An institutional analysis of sasi laut in Maluku, Indonesia

In 1979, the traditional government structure was replaced by the formal structure as prescribed
by the district government. The traditional saniri negeri members were placed in the new
village council LSD (Lembaga Social Desa) which became the LMD in 1980. The members of the
traditional village council have always been descendants from the Taihutu, Noija, and Siahaya
clans (Table 13.1). The Noija clan is the clan of the kepala adat. The Siahaya clan traditionally
safeguards village security; they are the kewang clan. The Taihutu clan delivers the tuan negeri.
These clans are still highly respected in the village.

Table 13.1. Principal village clans.

The new election system did not change the ruling authorities. The LMD members are chosen
through the adat laws, so that the village representatives still represent particular families.
Presently, the LMD consists entirely of members of adat clans. Theoretically, the new election
system would enable more villagers to be involved in village governance, but as of today, the
common villagers are represented through their clan leaders.

What was adopted from the new government structure was the procedure to choose the village
head who was no longer appointed by the traditional village elders. Domingus Noija, the
current village head, is from the Noija clan and has a traditionally legitimate position (Table
13.2). He was elected, but with a minimum required number of votes. As a result, he faces a
large opposition party in the village where the political situation is extremely unstable.

In his function as kepala adat, Noija carries out the adat rituals as far as they still exist (e.g.,
arrange the Tomanusa which is the dowry paid when a man from another village marries someone
from Hulaliu). The kepala adat also has a hand in the design of village regulations, and this
explains why the arrangements surrounding the revitalization of sasi are carried out by Noija.

Table 13.2.

Village heads in Hulaliu

Desa Hulaliu, Haruku Island 163

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