This visual investigation shows about river changes caused by tailing disposal of mining company in Papua, Indonesia. The forest where the Kamoro tribe have depended for their livelihood since their ancestors is decreasing significantly. A number of rivers as food source, cultural landscape and life are killed due the buried by tailing disposal.
The mining company that has been operating since 1967 has altered the Otomona River to flow waste to the sea by building dam on both side of river. The dam making closes as the Ayuka (Ajkwa) River, the Yamaima River, the Ayuiwa River, the Tafua River, and several others rivers.
The dam has changed landscape and the life of Kamoro tribe, the indigenous communities that hold hak ulayat (customary communal land rights) that reside in the area. The forest where the Kamoro tribe have depended for their livelihood since their ancestors is decreasing significantly. A number of rivers as food source, cultural landscape and life are killed due the blocked by the dam.
Tailing contains of hazardous substance such as copper, arsenic, cadmium and selenium that cause the ecosystem area to change. The trees slowly dry up then die. The varieties of fauna lessen drastically.
They were moved from the old villages to a new residential with a modern architectural in an area that now has turned into an urban area. In the past the always lived close to sago hamlets and rivers. Currently the river near their old village has become shallow due to tailings. Meanwhile a number of houses in the village built by the company have been sold to migrants.
In addition to building housing, the company bears compensation for the impact of the waste by providing transportation facilities for these indigenous Papuan communities to access forests, health facilities, education and other programs.
However indigenous Papuan communities are known for their culture centered on rivers, arts and sago are seriously confused by a number of losses dealing with this changing landscape.
This visual project shows a story about voices that have often been revealed yet were never heard, repeated stories but never understood, and ordinary people ways to endure losses.
