Indigenous Namblong Community Showcases Sustainable Living Practices to International Guests
By: Berlina Maulidya, Communications Mitra BUMMA
PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua, the Indigenous Peoples’ Corporation (BUMMA) of the Namblong community, welcomed three international guests from Mitra BUMMA’s (Menoken Indonesia Sejahtera Bumi Semesta) network from April 25–29, 2025. For five days, the guests learned about the sustainable living practices carried out by the Indigenous Namblong community.
25–29 April 2025 | Kampung Nimbokrang (Nimbokrang Village), Kampung Berap (Berap Village) & Kampung Benyom (Benyom Village)
For five days, BUMMA PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua, the Indigenous People’s Corporation of the Namblong tribe, welcomed three international guests from the network of the Menoken Indonesia Sejahtera Bumi Semesta Foundation (Mitra BUMMA).The visit was intended to follow up on information previously shared by Mitra BUMMA, which inspired the guests to learn directly about the sustainable living practices of the Namblong Tribe.The visit was facilitated through a range of learning and ecotourism packages managed by BUMMA PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua.Understanding BUMMA: Economic Sovereignty in the Hands of Indigenous Peoples
CEO Yohanna Tarkuo, and COO Yusup Kasmando explain the history, purpose, and structure of PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua— a regenerative economic model owned by 44 clans of the Namblong Tribe, mandated to protect the forest and their ancestral lands to manage the natural resources and cultural heritage within them.
The visit began at the office of PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua on Jl. Cendrawasih, Nimbokrang Sari Village, Nimbokrang District, Jayapura Regency. CEO Yohanna Tarkuo and COO Yusup Kasmando explained the establishment and purpose of PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua.As a Indigenous People Corporation of the Namblong Tribe, PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua serves as a regenerative economic model collectively owned by all 44 clans in the Namblong territory, with each clan represented as shareholders. Led and managed directly by the Indigenous community, the mandate is to protect customary lands and to manage the natural resources and cultural heritage within them.The Namblong customary territory covers 52,530 hectares of forest, rivers, and ancestral lands. This territory is safeguarded across generations, ensuring the preservation of its ecosystems.PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua has developed a forestry business unit focused on forest protection, mapping degraded lands, building nurseries, and replanting critical areas.To strengthen its management, the forestry unit also provides environmental services, including carbon sequestration, as part of efforts to mitigate the climate crisis while contributing to both people and the planet.The natural resources of the Namblong Tribe are managed for the collective welfare through a range of Indigenous People Corporations. Existing business units include Nggam Bu (Blue River) ecotourism, vanilla drying facilities, agriculture, fisheries, and livestock.At present, the ecotourism services and vanilla processing units are showing encouraging growth, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the community’s economy.ORPA and the Regeneration of Indigenous Knowledge
International guests visited the Cultural Learning Space of ORPA Namblong in Benyom Village. Managed by Namblong Indigenous women, this space helps preserve local knowledge, teach the Namblong language, and pass ancestral cultural values on to the younger generation.
In Benyom Village, guests visited the Cultural Learning Space run by the Namblong Women’s Organization (ORPA Namblong), established under the guidance of the Namblong Customary Council (DAS). ORPA Namblong provides a platform for Indigenous Namblong women to safeguard local knowledge and pass it on to younger generations, while underscoring the close link between environmental conservation and cultural preservation. In this space, Namblong children learn their Indigenous language and ancestral cultural values.River Journey at Nggam Bu: Following the Flow of Ancestral Stories
The visit continued to Nggam Bu (Blue River) in Berap Village, about 30 minutes from the office of PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua. Nggam Bu Ecotourism is one of the established business units managed by PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua.At the site, guests gathered at the start point to board traditional bamboo rafts and embark on a 90-minute river journey guided by the ecotourism team. Along the way, they were introduced to the river landscape and the cultural heritage of the Namblong Tribe.For the Namblong, especially those living along Nggam Bu, the Blue River is more than a water source— it is a place for bathing, traditional healing, and a sacred pathway of ancestral stories guarded by the Tarkuo, Manggo, Yoshua, Buwe, and Kasse clans.As the rafts floated downstream, guests were surrounded by groves of sago, cocoa, and banana trees, while listening to stories of peace among the five clans who now live side by side in Berap Village.Camping at Ku Defeng: Ancestral Stories, Firelight, and the Future
At Ku Defeng, a protected forest of the Namblong Indigenous People in Papua, guests camped by an ancestral lake, explored forest plants and wildlife, and listened to stories from the Napo clan about the community’s deep connection to nature.
Camping in the forest—known by the Namblong Tribes as Ku Defeng—was one of the learning packages offered to the guests, and for them, it was an especially memorable experience. Ku Defeng is a protected forest area that the community uses in a limited and sustainable way. Along the journey, guests learned about plants commonly used by the Namblong people, discovered traces of wildlife, and listened to the calls of birds echoing through the forest. With a bit of luck, one might even spot the Bird of Paradise, Papua’s iconic endemic species.The campsite was set near a small lake that once was the ancestral village of the Napo Tua clan. Guided by Bapa William, the guests heard stories of the Napo Clan and their role in safeguarding the customary forest.Throughout the night, they listened to ancestral stories passed down through generations— stories that remind the Namblong Tribes that protecting the forest is not only about protecting customary land but also about nurturing a collective memory that strengthens the bond between people and nature.Vanilla: A Pride of Local Commodity
Guests visited the vanilla plantation and Dry House managed by BUMMA PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua. They observed firsthand the process of producing premium-quality Papuan vanilla and learned how the Indigenous community preserves the environment, maintains local traditions, and develops a sustainable and equitable community-based economy.
On the last day of the visit, guests saw directly the vanilla plantation and how the vanilla dried process at the Dry House was managed by PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua’s Vanilla Unit. Engaging conversations revolved around commodity sovereignty— how the Namblong Tribes are reclaiming the value of vanilla, once a colonial commodity, now transformed into a transparent, equitable economic resource.At the Dry House, guests learned the full process of vanilla drying and how it results in premium-quality products. PT. Yombe Namblong Nggua also provides training for local vanilla farmers to produce high-quality vanilla with strong market value.For both local and international guests, the visit marked the beginning of building equitable relationships, with the important lesson that Indigenous communities in Papua are not left behind— they are guardians of the future. From bamboo rafts and sago trees to ORPA learning spaces and vanilla plantations, the message was clear: nature is a source of knowledge, and Indigenous peoples are its stewards.