Wilayah Kelola Torosiaje

The Torosiaje village was formed starting in 1901, and the village has been inhabited by the majority of the Bajo tribe. The name Torosiaje comes from the Bajo language, where Toro means Cape and Siaje means Stopover, while in Bugis language it means: “Koro Siajeku” which translates to there our brother. Over time, this word has undergone distortion in its pronunciation, so it is currently called Torosiaje. The location of the Torosiaje village used to be a stopover for Bajo people. Gradually, some Bajo residents began to build stilt houses made of mangrove.

The Torosiaje village became a definitive village in 1960 led by a village head named Ibrahim Tahutu Pakaya. Before the era of regional autonomy, this village was part of Gorontalo Regency. In 1999, Gorontalo Regency was divided into 2 regencies and Torosiaje Village became part of Boalemo Regency. Subsequently, in 2004, Boalemo Regency was divided again and Torosiaje Village became part of Pohuwato Regency. Since 2005, Torosiaje village has been divided into 2 administrative areas, namely Torosiaje village located on land or referred to by the community as “Torosiaje Darat” (currently named Torosiaje Jaya), and Torosiaje village located in the waters (sea), which is better known by the community as “Torosiaje Laut.”

The initiative to form a Community Managed Conservation Area was agreed upon by the elements of the Torosiaje Village community by collaborating with non-governmental organizations. The community elements consisting of fishermen, community leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders, pokmaswas, fish collectors, youth organizations, village government, and BPD encourage that the AKKM initiative of Torosiaje Village can be discussed and proposed soon.

The AKKM initiative was driven by the awareness of community elements regarding environmental issues that could affect the social and economic life of the community and the traditional customs of Torosiaje Village. For example, the decline in catch due to damage in coastal and marine areas. As a result of environmentally unfriendly fishing activities and the potential expansion of shrimp farms in coastal areas that put pressure on mangrove forests.

In the history of the establishment of Torosiaje Village, several conservation programs have been implemented involving both government and non-governmental institutions. The conservation programs primarily target the improvement of mangrove forest ecosystems. Some roles of government/non-governmental institutions include;

The River Basin Management Agency (BPDAS) which plays a role in rehabilitating mangrove forests covering an area of 70 hectares.

SUSCLAM (Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods and Management) by rehabilitating mangroves covering an area of 2 hectares.

Japesda (Network for Advocacy of Natural Resource Management) which provides assistance for octopus fisheries to fishermen, policy advocacy, and household economic empowerment.

Birds of Indonesia – Japesda carry out Sustainable Development and Mangrove Conservation programs in Tomini Bay. Both institutions play a role in assisting the preparation of development governance in Torosiaje Village through strengthening mangrove ecosystem governance and identifying potential livelihood sources based on mangrove ecosystems.

Bank Indonesia Gorontalo Representative plays a role in providing training and assistance for equipment for food product businesses managed by the Sipakullong group (octopus fishermen group).

The managed area of Torosiaje in Torosiaje Village is part of the mangrove ecosystem. Torosiaje Village consists of coastal and marine areas. On the coastal side, there is a mangrove forest that surrounds part of the village (the northern, eastern, and western parts). The mangrove area is utilized by residents as a location for fishing activities such as fish, mud crabs, and shellfish.

The fishermen of Torosiaje Village utilize mangrove plants for several needs such as the bark of the Rhizophora sp. mangrove used as a dye for nets and to eliminate the fishy smell. In terms of health, the roots and stems of the Gaganga mangrove (Sesuvium portulacastrum) are used as medicine for internal heat and malnutrition in children, and its leaves are processed into powder for women who are about to marry. In addition, there are certain mangrove areas that are used as places for the Tibba Anca traditional ceremony (Ritual to Reject Calamity) such as in the Bahari Jaya hamlet (Totobo Anca), Tanjung Karang hamlet (Maboa), and Mutiara hamlet (Noana). The Bajo community has made the biodiversity of plants in the Torosiaje area a natural pharmacy. The Bajo people's knowledge of traditional medicine is still maintained to this day and is used as an alternative treatment. On the other hand, the Rhizophora stylosa and Rhizophora apiculata mangroves are utilized by the community as dye for nets.

Torosiaje Village has management regulations, especially for flagship commodities with the aim of improving the economy while considering the sustainability of natural resources. The flagship fishery commodity such as octopus fisheries is managed through Village Regulation of Torosiaje Number 2 of 2022 concerning Community-Based Octopus Fisheries Management. Other regulations concern the protection of village nature which includes mangrove areas, coasts, seas, plantations, and settlements. The creation of protective regulations is done participatively by involving various community elements by considering the potential, problems, and solutions that can be implemented to resolve issues.

Customary law is also agreed upon to be applied by the Torosiaje Village community, which consists of oral regulations agreed upon by all members of the Torosiaje village community, including:

A prohibition on leaving the house for Bajo residents during the implementation of the reject calamity ritual (Masoro) except for the sandro (shaman or the person performing the traditional ritual).

Residents who cut down 1 mangrove tree are required to replace it with 100 trees and no traditional rituals will be performed for the family of the violator. Violations in the mangrove area may be subject to customary sanctions according to the level of violation, such as paying fines and being prohibited from leaving the house for a period determined by the customary leader. The fines are decided through a resolution mechanism by deliberation and re-agreeing on the management of resources that still fall within the Torosiaje village area with representatives from neighboring village communities.

The mangrove area is also used for several healing rituals to cure Bajo residents from diseases believed to be caused by disturbances from supernatural beings that cannot be cured medically. There are 8 traditional rituals performed by a “Sandro” (Shaman) to treat residents affected by disturbances from supernatural beings, namely:

• Tiba Kaka' is a treatment specifically for infants experiencing fever due to disturbances from the “kaka,” which refers to the placenta of the baby believed to disturb the baby. This healing ritual is performed under the house using offerings that are then floated in the sea.
• Tiba Kalongko. This treatment is specifically for individuals or community members experiencing disturbances or disturbances from supernatural beings. This ritual is usually performed at the sandro's house.
• Tiba Tuli is a treatment aimed at restoring health, usually individuals wishing to perform tiba tuli visit the sandro's house to carry out this ritual.
• Tiba Pina aims to treat individuals who experience disturbances, but the prayers and offerings used in this ritual differ from those used in the tiba kalongko ritual.
• Tiba Kutta is a treatment specifically for individuals suffering from strange diseases (according to local people) marked by severe cold symptoms.
• Tiba Nowana is similar to tiba kutta, this treatment is specifically for strange diseases. However, the prayers and implementation differ from tiba kutta. The differences are known only to the sandro (shaman) so that the ritual implementation for the same disease differs in ritual.
• Tiba Raki. This is specifically for individuals suffering from illness, but during its implementation, the offerings prepared by the sandro must not be consumed by the sick person except for family members.
• Tiba Anca is the last alternative treatment in traditional medicine. Individuals to be treated usually have severe illnesses. The implementation of this ritual is carried out in 3 places. Offerings will be prayed for from home, then hung on a mangrove tree, and then floated in the sea.
• The Torosiaje Village community also performs the Masoro ritual, which is a ritual requesting protection for all Torosiaje residents. The ritual is conducted by floating a boat containing various types of food. In the Masoro ritual, the customary leaders will perform the cutting of a turtle or chicken, which is then floated in the sea.

The managed area of Torosiaje, which is a mangrove forest area, contributes significantly to the environment and ecosystem, one of which is biodiversity. The following are the biodiversity found in the managed area of Torosiaje;

Flora:

• Bangkaw Lilla (Rhizophora mucronata)
• Bangkaw Lilla (Rhizopora apiculata)
• Bangkaw Dinda (Rhizophora stylosa)
• Papa’ (Sonneratia alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia ovata)
• Munto (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Bruguiera sexangula)
• Apapi (Avicenia lanata, Avicenia marina, Avicenia ovicinalis, Avicenia alba)
• Murittek (Lumnitzera littorea and Lumnitzera racemosa)
• Tinggar (Ceriops tagal and Ceriops decandra)
• Ngeya (Pemphis acidula)
• Tatambu (Xylocarpus granatum, Xylocarpus rumphii, Xylocarpus moluccensis)
• Kakata’ (Ipomea pes-Caprae)
• Gaganga’ (Sesuvium portulacastrum, Heritiera littoralis)
• Bubuta (Excoeceria agallocha)
• Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea
• Aegiceras corniculatum
• Aegiceras floridum
• Osbornia octodonta
• Heritiera fomes
• Calophyllum inophyllum
• Scaevola taccada
• Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea
• Aegiceras corniculatum
• Scovela taccada
• Talisey
• Ketapang
• Awuu
• Cemara Laut
• Pinungang

There are currently no specific regulations governing the recognition of customary areas in Torosiaje. By 2025, there will only be village regulations governing the utilization of superior commodities, namely octopus, through Village Regulation of Torosiaje Number 2 of 2022 concerning Community-Based Octopus Fisheries Management. However, the community is making various efforts, including activating mangrove ecosystem monitoring groups, preparing facilities and infrastructure for mangrove ecosystem monitoring, initiating Village Regulation of Torosiaje and Regulation of the Head of Torosiaje Village regarding the protection of mangrove ecosystem areas, collaborating between the community and the government to preserve mangroves, and the need for facilities and infrastructure for monitoring the mangrove ecosystem by related parties, and collaborating with related parties, both government and non-governmental institutions, in the management and protection of mangroves.