Between the traditional and modern: Ashmore Reef in the collective memories of Rotenese fishermen in Papela

ABSTRACT

In 2021, the Australian government apprehended several Indonesian fishing boats for carrying out their fishing activities on the sea border between Rote Island and Ashmore Reef. This issue was further exacerbated by the growing demand from the traditional leader of the Rotenese community to reassess the status of Ashmore Reef, known as Pulau Pasir, by the Rotenese. The claim could be traced back to the previous attempt in the 2000s, in which they demanded the Australian government restore Ashmore Reef to Pulau Pasir. Collective memory played a significant role in directing the thoughts and decisions made by Rotenese fishermen, as the passing down of the narrative of origin led them to continue their journeys and activities in the islet. In a struggle to preserve their tradition, however, the fishermen had reached an inevitable encounter with modern-day policy, as the 1974 Memorandum of Understanding closed the dispute. This article shall elaborate on the encounter between two ways of life that shaped the perception of the Rotenese fishermen within the critical approach from studies on collective memory as their basis of survival.

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge the warm and supportive contribution of researchers and lecturers from Universitas Indonesia, the University of Malaya and the Rotenese fishermen of Papela Village through dialogues, focus group discussions, interviews, and online meetings.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the International Indexed Publication Research Grant provided by the Directorate of Research and Community Engagement, Universitas Indonesia, year of 2022 managed by Dr. Linda Sunarti as the Research Team Leader, based on the research titled: ‘Transformasi Persepsi Nelayan Rote dalam Kegiatan Penangkapan Ikan Lintas Batas Perairan Indonesia-Australia’ (Contract Number: NKB-1199/UN2.RST/HKP.05.00/2022).

Notes on contributors

Noor Fatia Lastika Sari

Noor Fatia Lastika Sari is an Associate Lecturer at History Department of the Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia. She graduated from the Master’s Program at the same university, focusing on the history of Australia and the Pacific. She finds the relationship between Australian culture and history uniquely enticing, as well as challenging, to be studied. Her studies focus mainly on cross-border issues and the maritime border between Indonesia and Australia.

Linda Sunarti

Linda Sunarti is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Indonesia. Her research focuses on multiple areas of history, particularly in relation to Southeast Asian studies, international relations, diplomacy, and politics.

Hanafi Hussin

Hanafi Hussin is the Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts, University of Malaya. He holds a MA in Southeast Asian Studies with the research topic ‘Philippine Political Theatre During Marcos Regime’, and he received his Ph.D. in Performing Arts Studies on ‘Rice Farming Ritual of Kadazan of Sabah’ from the Academy of Malay Studies, University of Malaya. His research in the anthropology of Southeast Asia focusses particularly on ritual and performing arts.