Negeri Haruku

Haruku is a small island in Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province. It is located between Ambon Island and Saparua. Historically, 11 villages in Haruku are grouped into two uli or alliances based on customs. First, Uli Hatuhaha, which is an alliance of five villages known as Amarima Hatuhaha or Amarima Lounusa. The five villages are Pelauw, Kailolo, Rohomoni, Hulaliu, and Ori. All are located to the north of Haruku Island. Second, Uli Buang Besi, which is an alliance of six Sarani villages, or villages whose inhabitants are Christian, namely Sameth, Haruku, Wassu, Oma, Aboru, and Kairu. It is located to the south of the island, except for Kairu. Previously, Kairu was located in the south (Aboru and Awassu forests), but due to resettlement, they were relocated. The village of Haruku is a coastal area and small islands. This condition influences the adaptation patterns of some communities to work as farmers and fishermen. During the fishing season (when the waves are not high), the community seeks fish in the sea. While during the high wave season, the community farms in gardens and rice fields. Some other community members are entrepreneurs, sea transport business owners, carpenters, tailors, home industry workers, and civil servants (teachers).

The people of Haruku have local wisdom passed down through generations to protect their sea, known as Sasi Lompa—a traditional ceremony held to summon lompa fish from the sea (coral) to the river. The practice of Sasi Lompa is related to the management of lompa fish—as a fish that is respected in Haruku. The Learisa Kayeli River becomes the habitat for lompa fish during the day and at night this fish goes to the open sea to seek plankton as food. This ceremony is conducted to open the sasi lompa led by a head of kewang. The practice of Sasi is estimated to have been carried out since the 1600s. Sasi is a customary regulation in the form of a prohibition on taking certain natural resources within a time frame determined by the head of Kewang. This is done as an effort for preservation, maintaining quality, and the population of biological resources. Sasi also regulates the relationship between humans and nature and among humans. These regulations are essentially efforts to maintain social etiquette, including efforts towards equitable distribution or income from the results of surrounding natural resources to all local residents. The sasi regulations are established in a decision of the customary council (Saniri; in Haruku called saniri’a lo’osi aman haru-ukui or the plenary session of the Haruku Customary Council). The results of the decision are delegated to the kewang institution consisting of Land Kewang and Sea Kewang. There are four types of sasi, known as sea sasi, river sasi, forest sasi, and village sasi.

In managing natural resources and their surroundings, Haruku has a customary governance structure based on kinship ties within the Petuanan territorial unit. In Petuanan, there are boundaries of customary areas (land, forests, or seas) that are collectively owned in a village. The kinship relationships are divided into several soa, which are groups of large clans or families that consist of several mata-rumah (extended families) with the same surname. The customary governance structure in Haruku forms the basis for the communal division of functions and roles.

According to the source of the Long Path of the Community for Conservation and Living Space. Some terms within it can be seen in the structure of the indigenous community of Haruku.

• Latu Pati is the Council of Kings of Haruku Island, a customary council among the kings throughout Haruku Island. It plays a role in holding meetings when disputes arise between villages regarding land boundaries or other matters deemed very important. However, the kings must not impose their will on each other and must make decisions based on the principle of togetherness and peacefully.
• The king is the head of the village government (the leader of the indigenous community). He is responsible for running the village government, leading meetings with customary leaders and the community, conducting village government sessions, and preparing village development programs.
• Saniri Besar is the customary deliberation institution of the village. This institution consists of village government staff, customary elders, and community leaders. It plays a role in holding customary meetings or sessions.
• Kewang is a customary institution given the authority as the manager of natural resources and the community's economy, as well as overseeing the implementation of customary rules. This institution is tasked with conducting customary sessions once a week (Friday night), regulating the economic life of the community, ensuring the implementation of sasi regulations, imposing sanctions on those who violate sasi regulations, reviewing land boundaries with neighboring villages or states, and protecting all natural resources, both in the sea, rivers, and forests before the sasi opening time, and reporting unresolved matters in the customary session (kewang) to the king and requesting them to be addressed in the Saniri Besar Session.
• Saniri Negeri is the Customary Deliberation Body at the village level consisting of representatives from each soa sitting in the village government. Its main task is to assist in preparing and implementing the village government work program, attending village government sessions, and assisting the Head of Soa in carrying out the assigned village work.
• Kapitang is the War Commander of the Village. His duty is to strategize and lead the war when there is a conflict.
• Tuan Tanah is the authority regulating the rights to the village's customary land. He is responsible for managing and resolving issues with neighboring villages concerning land boundaries and customary land disputes that arise within the community.
• Kepala Soa is the leader of each soa elected by each soa to sit in the village government staff. He assists in carrying out village government duties when the king is not present, leads the village work carried out by the soa, represents the soa in the village government body; and handles customary marriage and death ceremonies.
• Soa is a group of several surnames. In Haruku, there are several soa divided into five. They are soa raja, soa suneth, soa moni, soa lesirohi, and soa rumalesi. The task of this group of surnames is to carry out village work when there is a command from the king through the head of each soa, assisting in handling and preparing all family needs of soa members in marriage and death ceremonies.
• Marinyo is the messenger or assistant to the king. His duty is to convey news and commands through tabaos (reading of announcements) throughout the village to the community members.

The local practice carried out through generations by the Haruku community is Sasi Lompa. The seeds or fry (nener) of lompa fish begin to appear in groups along the coast of Haruku between April and May. At that time, Sasi Lompa is declared to begin or known as the closing of sasi. Usually, at the age of one to two months after first appearing, groups of young lompa fish begin to seek estuaries to enter the rivers. Kewang as the executor of sasi erects sasi markers in the form of wooden stakes wrapped with young coconut leaves (janur). This serves as a marker that all sasi regulations for lompa fish have begun to be enforced. This means that lompa fish within the sasi area cannot be caught or disturbed by any means, even motorboats are not allowed to enter, and washing or dumping waste in the river is prohibited. Lompa fish can only be caught with hooks.

Residents who violate this regulation will be subject to sanctions or penalties according to sasi regulations, in the form of fines. Children who commit violations will be punished by being whipped with a rattan five times, indicating that the child must bear the burden of the mandate from the five soa (large clans) in Haruku. When the sasi period begins (closing of sasi), there is a ceremony called panas sasi. This ceremony is held three times a year, starting from when the fry of lompa fish begin to appear. The panas sasi ceremony is usually held at night around 8:00 PM. The event begins when all members of kewang have gathered at the balileo kewang or the house of the head of kewang, bringing dry coconut leaves (lobe) to make a bonfire. After a communal prayer, the main fire is lit and the kewang group proceeds to the center of sasi (Batu Kewang) carrying the main fire.

At Batu Kewang, the head of kewang lights a bonfire, accompanied by the beating of drums (tifa) indicating the presence of five soa in Haruku. When the rhythm of the tifa fades, the members of kewang respond with the shout “sirewei!” (a cry of determination, promise, oath). Afterwards, the head of kewang delivers kapata (advice) to honor the village and the ancestors. He states that from that moment, sasi at sea and on land begins to be enforced. This ceremony is conducted at every intersection where tabaos (commands, announcements) are made and announced to all residents, concluding at 10:00 PM in front of the village hall (balai desa) by throwing the unburned lobe remnants into the sea.

The ceremony is declared complete after the sasi marker called “kayu buah sasi” is erected. This wood consists of mai (main) sasi fruit wood and assistant sasi fruit wood. Its shape resembles a post and is planted in certain places indicating the extent of the sasi area. On land, the woods are taken from the forest and planted by the head of Land Kewang. In the sea, they are taken from mangrove forests and planted by the head of Sea Kewang. After the protected lompa fish grow large enough and are ready for harvest (around 5-7 months), the kewang in a routine meeting once a week on Friday night determines the time for opening sasi (the declaration of the end of the sasi period). The decision about the “D-Day” is reported to the village king (village head) to be announced to all residents. The second panas sasi ceremony is also held, just like the first panas sasi when the closing of sasi began.

The difference is that after the ceremony, the kewang continues with a communal meal and then lights a bonfire at the estuary of the Learisa Kayeli River at dawn. The purpose is to lure the lompa fish to enter the river earlier according to the tidal calculations. Usually, shortly after, schools of lompa fish will flock into the river. At that time, the community is ready to set up nets at the estuary so that when the tide recedes, the fish cannot return to the sea. Just as the water begins to recede, the first tifa is struck as a signal for the residents to prepare to head to the river. The second tifa is sounded as a sign for all residents to immediately go to the river. The third tifa is a signal that the king, the saniri of the village, and the priest have already gone to the river, and the community must take their places along the riverbank. The village head's group arrives at the river and immediately casts the first net, followed by the priest, and afterwards, all community members are free to catch lompa fish. This sasi is usually opened one to two days later and is immediately closed again with the panas sasi ceremony.

The local wisdom practice of Sasi Lompa contributes to the preservation of ecosystems and natural resources within them, especially lompa fish. This practice is carried out with the aim of maintaining and preserving ecosystems and natural resources to prevent extinction and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources. The values of this local practice become capital for the Haruku community to improve their quality of life. The Sasi Lompa practice has provided social, economic, cultural, and ecological benefits. This practice demonstrates the Haruku community's commitment to the environment through their attention to providing space for living beings to breed. Moreover, through a set of customary rules and applicable sanctions, this practice contributes to the protection of resources and avoids natural exploitation. Additionally, the way the Haruku community perpetuates local traditions signifies the togetherness formed within a community. The togetherness built creates open relations between the Haruku community and other communities.

The Indigenous Community of Haruku has special regulations governing the Recognition of the Unity of the Customary Law Community of Haruku through the Maluku Regent's Decree Number 189-102 of 2021.