The Kamoro people, also known as the Mimika Wee,[3] is an ethnic group that lives in the southern coastal region of Papua, especially along the coastline of Mimika Regency in the province of Central Papua, Indonesia.[4] The area of their settlement is about 250 km, which stretches from the Otakwa River on the east side to near Potowai Buru on the west side. As a semi-nomadic society, the Kamoro people live in three ecosystems, namely tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps and estuarine areas that are rich in food sources.[5]
The name "Kamoro" comes from the word kamoroaiku which means 'living person'. The name "Kamoro" began to become popular in 1996 when Freeport Indonesia began distributing 1 percent of its funds through Komoro Foundation. This name is based on the people's belief about the war between Kamoroaiku and Bee (demon), which was won by Kamoroaiku (living person).[3] Other sources say the origin of the name is the word kamuruu which means 'newcomer',[6] in contrast to the name Sempan people, which means 'landlord'.[7]
In contrast to the name "Kamoro", the name of the "Mimika" was taken because Mimika has a large river basin and has a strong current. The river in the local language is called Mimiaika. It comes from two words, mimi means 'water' and aika means 'current', so Mimiaika can be interpreted as 'a current from the mountains'. The name of this river was first used by the Portuguese to refer to the society that lived in the area.[3]
Population
In 1986, the population of East Mimika district was 16,305 people and West Mimika district 6,743 people, spread among the 75,766 people of Fakfak Regency. By 1990, the regency's population had reached 88,488 people. The Kamoro population is estimated at around 8,000 people, and they speak a language called Kamoro. The Kamoro people are rich in cultural diversity, including weaving activities by women, carving by men, singing, dancing, legendary stories and the karapao ritual which is still held today.[5]
In 2010, according to a census conducted by the Indonesian government, the Kamoro population was 28,645 people, this number also includes other ethnic groups from Mimika who were combined, such as the Umari and Sempan.[1] The Kamoro people have physical characteristics that slightly distinguish them from other ethnic groups, such as an average height of 164.4 centimeters and a dolichocephalic head shape.[5]
Society
Social structure
The smallest social structure of the Kamoro people is taparu which means 'land'. The taparu group itself was then divided into several clans. The name Taparu comes from three sources: the toponymy of a river, land, or region; a famous otepe; or the name of an ancestral origin. The selection of the source as a taparu occurred spontaneously. If a particular group of taparu residents was to be highlighted, the suffix -we was added to the name.[6]
The taparu is interpreted by people outside Mimika (Dutch and Indonesian governments, as well as missionaries) as a community or village. Although this understanding is not entirely accurate. The original meaning of taparu is a social organization in the form of fratribilineal. This group consists of a combination of clans that share a common female ancestor, because the Kamoro people are a matrilocal society, the names of these ancestors can be immortalized as the names of the taparu.[6]
In the past, the Kamoro people practiced taparuexogamy, so marriages had to be carried out by couples from different taparu groups. Apart from that, taparu is also a way to differentiate people based on their work function in the religious rituals of the Kamoro people. Although currently both of these things are no longer done because of the strong influence of Catholicism.[6]
Other older taparu can be combined with other younger taparu. Although an example of cultural error, some small-member taparu have functioned as clans.[6]
Customary leadership
Illustration of a Kamoro warrior, 1828.
In general, leadership in a village is divided into two, the leader who is chosen by the village residents according to government regulations as the village head. Meanwhile, the traditional leader of the village (taparu) is called the tribal chief. In practice, to resolve village problems, tribal chiefs, village heads and the community hold discussions in the longhouse kakurukame.[6]
Because the Kamoro people have been influenced for several hundred years by interactions with the outside world such as the Tidore Sultanate, Namatota Kingdom, and Aiduma Kingdom, the titles and leadership structures of the Maluku monarchy have been used traditionally, such as:[8]
The weyaiku or katawe is the term for warlords and tribal chiefs, as the highest traditional leaders of taparu.
The ndati is the term for a king chosen from the weyaiku as the supreme leader of the Kamoro people.
The wakare means the king's representative.
The mbayora (mayor) is the title for some village heads. * The kapitana (captain) is a lesser leader and serves as the head of the neighborhood association (rukun warga).
The ukuma (judge) is a leader whose job is to judge, decide a case.
Apart from that, there are several other positions such as the kakuruwe (party organizer), tauruwe (dance organizer), bakipiakare (singing expert), amotawe (sago organizer), opakowe (breadfruit regulator), kawe (banana regulator), rawe (fish regulator), and others.[8]
Culture
Traditional carvings of the Kamoro people.Making a mbitoro totem pole.
The Kamoro people are known as a society that has skills in making carvings or statues, as stated by J. Teurupun in Seni Ukir Suku Kamoro (1990). Their work seems more abstract compared to the works of the Asmat people. Some of the carvings are in the form of mbitoro poles, ote kappa (sticks), pekaro (dinner plates), tamate (shields), and wemawe (human statues).[8][9]
An old Kamoro man with a ote-kapa stick.
Artistic expression is poured onto the stick (ote-kapa) with fish fin motifs (eraka waiti) and bat wing bones (tako-ema). This means that the owner of the stick who made the motif believed that they came from a fish or a bat. Not everyone can be a (maramowe) carver, only those who inherited it from their ancestors, so that people who cannot carve can order certain motifs according to their origins from an engraver.[9] Another motif is the vertebral column (uema), which can be interpreted as the backbone of a human, fish, or bird. The Kamoro believe that the vertebral column symbolizes life. The motif of white clouds floats (uturu tani) which can arouse various kinds of imagination, both in the carver, the owner or anyone who sees it. These imaginations can involve longing for one's hometown, a lover who has passed away, memories of an earthquake, and others.
↑Maturbongs, Thobias (2019-06-11). "Sekilas Tentang Suku Kamoro". www.ypmak.or.id (in Indonesian). Yayasan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Amungme dan Kamoro. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
† indicates an extinct ethnic groups or one that no longer has a population
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