Waigeo is an island in the Southwest Papua province of eastern Indonesia. The island is also known as Amberi or Waigiu. It is the largest of the four main islands in the Raja Ampat Islands archipelago, between Halmahera and New Guinea, and about 65 kilometres (40 miles) from the northwest coast of the latter. The Dampier Strait (a.k.a. Augusta's Strait) separates it from Batanta, and the Bougainville Strait (not to be confused with the similarly-named Bougainville Strait in the Solomon Islands) from the Kawe islands (Kawe, Wayag and Sayang) to its northwest. The "inner sea" that nearly cleaves the island in two is Mayalibit Bay (Teluk Mayalibit), also known as the Majoli Gulf.[1][2]
Native name: Pulau Waigeo | |
|---|---|
.svg)  Waigeo Location in Raja Ampat Islands  Waigeo Location in Papua | |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 0°12′S 130°50′E / 0.200°S 130.833°E |
| Archipelago | Raja Ampat Islands |
| Area | 3,155 km2 (1,218 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 958 m (3143 ft) |
| Highest point | Buffalo Horn |
| Administration | |
Indonesia | |
| Province | Southwest Papua |
The land area of the island is 3,155 square kilometres (1,218 square miles), although with the many hundreds of outlying islands ond islets the total becomes 3,514.85 square kilometres (1,357.09 square miles); the highest elevations are the 958-metre-high (3,143-foot) Buffalo Horn (Gunung Nok) and 939-metre-high (3,081-foot) Serodjil.[3] From west to east, the island measures approximately 110 km (68 mi), north–south about 50 kilometres (31 miles).
The town of Waisai in the south of the island is the capital of the Raja Ampat Regency, and holds more than half of the population of the island.
History
editWaigeo was physically connected to Gam and Batanta during most of the Pleistocene period, forming an island called Waitanta.[4] Waitanta was first inhabited by humans over 50,000 years ago and excavations at Mololo Cave indicate people were making tree resin artefacts and hunting native animals.[5] The first pottery-making communities were present around Waigeo about 3500–3000 years ago and may have brought Austronesian languages to the area.[6]
Jorge de Menezes, a Portuguese explorer, may have landed on Waigeo Island in 1526–27.[7]
Islam first arrived in the Raja Ampat archipelago in the 15th century due to political and economic contacts with the Bacan Sultanate, coinciding with Biak migrations to the region.[8] During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Sultanate of Tidore had close economic and familial ties with the island as Gurabesi, the Biak ruler of the island married Tidore Sultan's daughter. His descendant then migrated out of Mayalibit Bay, becoming the Ma'ya kings of the other Raja Ampat Islands.[8][9] During this period, Islam became firmly established, as local chiefs began adopting Islam.[9]
Alfred Russel Wallace spent some time on the island and studied the flora and fauna during the late 1850s while on his scientific exploration trip.
Since 1997, the island has been the site of a substantial pearl farming operation owned by the Australian company Atlas Pacific.[citation needed]
Administrative districts
editThe island is surrounded by numerous smaller islands and islets, of which the largest are Pulau Gaman to the south, Pulau Gag and Pulau Munsung to the west (in West Waigeo Islands District), and Pulau Kawe, Pulau Wayag and Pulau Sayang forming a chain to the northwest (in West Waigeo District). Altogether there are 165 islands included in West Waigeo District, 21 in West Waigeo Islands District, 157 in South Waigeo District and 22 in East Waigeo District. The Ayau Islands to the north of Waigeo add amother 32 named islands. Including these, the area and 2025 populations of the districts comprising northern Raja Ampat is as follows:
| Kode Kemendagri | Name of District (distrik) | Land area in km2 | Pop'n Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n Estimate mid 2025 | Admin centre | No. of villages | No. of islands | Post code | Villages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92.05.03 | Waigeo Selatan (South Waigeo) | 240.12 | 1,715 | 2,173 | 2,599 | Saonek | 5 | 197 | 98475 | Friwen, Saonek, Saporkren, Wawiyai, Yenbeser |
| 92.05.09 | Teluk Mayalibit (Mayalibit Bay) | 621.93 | 846 | 1,297 | 1,604 | Yenanas | 4 | 34 | 98473 | Kalitoko, Lopintol, Mumes, Warsamdin |
| 92.05.11 | Meos Mansar | 218.87 | 1,625 | 2,221 | 2,769 | Yinbekwan | 9 | 98472 | Arborek, Kabuy, Kapisawar, Kurkapa, Sawandarek, Sawinggrai, Yenbekwan, Yenbuba, Yenwaupnor | |
| 92.05.18 | Kota Waisai (Waisai Town) | 121.87 | 6,976 | 21,797 | 23,798 | Waisai | 4 | 98471 | Bonwakir, Sapordanco, Waisai, Warmasen (all kelurahan) | |
| 92.05.19 | Tiplol Mayalibit | 200.51 | 930 | 1,171 | 1,356 | Go | 6 | 98474 | Arway, Beo, Go, Kabilol, Waifoi, Warimak | |
| 92.05.07 | Waigeo Barat (West Waigeo) | 763.64 | 1,409 | 1,786 | 2,123 | Waisilip | 5 | 327 | 98464 | Bianci, Mutus, Saleo, Selpele, Waisilip |
| 92.05.15 | Waigeo Barat Kepulauan (West Waigeo Islands) | 103.30 | 2,084 | 2,768 | 3,216 | Manyaifun | 6 | 22 | 98465 | Gag, Manyaifun, Meosmanggara, Pam, Saukabu, Saupapir |
| 92.05.02 | Waigeo Utara (North Waigeo) | 149.57 | 1,477 | 1,800 | 2,300 | Kabare | 6 | 98466 | Andey, Asukweri, Bonsayor, Darumbab, Kabare, Kalisade | |
| 92.05.14 | Warwarbomi | 297.33 | 1,045 | 1,389 | 1,538 | Warwanai | 4 | 98467 | Boni, Mnier, Warkori, Warmanai | |
| 92.05.23 | Supnin | 223.82 | 908 | 1,117 | 1,283 | Rauki | 4 | 98463 | Duber, Kapadiri, Rauki, Urai | |
| 92.05.05 | Kepulauan Ayau (a) (Ayau Islands) | 12.66 | 1,230 | 1,092 | 1,468 | Abidon | 5 | 98462 | Boiseran, Dorehkar, Runi, Yenkanfan, Yenkawir | |
| 92.05.24 | Ayau (a) | 5.83 | 989 | 1,103 | 1,552 | Dorehkar | 4 | 45 | 98461 | Abidon, Meosbekwan, Reni, Rutum |
| 92.05.08 | Waigeo Timur (East Waigeo) | 555.40 | 1,386 | 1,609 | 1,987 | Urbinasopen | 4 | 27 | 98476 | Puper, Urbinasopen, Yenbekaki, Yensner |
| Total Raja Ampat Utara | 3,514.85 | 22,620 | 41,323 | 47,593 | 63 | 652 |
Note: (a) the Ayau Islands (including Ayau District) lie some distance to the north of Waigeo.
Since 2010, the new Waisai district has been created from part of Waigeo Selatan District, the new Tiplol Mayalibit District has been created from part of Teluk Mayalibit District, the new Supnin District has been created from part of Waigeo Utara District, and the new Ayau District has been created from part of Kepulauan Ayau District.
Languages
editFauna and flora
edit- Waigeo brushturkey (Aepypodius bruijnii)
- Waigeou cuscus (Spilocuscus papuensis)
- Waigeo rainbowfish (Melanotaenia catherinae)
- Waigeo seaperch (Psammoperca waigiensis)
- Wilson's bird-of-paradise (Diphyllodes respublica)
- Golden-spotted tree monitor (Varanus boehmei)
- Achaea simplex
- Hypochlorosis ancharia
- Hypolycaena phorbas
- Karstarma waigeo
- Nepenthes danseri
Villages
editProtected Areas
editReferences
edit
- ↑ Straelen, Victor Émile van (1930). ... Résultats scientifiques du voyage aux Indes Orientales Néerlandaises de LL AA RR le prince et la princesse Léopold de Belgique (in French). Musée royale d'histoire naturelle de Belgique.
- ↑ "Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority". Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Raja Ampat. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
- ↑ Pub164, 2004 Sailing Directions (Enroute): New Guinea
- ↑ Gaffney, Dylan; Tanudirjo, Daud A.; Djami, Erlin Novita Idje; Mas'ud, Zubair; Macap, Abdul Razak; Russell, Tristan; Dailom, Moses; Ray, Yulio; Higham, Thomas; Bradshaw, Fiona; Petchey, Fiona; Florin, S. Anna; Roberts, Patrick; Lucas, Mary; Tromp, Monica (2024-08-13). "Human dispersal and plant processing in the Pacific 55 000–50 000 years ago". Antiquity. 98 (400): 885–904. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.83. hdl:11568/1264968. ISSN 0003-598X.
- ↑ Tanudirjo, Daud Aris; Gaffney, Dylan (2024-08-12). "New evidence from West Papua offers fresh clues about how and when humans first moved into the Pacific". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-09-03.
- ↑ Gaffney, Dylan; Tanudirjo, Daud (2024). "Late Holocene potting traditions in the far western Pacific: Evidence from the Raja Ampat Islands, 3500–1000 BP" (PDF). Terra Australis. 57: 359–390 – via ANU Press.
- ↑ Gaffney, Dylan; Tanudirjo, Daud; Arnold, Laura; Gaman, Wolter; Russell, Tristan; Djami, Erlin; Macap, Abdul (2024-05-23). "Five Centuries of Settlement Dynamics and Mobility in the Northern Raja Ampat Islands of West Papua". The Journal of Pacific History. 59 (4): 427–467. doi:10.1080/00223344.2024.2328015. ISSN 0022-3344.
- 1 2 Wanggai, Toni V. M. (2008). Rekonstruki sejarah umat Islam di tanna Papua [Reconstruction of the History of lslam in Papua]. Syariff Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2022-03-13.
- 1 2 Slama, Martin (2015), "Papua as an Islamic Frontier: Preaching in 'the Jungle' and the Multiplicity of Spatio-Temporal Hierarchisations", From 'Stone-Age' to 'Real-Time': Exploring Papuan Temporalities, Mobilities and Religiosities, ANU Press, pp. 243–270, ISBN 978-1-925022-43-8
- ↑ Remijsen, Bert, 2001. Word Prosodic systems of the Raja Ampat languages. Utrecht: LOT Publications.
- ↑ Arnold, Laura Melissa (2018). Grammar of Ambel, an Austronesian language of Raja Ampat, west New Guinea (PhD). University of Edinburgh. hdl:1842/31120.
- ↑ "Protected Planet | Waigeo Barat Timur". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
- ↑ "Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority". Kawasan Konservasi Perairan di Raja Ampat. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
