The sun was scorching hot, but it did not dampen the footsteps of researchers from the Indonesian Papua Archaeological Center (05/09/23). Accompanied by residents of Ayapo Village, East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency, they climbed the hill, passing through savanna reed fields. The goal is to go to the prehistoric cave sites around Lake Sentani.

The team of archaeologists finally encountered the first small cave, followed by another large cave. A total of four caves were reached that day.

The team leader, Hari Suroto, was busy paying attention to the surface of the cave walls. Then go to ground level, and dig it. Small shards of pottery appeared, as well as a number of animal bone fragments.

“According to the story, in this cave there were two people from another village who because they violated their customs turned into stone.” Said Anis Hikinda (35), a resident of Ayapo village who accompanied him on the trip. Even during the Pacific War, these caves were used by indigenous people to hide, added Anis.

The next day, research continued in Asei Besar Village and the prehistoric site in Yomokho. Asei is the name of an island in Lake Sentani which is inhabited by various tribes. Their customary territory spreads to the mainland of Lake Sentani. Starting from Asei Kecil, Harapan Village, to the Buper area, Waena Village.

“When we cleared the land, we found seven stone axes. If you look for lots of pottery shards,” said Kori Ohee, an Asei community leader. His daily work is as a civil servant for the Jayapura Regency Tourism Office. His position is Head of the Preservation of Customs and Cultural Arts Section.

“This is the old village, where the Sentani people got married, then there was a war, we, the Ohee tribe, moved to Asei Island. Others like the Doce tribe moved to other places on Lake Sentani,” said Kori.

To the west of Lake Sentani not far from Asei, there is the Yomokho site. It is about 200 meters from Kalkhote Pier, the annual location of the Lake Sentani Festival.

From the results of excavations in Yomokho, pottery fragments, molluscs, charcoal, sago-tapping stone tools, and human bone fragments were found. “The results of the analysis of lab tests at Yomokho have had life since 2,950 years ago,” said Suroto.

Although many prehistoric sites have been found in the Lake Sentani area, experts believe there are still many places that have yet to be uncovered. Previously, archaeological research from the National Archaeological Research Center (1979) managed to record oblong axes and beads in Dobonsolo, as well as carry out surveys at the Tutari megalithic site and geological surveys along the Genyem-Sentani-Jayapura road.

In 1995, the National Archaeological Research Center continued research at the Tutari site to identify the spatial patterns and functions of the megalithic site.

Lake Sentani is located in Jayapura Regency, covering an area of 9,360 hectares. In this lake there are 21 clusters of islands spread across three regions, Central, West and East Sentani. Since ancient times this area has been seen as the ideal living area for humans, because nature supports the necessities of life.

In the book Ecology of Papua (2012) it is stated that Lake Sentani is a former bay which was cut off by tectonic leverage. On other shores the initial exposed shoreline is gradually interrupted by coral growth forming reefs and slowing wave energy, creating many lagoons. A 10 meter core sample of mud indicates the age of the lake is around 70,000 years.

The excavation findings explain that prehistoric humans depended heavily on Lake Sentani as a source of fauna and water. The findings of the sago stone tools explained that the sago forest on the edge of Lake Sentani was used as a food source.

The earthenware pots and jars found were believed to function as a place to boil water and make papeda. Mollusk shells explain that people at that time consumed lake snails.

Hari Suroto’s research in the Archaeological Research Journal of Papua and West Papua (2013) at the Yomokho site found river stones on the hillside. He estimated that this stone served as a bullet for hunting. The river stones are also evidence of human exploration at the Yomokho site which has reached rivers all the way to the Cycloop mountains.

Folklore is one of the guides for archaeologists to trace the traces of early prehistoric dwellings. In Sentani folklore, they believe that their ancestors came from Papua New Guinea.

This can be seen from the various finds of pottery artifacts at the Marweri Urang site, on Kwadeware Island (2010). This pottery has similarities with findings in Lachitu Cave and Taora Cave in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea.

“Geographically, the sea close to Lake Sentani is located in the east. It is possible that marine mollusk shells are part of the evidence of the migration of the Sentani people’s ancestors from the east. “However, further research needs to be carried out,” said Hari Suroto.

In the book Association of Communities in the Customary Authority of Jayapura Regency (2011), there is a folklore which describes the Asei people belonging to the Heram Confederation, and living in a place called Honong.

For years, they made migratory journeys while hunting and gathering until they finally arrived at the edge of Lake Sentani. This group built a settlement on the upper hill of Hebeaibhulu, before moving and settling on a hill called Yomokho.

Like other indigenous Papuan communities, the Sentani community consists of various tribes. Each has a totem as a symbol of identity, cultural, social and ecological values to protect their territory and natural resources.

In the Papua Anthropology Journal (2003), Joshz R. Mansoben, Anthropology Lecturer at Cendrawasih University explained that in the Sentani ethnic group who live around Lake Sentani there are sections that function in monitoring and exploiting natural resources.

The part in the organizational structure of traditional government in the village authority area is called phume-ameyo. A social organization that is responsible for monitoring and regulating the use of existing natural resources.

For example, to regulate the harvesting of sago, there is an official who has the authority to regulate its utilization, called fi-yo; to catch fish in the waters there is an official called buyo-kayo. To regulate and supervise the utilization of forest products there is aniyo-erayo; while officers who specifically supervise and regulate the use of game animals are called yayo.

The aim of placing various officials in such a traditional government structure is to maintain and regulate the use of natural resources in each village area of the Sentani ethnic groups.

Thus the relationship between humans and the environment is maintained. So that the natural resources contained in the environment are always well maintained and can be utilized sustainably from generation to generation.

“But this began to be disturbed since the modern government system took effect in this area at the beginning of the 20th century,” wrote Mansoben in the journal.