Traditional Boat Engineering Of Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku Is Endangered, BRIN: Age Of Maker Over 60 Years, Next Generation Needs

Boat motif on one of the panels of the Kel Lein prehistoric cave site, Kaimear Island, Maluku Province. (Photo: Doc. Antara/Maluku Archaeological Center)

JAKARTA - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of the Maluku Archeology Office is researching an endangered maritime tradition, namely the engineering of traditional boats in the Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku district.

Maluku Archeology office researcher Lukas Wattimena stated that maritime research was focused on the traditional boat engineering tradition in the Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku district.

"The important aspect that we are trying to convey is that the Kei Islands as a boat producer in the past and being a boat-producing center in Southeast Maluku, must be preserved by the next generation so they don't become extinct," he said while discussing research and innovation, quoted by Antara, Saturday, February 19.

The process of making traditional boats in the Kei Islands is generally carried out by parents and is genetic.

The average boat-building community is over 60 years old, so there must be conservation efforts so that the tradition will be continued by the next generation.

"In terms of age, of course, they are less productive, so these values must be lowered," he said.

In addition, the process of making boats is genetic, that is, knowledge is attached to the father's system, not to the mother or other families such as uncles.

Why is it threatened with extinction, because not all knowledge of boat building can be followed and can be lost because of simple things, namely the measurement process, and the tools used.

The tools used such as axes, although there are other tools, and along with changes in the existence of machines that speed up the process of making boats, make the tradition even more faded.

"The genetic structure is indeed from father to son, but in one family there may be four children, but only one or two people who have the skills can continue," he said.

In addition, another supporting factor is the technology of making modern boats from fiber.

Change, said Lukas, cannot be avoided because it will definitely happen, but how is the strength to continue to preserve through the mixing process between traditional boats and modern boats.

It recommends that all research reports be made in the form of pdf and visual 3D documentation.

Along with the times, traditional boats may not be made anymore, so visual documentation of the manufacturing process and model engineering is needed as a collection material at the maritime museum, in collaboration with the Siwalima Ambon museum.