MIMBAR, Vol. 33, No. 1st (June, 2017) pp 174-181 Functions of Cross-Border Economic Activities in Skouw Sae Community, Jayapura City 1LA USMAN, 2SYAFRI SAIRIN 1Balai Besar Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Kesejahteraan Sosial Jayapura, Jl. Gerilyawan No. 135 Abepura, Jayapura, 2Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Sosiohumaniora, Yogyakarta email: [email protected]; [email protected] Abstract.Cross-border economic activities are often done by people of Skouw Sae Village, Muara Tami District, Jayapura City to Wutung Village, Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. This study attempts to analyze the functions of economic activity in this community. Data were processed using qualitative analysis. The results of this study found seven functions of cross-border economic activities. First, to meet nutritional needs of the family. Second, to meet reproductive needs for family continuity. Third, to meet the needs for comfort and welfare of wife’s family. Fourth, to meet safety needs. Fifth, to meet the needs for relaxation. Sixth, to meet mobility needs. Seventh, to meet the needs for growth. It also meets the needs for activities and systems of ideas related to the fulfillment of seven needs. In conclusion, the functions of cross-border economic activities of Skouw Sae Village are to meet basic, institutional and symbolical needs of local people. Keywords: cross-border, Skouw Sae community, functions of economic activities Introduction and inhibiting factors in the process of crossing the border done by these people Activities of crossing traditional based on the fulfillment of basic, and boundaries between countries for economic, institutional and symbolical needs for the life social, political and cultural purposes are of this community. Second, it is to identify often found on the borders between African push and pull factors to cross borders countries, US-Mexico, Indonesia- Philippines, including inhibiting factors for mobility in place Indonesia-Malaysia, Indonesia-Timor Leste of origin, destination, intermediate obstacles and Papua (Indonesia)-PNG (New Guinea). affecting mobility to cross the border. Thirdly, On the border of Papua, such activities are it is to identify the functions of cross-border often done by 7 sub-ethnic groups of Papua economic activities of the people from Skouw such as Skouw and Moso sub-ethnic groups Sae village to Wutung Village of PNG and the in Muara Tami District, Jayapura City, Manem implications of these research findings on local sub-ethnic group in Arso Timur District, Walsa community development. in Waris District, Humbuluk in Senggi District, Emem in Web District, and Ndra sub-ethnic Based on Malinowski’s functionalism groups in Web District and Towe in Kerom (1944: 44), every custom functions to meet Regency, Ngalum sub-ethnic group in Bintang basic needs in order to survive. According to Regency Highlands, Muyu sub-ethnic group in Malinowski in Bohannan (1988: 277), there Boven Digul Regency and Marind-anim sub- are seven human needs, namely nutrition, ethnic group in Merauke Regency (Mansoben, reproduction, residence, comfort and 2008: 7). The mobility of people from Skouw wellbeing, safety, relaxation, movement, and Sae village to Wutung village of PNG is growth. These seven needs are necessary to commuting and circular concerning economic, maintain physical and psychological balance, cultural and social activities. which aims at maintaining life and health. The aforementioned aspects encourage Accordingly, this study attempts to cross-border activities in an organized identify internal factors consisting of driving manner that involves people, reasons, and Received: March 03, 2017, Revision: April 13, 2017, Accepted: May 19, 2017 Print ISSN: 0215-8175; Online ISSN: 2303-2499. Doi: Accredited by DIKTI. SK Kemendikbud, No.040/P/2014, valid 18-02-2014 until 18-02-2019, Indexed by DOAJ 174 LA USMAN, et al. Functions of Cross-Border Economic Activities in Skouw Sae Community, Jayapura City objectives, specific targets for participation and s ocial activities. B o th villagers also of its members, norms, activities, facilities have economic relations, similar dance and and certain functions. It also encourages the similar cultural values that according to Held use of a system of ideas based on culture, in Suparlan (1995: 37-39) are characterized belief and religion, and art, theceremony of by easily accepting and taking over elements the village community to legitimize, regulate from other more advanced culture and uniting and guide their behavior. According to Lee them with thelocal culture. (1966), themigration process is influenced by In addition, people’s mobility activities four factors, namely, push factor in the area are e ncouraged to meet b a s ic needs that of origin, pull factor in thedestination area, cann o t be met in the pla c e of origin. For inhibiting factor and apersonal factor which exam p le, demand for food f or lo n g-term includes very broad aspects. family’s nutritional needs; demand for the avai l ability of funds fo r dowry payment activities for reproduction needs for family, Research Methods clan and community continuity; demand for This research was conducted from the needs of family comfort and prosperity September 2012 to June 2013 in Skouw Sae through the provision of individual equipment Village, Jayapura City and Wutung of PNG by and families for the benefit of both families and usin g thequalitative method with research also for the payment of the head (fine) of the desi g n aimed at identifying the functions husband’s family to his wife’s family to remove of c r oss-border economic activities of this the seed of hostility between both families as village. Data were obtained using participant well as between both communities; demand observation and interviews with individuals for the fulfillment of safety needs through from both villages. Seven procedures were the procurement of beverages on Christmas adopted in this research, namely making an celebrations as well as for ritual activities in interview guide by emphasizing the life history the customary house of tangfa which aims at of informants, reviewing all data from various bringing them closer to their fellow villagers sour c es, reducing data, abstracting data and to the spirit of their ancestors; demand arranged in units and simply modifying data for the fulfillment of relaxation needs through based on problems and research, checking school vacation picnic, customary dance, gift the v alidity of data, arranging the data exchange between women in both villages, as obtained based on the themes of activities well as sports activities which aims at bringing and described descriptively. Therefore, it was their kinship closer and also for the needs of expected that accurate research results could the movement to bring two village leaders be obtained. closer in order to reduce conflict between both communities; and demand for growth needs through learning activities in the customary Proximity of Residents of Both Com- house of tangfa. munities In addition, there is also demand for Geographically, both villages are located inco m e from such economic activities for on the border of two countries separated by repairing religious buildings, holding weekly atraditional boundary in the form of Tami River reli g ious activities in the churches and and political boundary in the form of border religious activities for men, women, youths, gate of both countries. The mobility of citizens and t eenagers and children, and also for is motivated by the closeness of the kinship trea t ment at Skouw’s community health betw e en two communities, which started center, village and customary government, from the marriage of a Wutung woman and a sport activities, and customary dance activities Skouw Sae man in order to resolve a conflict every year-end. over the murder of a Skouw Sae woman. The descendants of the marriage of both villagers are called jo pa lala. The presence of Wutung Push and pull factors of cross-border resi d ents due to diseases and marriage Factors that drive mobility in the place between people of both communities in later of origin include the effect of government stage also strengthened the relationship that policy on the integration of this region with had existed previously. In addition to having the R epublic of Indonesia until before the land in their place of origin, they also have implementation of special autonomy that did prox i mity to their custo m ary leaders, so not emphasize on the economic empowerment that they are frequently invited to cultural ISSN 0215-8175 | EISSN 2303-2499 175 LA USMAN, et al. Functions of Cross-Border Economic Activities in Skouw Sae Community, Jaya... of border communities, so that they still have mobility in the place of origin. First, at the socio-economic problems until now; reduced family level, it is diffic u lt to leave a family forest area due to transmigration program member who is happened to b e sick at in East Koya drove people to do gathering home; there is no family member who can and hunting activities in more distant places; takes care of a child in school while his/her unsuccessful economic empowerment activity mother does economic activities outside the due to the ineffectiveness of the process of home; husband and wife are busy clearing mentoring and assistance of technical field dry-farming land. Second, at the community staff; lack of support from banking and level, there is someone in the village who economic institutions significantly