Bringing Books to Life: Engaging Papuan Children to Read

Wigati Yektiningtyas, James Modouw

Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature, Volume 61,

Number 1, 2023, pp. 58-63 (Article)

Published by Johns Hopkins University Press

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/bkb.2023.0007

For additional information about this article

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/877802

[ Access provided at 4 Apr 2023 15:27 GMT from ProQuest Information & Learning ]
 Bringing Books to Life:
Engaging Papuan Children to Read
by WIGATI YEKTININGTYAS and JAMES MODOUW

C
ompared to other Indonesian children, the literacy rate of Papuan
children is pretty low. According to 2014 USAID’s Baseline Study
for Rural and Remote Education Initiative for Papuan Provinces,
the EGRA (Early Grade Reading Assessment) is also low, scoring only
14.61 percent (as opposed to the national score of 62.80 percent). This also
means that despite Papuan children’s ability to read, they do not under-
stand what they have read.
Instead of reading, Papuan children generally prefer to play in the wild
(Modouw 34). There is no encouragement from the parents as reading is
considered unimportant and education is left entirely to the school. This
calls for a strategy to foster Papuan children’s reading interest so they can
gain new knowledge and experiences, develop imagination, and improve
their language skills.
In the early 2013, Community Reading Centers (CRCs) were established
in Papua as an answer to this call (Yektiningtyas-Modouw and Karna
67-86). The books in CRC collections initially came from outside Papua
and unfortunately, were not very attractive. Despite the improvement in
2020, CRCs still could not successfully attract children to read. During a
2021 observation of CRCs in Jayapura Regency, the children were seen just
playing aimlessly. They merely browsed through the books before putting
them back, showing no interest in reading.
Interviews with several elementary schoolchildren reveal their disin-
terest in the contents of the books. “I don’t know rice fields, I don’t know
elephants, I don’t like reading what I don’t know,” one of them said. Two
teachers from CRCs in East Sentani and West Sentani Districts added that
the children would read if they were forced to. Meanwhile, teachers from
CRCs in Demta District and Kemtuk Gresi District said that while the
children read books, they did not understand the contents. The teachers
from CRCs in Central Sentani District also mentioned that the children
would close the book immediately when they encountered unfamiliar
terms, places, trees, objects, or animals. Even unfamiliar proper names
could be an excuse for them to stop reading.
These children seem to prefer reading folktales from the area where
they came from (Yektiningtyas and Gultom 224). They find it easier to
read and understand texts with familiar landscapes, animals, plants,
daily routines, traditions, or proper names—a phenomenon referred to
as “emotional ties” (Lazar). These connections become good bridges to
motivate children to read and write, eliminating the burden of alienating
materials (Yektiningtyas-Modouw and Karna; Dickinson et al.).

58 | BOOKBIRD © 2023 BY BOOKBIRD, INC.

 BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE: ENGAGING PAPUAN CHILDREN TO READ

The Use of Papuan Folktales

One of Papua’s local excellences that needs to be utilized in education
is none other than folktales. This utilization is also in line with Jaya-
pura’s new regulation of local languages and ​​ tradition in education in
nine customary areas of the regency (Awoitauw 17). This is an attempt to
preserve the rarely acknowledged cultural heritages and, simultaneously,
further facilitates children’s reading through their emotional connection
with local folklores. The texts, loaded with local values, can attract chil-
dren to read, promoting reading habits and transforming them into inde-
pendent readers. When all these things have been achieved, children can
be introduced to various books from across cultures.
The problem of reading difficulty becomes less apparent when folktales
are used. Children easily recognize places, plants, animals, and proper
names. For example, Ebi dan Kandei (Ebi and Kandei)—a famous fable from
Sentani about friendship, fights, and betrayal between a bird and a fish—
refers to the name of a Sentani endemic bird (Ebi) and an almost-extinct
endemic fish in the Lake Sentani area (Kandei / Glossamia beauforti). Chil-
dren’s familiarity with the content facilitates deeper engagement with the
book. When Ebi and Kandei was used in the reading session, it was gener-
ally followed up by listing other birds around the Sentani area, such as
the cassowary, mambruk (Goura victoria), kumkum, eagles, and cockatoos.
They also listed the native fish in the lake area, such as kahe (Glossamia
wichmani) and the rare kanseli (Neoarius velutinus).
This activity led to an interesting discussion about extinction in nature
and environmental preservation. NM (ten years) argued, “Fish is expensive,
so my mama never cooks fish again.” AW (twelve years) added, “My mother
cooks fish, but not the endemic fish from Lake Sentani.” The expression
“not the endemic fish from Lake Sentani” raised questions for others. AW
responded to the question as he recounted how his fisherman grandfather
could distinguish endemic fish from nonendemic fish. According to AW’s
grandfather, people should stop breeding nonendemic fish to preserve the
endemic fish of Sentani, such as betik (Ababas testudineus) and tambakan
(Helostoma temmincki) (Ohee and Keiluhu). Still citing his grandfather,
AW continued with stories of Toraja snakehead fish preying on the eggs
of kahe fish (Glossamia wichmani) and kandei fish (Glossamia beauforti). This
caused rarity of kahe and kandei fish in the market and led to skyrocketing
prices. Meanwhile, NM added that her grandmother warned the children
not to litter the lake because kahe and kandei fish only survive in clean
water environments. The whole discussion attracted the parents’ atten-
tion. They never suspected their children’s interests in their relatives and
environmental issues.

Reading Outdoors
Attention to children’s gross motor skills and their desire for outdoor
learning has led to positive results. At first, we assumed that outdoor study
would provide too much distraction for children. In practice, however, this
activity created a cheerful atmosphere that fostered more enthusiasm to
finish the reading—interspersed with questions about vocabularies and
IBBY.ORG 61.1 – 2023 | 59
BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE: ENGAGING PAPUAN CHILDREN TO READ

sentence structures unfamiliar to them. This can be seen when they

read books such as Perjalanan Masyarakat Heram ke Pulau Asei (The Heram
People’s Journey to Asei Island; 2018), Burung Pipit dan Kasuari (The Sparrow
and the Cassowary; 2018), and Legenda Danau Sentani (The Legend of Sentani
Lake; 2018) that were directly associated with nature—the surrounding
lakes, rivers, mountains, hills, plants, and animals.
During the reading of Legenda Danau Sentani, when Wali and
Hapoyae—the characters in the legend—went through the forest,
BM (thirteen years) pointed at several types of trees by the river and
mentioned the names, such as kombouw tree (Ficus variagata), soang (Xanth-
ostemon sp.), matoa (Pometia sp.), and ironwood (Instia bijuga). As they were
reading, a traditional boat carrying a group of traditional dancers passed
by and the children started mentioning various dances from Sentani—
akokoi, isolapae, and welakauphe. SO (twelve years) added the explanation
of musical instruments brought by the dancers—tifa (traditional drum),
triton (shell trumpet), woong (trumpet made of dried pumpkin), khelambut,
and aukhilka.
When they were reading Perjalanan, the character’s journey through
several types of sago forest (Metroxylon sp.)—yeba, follo, bane, ninggi, isa,
manu, otekulu, and para—attracted the attention of HM (thirteen years). He
spontaneously recited an oral poem about a hunter looking for his beloved
dog through the sago woods.

Yeba kla merili hineimiyale Bane kla merili hineimiyale

Re Baeitnyei yoi ehayaele baeimiyale
Follo kla mefale hineimiyale
Re Hayaere yamji ehayaele baeimiyale
(In the woods of sago yeba I am searching
I am asking for something that makes Ebeit
village alive
In the woods of sago follo I am searching
I am asking for something that makes Hayae
village alive)
Re Baeitnyei yoi ehayaele baeimiyale
Ninggi kla mefale hineimiyale
Re Hayaere yamji ehayaele baeimiyale
(In the woods of sago bane I am searching
I am asking for something that makes Ebeit
village alive
In the woods of sago ninggi I am searching
I am asking for something that makes Hayae
village alive)

HM explained that his father was a dancer and a studio leader who
taught dances and oral poetry regularly. He associated what he heard
and saw to the reading material. This demonstrates children’s ability
to read and understand the content, and their courage in responding
to stories and associating them with their background knowledge
(Bartlett; Marshall). This also proves that reading outdoors creates a
free, relaxed, and comfortable learning atmosphere (Anders et al.) to
stimulate children’s reading and learning.

Cultural Objects
Various cultural objects, such as bark paintings (malo), carv-
ings (ohomo), musical instruments, eating tools, fishing tools, and
gardening tools, also appear often in folktales. The rarity of these
objects in daily lives thus attracts children’s curiosity and attention.
60 | BOOKBIRD IBBY.ORG
 BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE: ENGAGING PAPUAN CHILDREN TO READ

This was apparent when the children encountered the terms karkiri and
habu in Legenda Danau Sentani.
Driven by their curiosity, the children posed question about karkiri and
habu. After getting the answers that karkiri is a traditional food container
made of sago leaves and that habu is a water container made from nibung
(Oncosperma tigillarium) midrib, they wanted to know how to make them.
One of the teachers who knows about this proceeded to teach them how
to make one. The day ended with the children proudly headed home with
their own handmade karkiri.
Some of their parents also felt proud because the children learned to
make something that they read. They also added that the children showed
interest in making tifa, arrows, boats, paddles, carvings, and paintings.
This brought the parents to realize the benefits of reading for children. It
is not just reading ability but also the acquisition of new knowledge and
creativities. The parents also shared children’s heightened curiosity and
increased motivation to read.

Games, Songs, and Dances

Within the Indonesian context, Papuans have always been associated with
dancers, singers, and athletes. This stems from their freedom of move-
ment from living closely with wilderness and the integration of songs and
dances in their daily lives. These elements are also reflected in children’s
reading preferences. For example, picture games about the types of birds
were used to facilitate the reading of Burung Pipit dan Kasuari—a story
about an arrogant cassowary that intimidated other birds in the forest.
The teacher presented two kinds of bird pictures: ones that still exist and
ones that had gone. The children were asked to choose a picture from the
requested category. They were then asked to create new stories based on
the pictures they had chosen.
Some children (aged twelve or thirteen) interestingly came with
new stories based on the pictures of birds they chose. For example, HM
(thirteen years) wrote about a crane that he used to see perching on his
window every morning. NS (twelve years) told the story of a cassowary she
had seen in the forest near her grandmother’s house. Other post-reading
games also showed positive stimulation to the children’s literacy skills.
This is in line with the results of previous studies: through reading, chil-
dren can develop both their written and oral language skills (Dickinson et
al.; Yektiningtyas-Modouw and Karna; Niklas et al.).
Songs were also used as the teachers took children’s ideas and certain
topics from the reading material to write lyrics. The melody sometimes
mimicked those that were already familiar to children’s ears, such as
Sunday school songs. Beyond being mere relaxing entertainment, songs
and dances also serve as a motivational trigger to improve children’s
language skills. An example of the new song that children sang in Sentani
language is as follows:

Bokiki fele fele (O little sparrow

Ataei kabhan khena How God loves you
IBBY.ORG 61.1 – 2023 | 61
BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE: ENGAGING PAPUAN CHILDREN TO READ

Reyae fafa khending foi I am a good child

Ataei kabham kena I know God loves me too)

The song and the accompanying dance movements was made after they
read Burung Pipit dan Kasuari at a CRC in Central Sentani. The parents
were surprised listening to their children singing the song in the Sentani
language, considering that the children could not speak the language. This
motivated the parents to teach the language, a serious progress consid-
ering that the Sentani language is labeled as an endangered language
(Yektiningtyas and Gultom 223).

Concluding Remarks
There is a clear lack of interest in reading among Papuan children.
They need guidance both to read and understand the contents. Some
strategies of reading activities using folktales, outdoor activities, asso-
ciations with cultural objects, and interspersion with games, songs, and
dances have succeeded in instilling their reading motivation and simul-
taneously improving their knowledge, critical thinking, and creativities.
This reading program also improved their other language skills, such as
writing and speaking, both in Indonesian and their local language. In
this case, teachers’ readiness, willingness, creativity, and innovation are
needed in selecting appropriate reading materials, activities, and learning
environments.
The parents’ presence during reading activities at CRCs gave them
awareness of their responsibility as first and foremost educators who
should encourage their children to read to gain new knowledge and expe-
riences. These children are indeed not the ideal independent readers yet.
However, their positive responses toward reading, their curiosity, and
their spirit of exploring the content of reading by relating it to their socio-
cultural and natural environment show bright promises. One day, they
will become lifelong readers who will influence others.

Works Cited
Children’s Books
Yektiningtyas-Modouw, Wigati. Burung Pipit dan Kasuari [The Sparrow and the Cassowary].
UNY Press, 2018.
---. Ebi dan Kandei [Ebi and Kandei]. UNY Press, 2018.
---. Legenda Danau Sentani [The Legend of Sentani Lake]. UNY Press, 2018.
---. Perjalanan Masyarakat Heram ke Pulau Asei [The Heram People’s Journey to Asei Island].
UNY Press, 2018.

Secondary Sources
Anders, Yvonne, et al. “Home and Preschool Learning Environments and Their Relations
to the Development of Early Numeracy Skills.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol.
27, 2012, pp. 231-44.
Awoitauw, Matius. Kembali ke kampung adat: meniti jalan perubahan di Tanah Papua [Back to
Customary Village: Leading Changing Path in Tanah Papua]. KPG, 2020.
Bartlett, Frederic C. Remembering: A Study in Experimental and Social Psychology. Cambridge
UP, 1995.

62 | BOOKBIRD IBBY.ORG
 BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE: ENGAGING PAPUAN CHILDREN TO READ

Dickinson, David K., et al. “How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around
the World.” Child Development Research, vol. 2012, Feb. 2013, pp. 1-15. Hindawi, doi
.org/10.1155/2012/602807.
Lazar, Gillian. 2002. Literature and Language Teaching. Cambridge UP.
Marshall, Sandra P. Schemas in Problem Solving. Cambridge UP, 1995.
Modouw, James. Pendidikan kontekstual Papua: untuk daerah terpencil, pengasuhan anak,
kurikulum operasional, proses belajar dan penilaian [Contextual Education of Papua for
Remote Areas, Parenting, Operational Curriculum, Learning Process and Evaluation]. UNY
Press, 2021.
Niklas, Frank et al. “The Sooner, the Better: Early Reading to Children.” Sage Open, Dec.
2016, pp. 1-11. doi.org/10.1177/2158244016672715.
Ohee, Henderite L., and Henderina Keiluhu. “Mengenal Ikan-Ikan Danau Sentani”
[“Introducing Fish of Lake Sentani”]. Jurnal Pengabdian Papua, vol. 2, no. 3, June 2018,
pp. 80-85.
Yektiningtyas, Wigati, and Monika Gultom. “Exploring Sentani Folktales as Media of
Teaching Local Language for Children.” Sino-US English Teaching, vol. 15, no. 5, Nov.
2018, pp. 223-35. David Publishing Company, doi.org/10.17265/1539-8080.
Yektiningtyas-Modouw, Wigati, and Sri Karna. “Using Folktales to Strengthen Literacy
in Papua.” Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, vol. 23, no. 3, Nov. 2013,
pp. 83-94.

Wigati Yektiningtyas is a lecturer and folklorist in Universitas

Cenderawasih Jayapura, Papua. Besides teaching and researching,
she dedicates her time in writing children books and uses them as
media to improve children’s literacy in Papua.

James Modouw is an education specialist. He served as the head

of provincial education office of Papua in 2007-2014 and the senior
adviser to the Education Minister of Republic of Indonesia in 2015-
2020. He is now a lecturer in Universitas Cenderawasih, Jayapura,
Papua.

IBBY.ORG 61.1 – 2023 | 63

Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction
prohibited without permission.