {m}, {n}, {p}, {t}.
 Keywords: Sociocultural Variation, Papuan Language, Verb Markers

Government loudspeakers: How Indonesian media amplifies the state's narrative towards the Free West Papua movement

In early 2021, the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, Mahfud MD, made a statement that all armed actions in West Papua carried out by individuals or groups with the aim of liberating themselves are ‘acts of terrorism’. This was the moment when the Indonesian government formally labelled the Free West Papua Movement as ‘terrorist suspects’ and ‘terrorist organisations’. Indonesian online media responded by providing extensive coverage of Mahfud MD’s statement and the excesses after this statement. Indonesian online media tend to use the term ‘terrorist’ in their reporting to label ‘separatist’ West Papua movements, those seeking independence or self-determination. The term ‘terrorist’ replaces Armed Criminal Group—Kelompok Kriminal Bersenjata (KKB). This study shows how six Indonesian mass media organisations frame cases of labelling terrorists against West Papuan pro-independence groups. This study, using quantitative framing analysis, examines framing conducted by six national online media which are dominant in Indonesia and have the most audience share: Okezone, Detik, Kompas.com, Tribunnews, CNN Indonesia and Tirto. This study also elaborates the experiences and perceptions of journalists who write on the issue of West Papua, particularly in terms of labelling West Papuan ‘separatist’ groups as ‘terrorists’ by the government and how the media frames West Papua. The findings of this study show that the media tend to only be a ‘loudspeaker’ for the government, use all discourses issued by the government, and even participate in using the term terrorist to replace the KKB.

Blurring Context and One-Sided: Kompas.com in Framing the West Papua Crisis

In September 2021, the conflict between West Papuan separatist groups and the Indonesian National Army (TNI) heated up. Kompas.com, one of Indonesia's media with the most extensive readership, contributes significantly to public understanding and perception of the West Papua crisis. This study aims to examine how Kompas.com frames the West Papua crisis on 7-30 September 2021. Framing analysis examines three important aspects of news framing: crisis frames, thematic and episodic frames, and news sources. The news regarding the West Papua crisis on 7-30 September 2020 was only filled with three frames: conflict, attribution of responsibility, and human interest. Kompas.com has tried to provide space for parties with a moderate position in the conflict, such as the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), Komnas HAM (National Commission on Human Rights), and Kontras (The Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence). However, in general, the news is still very much dominated by news sources from the Indonesian government and the military and not using enough thematic frames. Kompas.com needs to be more comprehensive to report on the crisis in West Papua during the reporting period of 7-30 September 2020. Kompas.com also does not elaborate that the Free Papua movement is plural and fragmentary, with a spectrum of violent movements to peace movements. The conclusion of this study, Kompas.com tends to blur the context of the West Papua crisis, which risks limiting and directing public understanding of the West Papua crisis to exist within the government's frame.

Resisting Without Violence: KNPB and Transnational Advocacy Network Towards West Papua Referendum

After Indonesia’s authoritarianism collapsed in 1998, the fight for independence in West Papua became diversified, focused on physical resistance and strategic international diplomatic steps. The National Committee for West Papua (Komite Nasional Papua Barat or KNPB) is an organisation that tends to use a non-physical and non-violence approach. The approach garners support from the international community as they fight for the right of self-determination for the people of West Papua. KNPB’s international diplomacy has become a sort of strategic shift in the struggle of the West Papuan people, which initially tended to be instrumental, but eventually became wider by adopting a transnational advocacy network. This study uses the theoretical framework of non-violent resistance from Gene Sharp in explaining KNPB’s movement and the transnational advocacy network from Keck and Sikkink to explain KNPB’s international political relations. This research relies on documentation studies and interviews with key figures in the struggle for Referendum and Papuan independence. KNPB has consistently linked its local actions with independence movements and the global struggle for human rights. KNPB often frames its efforts as a part of their struggle to reject violence against the people of West Papua. The non-violent resistance movements and actions carried out by KNPB are indeed directed to gain public attention, especially from the international public. Their approach aims to show the Referendum’s importance and create an international agenda related to Indonesia’s actions in West Papua.

Learning experience of accounting students during the COVID-19 pandemic: West Papuan perspectives of online learning in Indonesia

Purpose This study aims to examine the learning experiences of indigenous West Papuan students studying accounting in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was taken with 25 indigenous accounting students at five universities in the region who shared testimonies of their online learning experiences. The interview data collected were analysed using initial and selective coding and then interpreted under several themes. Findings The paper shows the personal, faculty and external challenges in indigenous students’ learning activities during university closures because of COVID-19. The interrelated challenges included students’ struggles to adapt their learning habits when using various online applications, difficulties in understanding how the faculty managed lectures, tutorials and evaluations without adequate access to learning materials, the lack of a learning infrastructure, issues with equipment, and obtaining internet data credits. Students’ economic struggles and health issues exacerbated these challenges. While enduring various struggles and being frustrated about their future, all students expected a change in offline learning policies by the government to lessen their strict physical distancing. Research limitations/implications The findings can inform the importance of integrating accounting students’ learning challenges and needs into curriculum development. Originality/value This study highlights the learning challenges of indigenous accounting students during the COVID-19 pandemic and how approaches to online learning need to consider the experience of these students.

West Papuan ‘Housewives’ with HIV: Gender, Marriage, and Inequality in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Indonesia defies gendered HIV risk stereotypes, and most women with HIV do not fit any pre-defined risk groups. In Indonesia, HIV predominates in women who identify as ‘housewives’. In the dominant imaginary, housewives are married homemakers, dedicated to children and husband, faithful, and sexually modest. Drawing on ethnographic research and interviews with Indigenous Papuan women in Manokwari, West Papua province, I problematise the category of the housewife and show how gendered structural inequalities contribute to Papuan HIV experiences and risks. The West Papuan frontier economy is racialised, male-dominated, and sexualised. Papuan ‘housewives’ may be left behind while husbands are away working and studying. Rather than experience sympathy and support, Papuan ‘housewives’ with HIV expect stigma and are let down by healthcare services. By including interviews with ‘sex workers’, I show that there are common structural inequalities faced by women, regardless of which moral category they appear to represent. While not commensurate with the rest of Indonesia, structural inequalities in West Papua signal the need for deeper attention to gendered inequalities and structural violence to prevent HIV among women.

Multispecies violence, ontological murk, epistemic resistance: Insights from the West Papuan plantation frontier–A response

The Australian Journal of AnthropologyEarly View BOOK REVIEW Multispecies violence, ontological murk, epistemic resistance: Insights from the West Papuan plantation frontier–A response Sophie Chao, Corresponding Author Sophie Chao [email protected] University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia Correspondence Sophie Chao, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW, Australia. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Sophie Chao, Corresponding Author Sophie Chao [email protected] University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia Correspondence Sophie Chao, University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW, Australia. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 31 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/taja.12468Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue RelatedInformation

A Comparative Study Between The Papua Contextual Textbook (BPKP) and The Government Published

This paper is a study of two mathematical resources in the Indonesian primary education system. It is an empirical study that will compare the two booklets in the West Papua context. This paper will concentrate on 4 aspects of a contextual analysis framework used the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The 4 aspects used in this study are structure, content, expectation and language. In 2013, Wamena Christian Foundation School (WCFS) published the Papua Contextual Textbooks: Buku Paket Kontekstual Papua (BPKP). These textbooks consisted of two subjects Mathematics and Bahasa Indonesia for Grade 1, 2 and 3 at the Primary Schools. This research examines the resource “Buku Paket Kontekstual Papua” (BPKP) which was designed by Wamena Christian Foundation School (WCFS) and the other resource “Matematika Untuk SD/MI Kelas 1” (MTG1_DH) which is the government issues resource designed by Djaelani and Haryono in 2008. The purpose of these textbooks is to uplift the education outcome from Indigenous Papuans in literacy and numeracy. After many good results from testing the Governor of West Papua and The Head of Education and Cultural Department ordered all school to utilise the BPKP textbook for the delivery of maths instruction. This paper will examine the difference later in the paper. What also will be examined is why this was so? The Governor of West Papua and the Head of Education and Cultural Department ordered the usage of BPKP resource without any empirical evidence to support him excepting the testing results. In using the textbook analysis process the research was able to identify significant differences in all areas of the textbook analysis. Through this process, the research will TIMSS definition of what a textbook analysis should consist of TIMSS identify 4 areas that make a good textbook analysis. The structure requires you to incorporate reference, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction and lexical when examining books. Content has 4 factors that define an analysis. These are motivation, comprehension cues, technical aids and philosophical position. Expectation requires empathy and philosophy. Language examines the narration and description aspect of a text. This analytical research paper will highlight the significant difference between the two resources and the effect it has on the West Papuan learners of Mathematics in the Primary School grades of 1, 2 & 3.

Rupert Stasch. Society of Others: Kinship and Mourning in a West Papuan Place .

Rupert Stasch. Society of Others: Kinship and Mourning in a West Papuan Place. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press, 2009. Pp.336. ISBN: 978-0-520-25685-9 (hardback); 978-0-520-25686-6 (paperback).