An institutional analysis of sasi laut in Maluku, Indonesia

Section D - Institutional Analysis of Case Study Villages

Chapter 10

Desa Nolloth, Saparua Island¹

10.1 Physical, Biological and Technical Attributes

10.1.1 Physical environment

The Nolloth village is situated on northeastern Saparua Island, one of the Lease Islands. Before
the Dutch colonization, the people of Nolloth originally lived in the hills, organized in a clan
structure (margas). Two groups of margas (uku lua with two clans and uku lima with five)
descended from the hills and settled on the coast where the village of Nolloth lies today.
People from what is now the Paperu village also came down from the hills at the same place
but later, they split and moved south.

Figure 10.1. Sketch map of marine territory at Nolloth (features not necessarily to
scale).

¹ For the data tables see Appendix 3. Nolloth has a relatively large (27 ha) land and sea territory (petuanan)
compared to other villages (Antariksa et al. 1993). Stories vary, but it seems that at one time, the reigning raja of
Nolloth collaborated with the Dutch and, in return, acquired more extensive marine and land rights than other
villages. The land is divided among the uku lua and uku lima. Each of the two groups maintains its identity and
has its own traditional leaders who mediate land disputes and manage certain natural resources in their territories.

Desa Nolloth, Saparua Island 95

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