Revive ‘Gotong Royong’ Culture (Gemohing in Lamaholot’s terms) to bring Lembata out of underdevelope

Lembata Regency has been designated as underdeveloped region by President Joko Widodo in Presidential Regulation number 63 in 2020.

We acknowledge that the poverty rate in this country is still relatively high, including Lembata region. Although Lembata will be 21 years old on 12 October. As a young generation, we certainly must continue the great efforts of Lembata warrior figures who had struggled, taken into pains to fight for Lembata to stand as a Regency until this moment.

It is not difficult to bring our region out of poverty problems. After all, our autonomous warriors used to walk for days from their village and met in Hadakewa for the sake of 7 March 1954 Statement. With all the limitations at that time, they were able to force Lembata as a regency and become known in the eyes of the world till today.

Nevertheless, we, who are currently facilitated by technological advancements and all kinds of things, are we only able to complain and shout when we see all forms of sufferings including the poverty problems?

Taman Daun Community and I have tried and keep going to bring Lembata out of underdeveloped region; one of our actions is to build a livable house for the locals, because in Lembata there are still many houses that are not decent and not even having MCK (toilets). Besides severe road infrastructure, there are still many places to live in such poor and sad condition, so it is very feasible why Lembata is designated as underdeveloped region.

Human basically has two aspects, physical aspect and spiritual aspect. Understand that one element of physical aspect is housing. When a person has a healthy and fresh home, it will affect the non-physical aspects, what meant here is consist of the mental, soul and heart of that person himself. If the environment where a person lives, in this case is a clean and decent house, he will be healthier and be able to think and act better to make ends meets.

That’s why it becomes very important to help to build a decent house because it also means to help them to get out from one problem of life that had made them drown in suffering. Because the house is a core, a fortress for a shelter and to think of life.

Actually it is not difficult, if only we could realize again the importance of the ancestral heritage of Gemohing (Communal Work) culture. Gemohing must again be seen as a valuable asset or as a high-value collective wealth, because it can be a very effective tool for us, with existing resources. One of the main factors that makes our current lifestyle farther from the sense of kinship and the culture of communal work that is faded away is because we are more and more accustomed to positioning ourselves as the object and also consider that the problems in society as the responsibility of the Government.

Therefore, I would like to call all young generations to re-elevate the Gemohing heritage by positioning ourselves as the subject and then together eliminate the poverty in Lembata. Poor people cannot only be interpreted as lack of wealth or no job, but because they are poor in action and poor in heart.

@TamanDaun