Page 219 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

early humans. The map describes the cave locations in Indonesia which are known to have
been used by early humans in Indonesia.
The ancestors of the Melanesians most likely inhabited limestone caves. A limestone
cave can be formed in a number of ways. However, the most common is formation due to
dissolution by water in the cracks of carbonate rocks. These cracks lead to the formation
of underground rivers where the process of enlarging the size of the cave becomes faster
because of the process of erosion by the underground river flow. If there is a lifting process
or endogen, then the hole of this underground river will be revealed close to the surface
and a long but inter-connected cave is formed.
After early humans had been inhabiting caves for some time, they found out how
to make shelters from materials available in the forest, such as wood and leaves for the
supporting wall and the roof. In the early stages of shelter construction, people relied on
readily available natural materials such as wood, stones and soil. Different environments
produced different materials and this would be reflected in different types of structures.
More permanent materials like stones and soil were eventually used for the walls. Modern
building still uses these natural materials for house construction.

Water
The Indonesian archipelago has quite a high rainfall but not all parts have abundant rainfall.
There are still many places, due to topographical and morphological conditions, which
have the possibility of having quite high water availability. The areas with island geography
will have a very wet climate which will fulfill human needs for water and affect soil fertility.
Water available on the surface is the easiest water to get. However, most water on the
surface, especially water in rivers, is less-clear. This surface water is used for daily living.

Natural Disasters
Earthquakes and Other Disasters
Abundant water may also produce flooding in flat areas and landslides in hilly or
mountainous areas. The choice of location to inhabit for migrating groups is critical.
Indonesia has many active volcanoes, in particular in the southern part of Indonesia in
Sumatra and Java, and in part of the Banda Arc. Volcanoes are not only disasters, but also
are important in creating fertile environments which are very good for farming. Volcanoes,
therefore, can be something that may both attract or repel potential settlers.

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