Minahasa Youth Fight Back Against Cultural Erasure with Indigenous Journalism
In the face of environmental destruction and cultural erasure, the Minahasa people of northern Sulawesi, Indonesia, have found a voice. The Mapantik ne Kelung project management, launched in 2024 with a grant from Cultural Survival, is empowering young Minahasans to become Indigenous journalists and document their culture.
The project began with a writing workshop, resulting in Kelung's first-ever printed magazine. This collection of stories highlighted the impacts of massive gold mining operations by companies like PT Meares Soputan Mining and PT Tambang Tondano Nusajaya, which have caused destruction, disease, and displacement in the region. The project expanded to include video documentaries, amplifying the voices of the community.
The project has had a ripple effect, strengthening community networks and empowering women. It has also given young people the tools to document their culture, with plans to continue by digitizing waruga using 3D scans, training more youth, and producing more books. In 2025, the project helped local leaders repair and clean waruga and organized the Hari Kebangkitan Masyarakat Adat Nusantara event.
Despite the threats from environmental destruction and cultural erasure, the Minahasa people are reclaiming their ancestral stories and traditions. The Mapantik ne Kelung project management is not only empowering the youth but also preserving the rich culture, language, and spirituality of the Minahasa region for future generations.
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