 

 ![Walter Samalelet, a tribal elder and sikerei (traditional healer) from Malelet Hamlet, Madobag Village, South Siberut Subdistrict](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeBu79JuWp05QGKvYe14HCTzGn6tf_BYsqWNX9CLr5HLWhhg069Pg6NSP_sp_O7tzXgtiLJe0Qav7BOKImcugmplxVBj9Qc491fL5LWPoaDLRJGIvMXadw0Ye-YrNlxh2XlZ6WFOA?key=JBmQoqSjsw8vmdfZSKhJcA)

In the archipelago off the western coast of Sumatra, specifically in the Mentawai District, lives an Indigenous Simalelet community whose relationship with the forest is inseparable. One of its guardians is Walter Samalelet, a tribal elder and *sikerei* (traditional healer) from Malelet Hamlet, Madobag Village, South Siberut Subdistrict. Amid the tide of development and threats of deforestation, he stands firm in protecting the ancestral forest—an inheritance that is both identity and life source for his community.

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“Since I was a child, I was taught about our customs and the forest. Our parents showed us the boundaries of our land, who our neighboring clans were, and how we lived from nature,” said Walter. For him, the forest is not merely a green space, but a source of food, medicine, ritual, and collective identity.

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That harmony has slowly been disturbed. In Madobag, pressure comes in waves from outside: logging concessions and infrastructure development projects that arrive without understanding the customary laws that have long existed before the state. The clearing of customary forests not only damages nature but also threatens the cultural identity deeply tied to the landscape. Large trees once common near the village are now rare. The Simalelet people must walk for days deep into the forest just to build a canoe or repair a home.

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“Good timber has mostly been logged. That’s because someone gave companies permission. If the forest disappears, we lose our hunting grounds, our ritual materials, and even our ancestral spirits will be displaced,” Walter explained. Climate crisis and development projects have added to the burden: erratic rainfall, flooding, and the loss of natural resources.

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 ![Uma Simalelet traditional house](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf6AM9W35vWMdoYnaTkrBVhNkFRZZtIM8XWg8QpdKaw_MgF6iMEaJ-Sku990-m_yDXyPWX1sG8s6-Eksp-9AyU7cByWKRW1RO81wvfqTZFoYGkR5tGRJgGUIKSSh4B8-JN3Z5hlSA?key=JBmQoqSjsw8vmdfZSKhJcA)

The Simalelet community has not remained silent. They have rejected logging projects, opposed individual land titling programs by the National Land Agency, and fought to have their ancestral lands recognized as collective property. “We once rejected a logging company and also opposed the land titling program that would split our customary land into private ownership,” Walter added.

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The year 2017 marked a turning point in their struggle. The Mentawai Regency Government issued Regional Regulation No. 11 of 2017 on the *Recognition and Protection of Uma as Customary Law Communities* (PPUMHA). This regulation has become a crucial legal foundation for Indigenous communities in securing recognition of their ancestral lands.

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Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM—member of the Kolibri Alliance) has become an essential partner in this process. They support Indigenous communities through legal education, facilitating the tracing of clan histories, and assisting in participatory mapping of customary territories.

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The mapping process is not easy. Verification is done with all parties involved, including neighboring clans and village authorities. YCMM faced challenges during the mapping. Boundaries once marked by durian trees had vanished, cut down or eroded by time. But the community did not give up. They replanted trees at boundary points, retracing ancestral markers that had been passed down for generations.

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“This recognition is not just about a map, it’s about acknowledging identity and history. We help communities uncover their origins, document their territories, and reach agreements with neighboring clans,” said YCMM Executive Director Rifai.

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Additionally, YCMM strengthens community capacity through paralegal training and customary land management. Communities are becoming more confident in engaging with the government and voicing their concerns through public campaigns.

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Today, Walter and his community continue to uphold their traditions with unwavering commitment. “This is our land, and we will protect it. We still perform rituals before cutting down trees, still practice *panaki*, asking permission from our ancestral spirits,” Walter stated.

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Walter believes that protecting the forest is not just a duty, but an honor. He leaves a message for the younger generation: “Land is where life begins. Take care of it and manage it well. Don’t sell it easily.”

 ![Landscape of Madobag Village, South Siberut Subdistrict, Mentawai Island](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdL54UKv2ZZSs_ZwOb6emdXmsHXnAp3EmBBN29RDwlh2MMcVumZfMCoru7LO_2B00eZkjfaTO1YHUNcGGYQgXbfCfiLQzhabzR7sowHNGwh824eB94tmyb2vTUvLe8Gae6MFR5cHA?key=JBmQoqSjsw8vmdfZSKhJcA)

Walter’s voice echoes the voice of many Indigenous communities—a voice that demands justice, recognition, and sustainability. Although development pushes forward and roads are being built, Walter and the Simalelet people believe that true development involves them, respects Indigenous rights, and ensures the forest remains standing for future generations. Walter admits they are not rejecting change, but they refuse to be forgotten.

 

 ![Walter Samalelet, seorang tetua suku dan sikerei (dukun adat) dari Dusun Malelet, Desa Madobag, Kecamatan Siberut Selatan, Kepulauan Mentawai](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeBu79JuWp05QGKvYe14HCTzGn6tf_BYsqWNX9CLr5HLWhhg069Pg6NSP_sp_O7tzXgtiLJe0Qav7BOKImcugmplxVBj9Qc491fL5LWPoaDLRJGIvMXadw0Ye-YrNlxh2XlZ6WFOA?key=JBmQoqSjsw8vmdfZSKhJcA)

Di gugusan pulau di barat Sumatera, tepatnya di Kabupaten Mentawai, hidup sekelompok masyarakat adat suku Simalelet yang hubungannya dengan hutan tidak bisa dipisahkan. Salah satu penjaganya adalah Walter Samalelet, seorang tetua suku dan sikerei (dukun adat) dari Dusun Malelet, Desa Madobag, Kecamatan Siberut Selatan. Di tengah arus pembangunan dan ancaman deforestasi, ia berdiri teguh menjaga hutan adat, warisan leluhur yang menjadi identitas dan sumber kehidupan komunitasnya.

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“Sejak kecil, saya diajari tentang adat dan hutan. Orangtua kami menunjukkan batas tanah kami, siapa suku sempadan kami, dan bagaimana kami hidup dari alam,” ujar Walter. Baginya, hutan bukan sekadar ruang hijau, tapi sumber makanan, obat-obatan, tempat ritual, dan identitas kolektif.

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Namun, harmoni itu perlahan terganggu. Di Madobag, tekanan datang bertubi-tubi dari luar: konsesi kayu dan pembangunan infrastruktur masuk tanpa memahami keberadaan hukum adat yang telah lama hidup jauh sebelum negara hadir. Menurut Walter, penebangan hutan adat tak hanya merusak alam, namun mengancam identitas budaya yang terikat kuat pada lanskap. Pohon-pohon besar dulunya mudah ditemui di sekitar kampung. Kini, masyarakat adat suku Simalelet harus berjalan jauh berhari-hari lamanya ke dalam hutan untuk membuat sampan atau memperbaiki rumah.

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“Kayu bagus sudah banyak yang ditebangi. Itu karena ada yang memberi izin pada perusahaan. Kalau hutan hilang, kami kehilangan tempat berburu, tempat mencari bahan ritual, bahkan roh-roh leluhur kami akan tersingkir,” kata Walter. Krisis iklim dan proyek pembangunan juga menambah beban: curah hujan yang tak menentu, ancaman banjir, dan hingga menghilangnya sumber daya alam.

 ![Rumah adat Uma Simalelet](https://petani.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ourstoryentity/112ae9c1-5959-49c0-acc4-50f5d15bf772.jpg)

Tak tinggal diam, komunitas adat Simalelet melakukan perlawanan. Mereka menolak proyek penebangan kayu, menolak program sertifikasi individual atas tanah adat dari Badan Pertanahan Nasional, dan berjuang agar tanah adat tetap diakui sebagai milik kolektif. “Kami pernah menolak perusahaan kayu dan menolak program sertifikasi lahan yang ingin memecah tanah adat kami jadi milik pribadi,” kata Walter.

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Tahun 2017 menjadi titik balik perjuangan. Pemerintah Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai menerbitkan Peraturan Daerah No. 11 Tahun 2017 tentang Pengakuan dan Perlindungan Uma sebagai Kesatuan Masyarakat Hukum Adat (PPUMHA). Perda ini menjadi landasan hukum penting bagi masyarakat adat untuk memperjuangkan hak atas wilayah adat mereka.

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Yayasan Citra Mandiri Mentawai (YCMM-anggota Aliansi Kolibri) menjadi mitra penting dalam proses ini. Mereka mendampingi komunitas adat dalam sosialisasi perda, menggali sejarah asal-usul suku, serta memfasilitasi pemetaan wilayah adat secara partisipatif. \n 

Proses pemetaan bukan hal mudah. Verifikasi dilakukan bersama semua pihak, termasuk suku tetangga dan pemerintah desa. YCMM pun sempat mendapat tantangan ketika melakukan pemetaan. Batas-batas yang dulunya ditandai dengan pohon durian, kini tak lagi terlihat karena ditebang atau rusak oleh waktu. Tapi masyarakat tak menyerah. Mereka kembali menanam pohon di titik batas, menandai ulang wilayah dengan cara yang telah diwariskan turun-temurun. \n 

"Pengakuan ini bukan hanya soal peta, tapi soal pengakuan jati diri dan sejarah. Kami memfasilitasi masyarakat untuk menggali asal-usul mereka, mendokumentasikan wilayah, dan menyepakati batas-batas bersama suku tetangga," ujar Direktur Eksekutif YCMM, Rifai.

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Selain itu, YCMM juga memperkuat kapasitas masyarakat melalui pelatihan paralegal dan pengelolaan wilayah adat. Masyarakat pun makin percaya diri bersuara dalam dialog dengan pemerintah maupun kampanye publik. \n 

Kini, Walter dan komunitasnya masih menjaga adat dengan teguh. “Ini tanah kami, dan kami akan menjaganya. Kami tetap ritual sebelum menebang pohon, tetap *panaki*, minta izin pada roh-roh leluhur,” kata Walter. \n 

Walter percaya bahwa menjaga hutan bukanlah kewajiban semata, tapi kehormatan. Ia pun menitipkan pesan bagi generasi muda: “Tanah itu tempat hidup. Jaga dan kelola tanah kita. Jangan mudah menjualnya.”

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 ![Bentang Desa Madobag, Kecamatan Siberut Selatan, Kepulauan Mentawai](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdL54UKv2ZZSs_ZwOb6emdXmsHXnAp3EmBBN29RDwlh2MMcVumZfMCoru7LO_2B00eZkjfaTO1YHUNcGGYQgXbfCfiLQzhabzR7sowHNGwh824eB94tmyb2vTUvLe8Gae6MFR5cHA?key=JBmQoqSjsw8vmdfZSKhJcA)

Suara Walter adalah suara banyak komunitas adat: suara yang menuntut keadilan, pengakuan, dan keberlanjutan. Meskipun pembangunan terus melaju dan jalan-jalan dibuka. Tapi Walter dan masyarakat adat Simalelet percaya, pembangunan yang bijak adalah yang melibatkan mereka, menghormati hak adat, dan memastikan hutan tetap berdiri untuk anak cucu mereka. Walter mengaku bahwa tidak menolak perubahan, namun mereka menolak dilupakan.

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The Simalelet Indigenous People’s Stand for Customary Forest