Name :

Julian Katherine
Class/No: 9B/15

Raja Ampat
Raja Ampat or ' Four Kings ' is the name given to these beautiful islands .
A name that comes from a local myth . The four main islands in question it
is Waigeo , Salawati , Batanta , Misool which is the producer of ancient
rock paintings . Raja Ampat is located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head
Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, in Indonesia's West Papua
province, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over
1,500 small islands, cays, and shoals surrounding the four main islands of
Misool, Salawati, Batanta, and Waigeo, and the smaller island of Kofiau.
Raja Ampat archipelago is the part of Coral Triangle which contains the
richest marine biodiversity on earth.
Raja Ampat Regency is a new regency which separated from Sorong
Regency in 2004. It encompasses more than 40,000 km of land and sea,
which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in
Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named West Papua province of
Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya. Some of the islands are the most
northern pieces of land in the Australian continent.
History
The name of Raja Ampat comes from local mythology that tells about a
woman who finds seven eggs. Four of the seven eggs hatch and become
kings that occupy four of Raja Ampat biggest islands whilst the other three
become a ghost, a woman, and a stone.
Population
The main occupation for people around this area is fishing since the area
is dominated by the sea. They live in a small colony of tribes that spreads
around the area. Although traditional culture still strongly exists, they are
very welcoming to visitors. Raja Ampat people are more like Ambonese
than Papuan people and now some of them are Muslim and some of them
are Christian
History shows that Raja Ampat was once a part of Sultanate of Tidore, an
influential kingdom from Maluku. Yet, after the Dutch invaded Maluku, it
was shortly claimed by the Netherlands.
Culture

Language: English is not widely spoken, but you should always be able to
find someone with enough to communicate. Bahasa Indonesia is of course
widely understood, but most people use their mother tongue (one of the
many Papuan languages) in day to day conversation.
Dress: This is important. Weve been asked by local people to make sure
visitors understand the issue: Be aware of how your hosts and local village
people dress and adopt a similar attire if you want to be sure not to give
offence. Just because nobody seems to mind seeing a lot of your skin
doesnt mean its so
Sundays: Boat trips, tours and other activities dependent on
service from your hosts are not available on Sundays. Weve also been
asked to do our best to make you aware that Sundays are a day of rest
and religious observance for the Christian folk of Raja Ampat. Please resist
the temptation to pressure your hosts into taking you anywhere on
Sundays theres plenty of swimming, snorkelling and exploring to be had
around your accommodation. Meals will be served as usual, but apart from
that and departures to Waisai for the ferry, your hosts will be spending the
day with their family and community.
Places of worship: Never enter a church or mosque without seeking
permission first and always ensure you are appropriately dressed before
doing so. Its best to only visit places of worship in the company of a local
villager after consulting them as to whether your dress is suitable.
Food: The staple carbohydrate in Raja Ampat has traditionally been sago,
which is prepared in a variety of ways from the pith of the sago palm. The
potato-like root of the cassava plant and rice are also widely eaten. Raja
Ampat diet with chicken, tempe and tofu also featuring.
Service & Facilities: Raja Ampat is an adventure. It doesnt provide the
level of facilities and service found in more developed holiday
destinations.