Page 254 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

Islands, and the islands of Tanimbar, Wetar and Timor sailing through the Lesser Sunda
Islands and ended up in Bali (Leirissa, 1996: 48). These shipping lanes had caused Papuan
slaves to be dispersed to various regions as far as Java as written by Van Leur. Since the
10th century, slave hunting in Papua had been known, and in Java and elsewhere, Papuan
slaves50 could be found (Kusumo, 2007: 22).
During their colonial rule, the VOC helped spread Christianity. In 1607, the VOC set
up a school in Ambon. Lessons taught were in the form of reading, writing and prayer. A
Dutchman was appointed as a teacher. In the process, some of the children of government
heads in Ambon were sent to the Dutch to study. After completing their study, they
returned to Maluku to be teachers. By the 17th century, the VOC had built 58 schools spread
across Ambon and its surrounding areas, Ternate, Makian, Bacan, with 5,271 students
(Pattikayhatu, 1993: 16). These students were in Ambon and its surrounding areas. The
schools were directly under the supervision of the VOC (Nanulaita, 1966: 15-25).
In 1681, the VOC managed to control Rote in Timor. Rote became the source of supplies
for Kupang including the supply of slaves. But the condition changed in the 18th century,
as gradually people in Rote began to embrace Christianity. Christianity was able to change
people’s social status, get freedom from slavery and the support of the VOC. The rulers of
Rote then asked the VOC to bring school teachers. In 1765, the population of Rote took
over the Malay-language schools founded by the VOC. So, since the mid-18th century,
there were many educated people in Timor, especially in Rote (Ricklefs, 2005: 101-102).
During the Dutch occupancy, many of them became employees of the Dutch. After the
VOC was disbanded, the schools were taken over by the Dutch government.
The advancement of education in Maluku and NTT during the VOC rule or after being
taken over by the Dutch government at the end of the 18th century did not occur in
Papua. Formal education did not reach the people in Papua. Papua was considered unable
to provide economic benefits. But after other European nations began to legalize their
territories in Papua, the Dutch began to think of establishing its power in Papua. In 1828,
the Dutch built a fort of Du Bus at the foot of Lamenciri Mountain on the southern coast
of Papua. Within a few months, the fort was abandoned due to many people becoming ill
(Koentjaraningrat, 1994: 47-48).
The building of a Dutch fort in Papua did not change the situation there. The slave trade
was still going on. In 1855, two Zending people from Germany arrived on Mansinam Island
in Doreh Gulf, Manokwari and began their evangelizing mission. Information from several
descendants from Maluku gospel teachers in Papua tell us that the teachers of the gospel

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