Page 7 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

MESSAGE
MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE, REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Assalamualaikum warrahmatullahi wabarakutuh

Praise and thanks to God the Almighty for His blessing and guidance that the Ministry of Education and Culture has
completed the book The Melanesian Diaspora in Indonesia: From Prehistory to the Present. Indonesians make up 8% of all
Melanesians, the rest being from Papuan New Guinea and the Pacific. Melanesia has a unique culture and a long history
in contact with Indonesia. Melanesians in Indonesia are found primarily in East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, North Maluku,
Papua and West Papua.
In commissioning this book the Ministry is hopeful that it will contribute to a wider understanding of the Melanesia
in Indonesia, and its rich cultural heritage. The Melanesians have lived with the majority Austronesian population for
millennia. During that time, the contact and interaction has been diverse and many Indonesians today share joint ancestry.
In addition, culture and language have also interacted to create the unique diversity found all across Indonesia today.
The book’s authors present a variety of perspectives on Melanesia in Indonesia, starting from the distant past and
going through important historical periods to the present. The writers look through different perspectives, archaeology,
genetics, linguistics, history, geology and culture.
The picture is one of the indivisible relationships that permeate all aspects of our lives in the present and provide a
rationale for the unity of Indonesia — its motto being unity in diversity. We very much hope that inquisitive and discerning
readers will find the book strengthen their view of Indonesia’s unity and diversity, through tolerance, building a better,
more equitable nation for all of its citizens.
We hope that you enjoy and benefit from the book.

Wassalamualaikum warrahmatullahi wabarakatuh

Prof. Dr. Muhajir Effendy, M.A.P.

Introduction 7

MELANESIA BOOK FA LAYOUT 051216.indd 7 2/10/17 2:10 PM