The Indigenous People of the Mbaham Matta Tribe Give a Surprise Souvenir for the Vice President

Kaimana, wapresri.go.id – During a meeting with kings and tribal leaders in the West Papua region at Kaimana Beach Hotel II, Kaimana, West Papua, Vice President (VP) K.H. Ma’ruf Amin received a surprise from the indigenous people of the Mbaham Matta Tribe, Fakfak Regency, Thursday (01/11/2022).

At this event, the Secretary of the Indigenous Peoples’ Institution (LMA) of Fakfak Regency Willy Hegemur, representing all the Mbaham Matta indigenous people in the Bomberay customary territory, Fakfak Regency, unexpectedly presented a souvenir to the VP.

“Your Excellency Mister Vice President, we are asking permission from the indigenous peoples of the Mbaham land at the tip of the [Bomberay] peninsula to give souvenirs. In our local language, this is Wendy,” said Willy.

Furthermore, Willy explained that Wendy is a symbol of Mother Earth as the mother of all people in Indonesia.
“We believe that Mbaham is the mother of all people,” he explained.

Apart from that, Willy said that Wendy’s gift was also an invitation from the Mbaham Matta tribe to the VP to visit Fakfak Regency.

“This is what we want to give to the Honorable Vice President on this occasion, and this is also an invitation from indigenous people,” stated Willy.

“If Mister President and Mister Vice President have stopped by in Kaimana, we really miss Mister President and Mister Vice President visiting us at Bomberay’s land in Mbaham at the tip of the peninsula. Please come to see us there. Let the journey on this peninsula be complete,” he added.

The VP also expressed his happiness to receive the souvenir. In fact, he called the gift a remembrance as well as a form of emotional bond between himself and the Mbaham Matta people in particular and the people of Papua in general.

“Today I was given a very valuable souvenir to become a remembrance for me and an emotional bond with the people of [Papua],” said the VP.

In addition, on this occasion, the VP also thanked the people of Kaimana for a very warm welcome.
“Thank you for the warm welcome yesterday on the street, I was greeted by the community from end to end, thank you,” he expressed.

For information, the arrival of the VP in Kaimana received an extraordinary welcome from the public. The general public and school children lined up on the side of the road while the VP passing by waving and greeting the VP.

Not only in Kaimana, the enthusiasm of the people in welcoming the VP’s arrival was also evident in the areas visited by the VP during his visit to Papua this time, namely Jayapura, Merauke and Mimika.

Accompanying the Secretary of the Fakfak Regency LMA when handing over souvenirs, Fakfak Regent Untung Tamsil and one of the Kings of the Seven Petuanans in Fakfak Regency namely King Wertuar, Jouw Haji Musa Heremba. (NN/LHS-BPMI, Setwapres)