Fakfak
Encyclopedia
Fakfak (ˈfaʔfaʔ) is a city in Indonesia
and seat of the Fakfak Regency. It is served by Fakfak Airport
. It is the only town in West Papua with a Muslim
Indian and Arab Indonesian
presence.
, being bound to it.
The Sultanate later granted the Dutch colonial government
permission to settle in Papua, including in Fakfak. The Dutch began settlement in 1898. The town still has some colonial buildings
remaining from this settlement.
The Japanese 1st Detachment landed in Fakfak on April 1, 1942. The small KNIL garrison surrendered without a fight and later a small garrison of 67 men of the 24th Special Base Unit occupied the area.
Fakfak is now an isolated town, not often used for the import and export of goods.
near Tambaruni Bay. It is situated in an area with many limestone
hills, rivers and caves. As such, the streets twist and turn.
.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and seat of the Fakfak Regency. It is served by Fakfak Airport
Fakfak Airport
Fakfak Airport , also known as Fak Fak Airport, is an airport serving Fakfak, located in the province of West Papua in Indonesia.-Facilities:...
. It is the only town in West Papua with a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Indian and Arab Indonesian
Arab Indonesian
Arab Indonesians are citizens of Indonesia of Arab, mainly Hadrami, descent. Restricted under Dutch East Indies' law until 1919, the community elites later gained economic power through real estate investment and trading...
presence.
History
Historically Fakfak was a significant port town, being one of the few Papuan towns that had relations with the Sultanate of TernateTernate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....
, being bound to it.
The Sultanate later granted the Dutch colonial government
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
permission to settle in Papua, including in Fakfak. The Dutch began settlement in 1898. The town still has some colonial buildings
Colonial architecture of Indonesia
Dutch colonial architecture in Indonesia was predominantly built in Java, however, buildings from the Dutch East Indies era were built across the archipelago.-Early architecture: replicating the mother country:...
remaining from this settlement.
The Japanese 1st Detachment landed in Fakfak on April 1, 1942. The small KNIL garrison surrendered without a fight and later a small garrison of 67 men of the 24th Special Base Unit occupied the area.
Fakfak is now an isolated town, not often used for the import and export of goods.
Geography
Fakfak is located in West Papua, Indonesia, on the Bomberai PeninsulaBomberai Peninsula
Bomberai Peninsula is located on the Western New Guinea region at the opposite south of the Bird's Head Peninsula in South East Asia. To the west lies the Sebakor Bay and the south Kamrau Bay. Sabuda island lies off the western tip of the peninsula, which is separated from the mainland by Berau...
near Tambaruni Bay. It is situated in an area with many limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
hills, rivers and caves. As such, the streets twist and turn.
Demographics
Fakfak has a small community of Muslim Arab and Indian Indonesians, descended from traders who came to Papua in the 19th century; this minority population has decreased recently due to Fakfak's diminishing role as a port town. It is the only place in West Papua with such a community.Cultural identity
Due to historically being under the control of Ternate but being located in Papua, Fakfak is torn between being pro-Indonesian or supporting the Free Papua MovementFree Papua Movement
The Free Papua Movement is a militant organisation established in 1965 to encourage and effect the violent overthrow of the current governments in the Papua and West Papua provinces of Indonesia, formerly known as Irian Jaya to secede from Indonesia, and to reject economic development and...
.