The Sempan people (Sempan: Semopane Owe) is an ethnic group inhabiting the coast of Mimika Regency in the province of Central Papua, Indonesia.[2] In 1987, their population was around 1,000 people. Meanwhile, according to 2019 data, the population was around 2,000 people. They live as fishermen and gatherers of sago who live in the southern coast of New Guinea, between the regencies of Asmat and Mimika, between the Asmat people in the east and the Kamoro people in the west.[1]
The endonymSemopane Owe comes from the combination of the words se or he which means 'land' and mopane which means 'landlord', so the Sempan people can be interpreted as 'landlord' or 'native'.[3]
History
Before settling in the village of Ohotya, the Sempan people lived a nomadic life. According to the story, their ancestors came from the east, namely Okaba in Merauke, where the Marind people live. Due to experiencing customary conflict, they finally moved to Owapi village. Then they were forced to move back to Wenin village in Jita because of a murder case known as Minoro Kases. In the new location, there was a conflict case regarding the sago hamlet so that it finally moved to Ohotya Village until now. This migration is believed to have occurred in the 1940s by Sempan ancestors. Afterward, the Sempan people expanded their territory to Imitawapi village.[3]
In the 1950s, namely during the leadership of "War Commander" Alfons Apewa, the Sempan people began to learn about the Catholicism, which was spread by Pastor Gerald Zegwaard at that time. From Imitawapi village, they moved back to Pohaloapi village in 1960. There the Dutch colonial government brought teachers from the Kei Islands and built churches and schools. The building is made from ironwood and sago palm fronds (gaba-gaba), while the roof is made from nipah leaves. However, in 1961, there was a major flood which caused a disease outbreak so they fled to Omawita village until 1963 on the advice of a Dutch doctor. After Ohotya village was deemed safe enough, they returned to the village led by Annias Aniparo, a village head appointed by the Dutch colonial government.[3]
In the early 1980s, several Sempan families chose to move to the Sempan village in the town of Timika. However, they was involved in conflict and chaos with the Free Papua Movement so that some returned to refuge in Ohotya Village.[3]
The Sempan people were once considered a sub-group of the Kamoro people and joined LEMASKO (Lembaga Musyawarah Adat Suku Kamoro; Kamoro People Customary Consultative Body), for the benefit of Freeport McMoran, although in the end they chose to stand alone because they had a different culture from the Kamoro people, which then changed its name to Mimika Wee.[4]
Population
According to 2019 data, the Sempan population is around 2,000 people, divided into two groups: East Sempan and West Sempan. Their residential area is around the estuary of the Cemara River, between Timika in the west and Asmat in the east. The villages they inhabit include:[1]
East Sempan
Agimuga District: Fakafuku and Mafasimamo
Jita District: Pace, Kanmapri, Wapu, Sumapro, Waituku, Bulumen, and Nakai
West Sempan
Far East Mimika District: Ohotya/Otakwa, Fanamo, and Omawita
Culture
The Sempan people have a culture that is almost the same as the ethnic groups that inhabit the southern coast of New Guinea. For example, the East Sempan group has a culture that is almost the same as the Asmat people, such as the use of salawaku, arrow, spears, and others. Meanwhile, the West Sempan group has a culture that is almost the same as the Kamoro people. However, in general, the Sempan people from both groups have the same culture, character, and language.[1]
Traditional clothing
The traditional clothing for men and women is the same, namely a loincloth or skirt made from sago shoots called inimu or from cassowary feathers (ahiwi) which are also worn as necklaces around the neck, while necklaces made from snail shells are called aiwii. There are also woven clothes called ipauhya.[3]
Other accessories such as headdresses are made from cenderawasih feathers (yomoto), cassowary feathers (pifini), and cuscus feathers (fatefini). The bracelets on the arms and hands are made from rattan, on the arms they are called hifamo, which are also made from the bark of the genemo tree (Gnetum gnemon), while the bracelet on the hand is called metane. The paint on the face and body consists of three colors, white from burnt and ground snail shells (mi ifilami), the red color from the soil around the foot of the mountain (waehe), and the black color from wood charcoal (hoka).[3]
† indicates an extinct ethnic groups or one that no longer has a population
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
