WikiRempah Explores Largely Unexplored Local Knowledge from Jailolo, West Halmahera

After successfully conducting expeditions in Ternate and Tidore, WikiRempah set out for Jailolo, a region that was once part of a sultanate but remains largely unexplored. Traveling by sea for 10 hours on a ship, we not only had to navigate the conditions on the ground but also had to take care of our own health. 

WikiRempah initiative launched by Ana Ainina, Supardi Sahabu, and Sofi Solihah, funded through the Wikimedia Foundation’s Rapid Funds program and carried out in collaboration with communities supported by Wikimedia Indonesia.

Jailolo, West Halmahera, is part of an Integrated Economic Zone, which requires greater effort to unlock the knowledge held there. Fortunately, we were welcomed by representatives of the local government, specifically the Department of Education and Culture. The Department of Tourism also kindly sponsored our accommodations in the village of Bobanehena.

The lodging has a rich history, in the early days of the resort’s development, the community of Bobanehena Village worked together to build the Rappa Pelangi Resort. This resort has a unique feature, it’s located right by the sea, offering views of the bay and mountains. This is what makes Bobanehena Village a tourist destination that contributes to the revenue of South Halmahera.

Using the Wikilokal App

During our exploration in Jailolo, the team used the Wikilokal app by Affandy Murad to help identify Wikimedia content related to the surrounding area. This app uses the user’s real-time location to display Wikipedia articles and files on Wikimedia Commons.

Location detection works within a radius of up to approximately two kilometers. On certain screens, the page must be manually reloaded to update the location information and ensure the results displayed match the user’s current location.

The original purpose of Wikilokal was to introduce various Wikimedia projects to users who are not yet familiar with the Wikipedia ecosystem. Through the articles displayed, users can find links to entries on Wiktionary as well as a “show/hide” feature connected to Wikivoyage.

Thus, information that previously had to be searched for separately can now be accessed through a single interface. Wikilokal also makes it easier for users to identify missing information and add it to the relevant Wikimedia projects.

The access provided by this app aligns with the WikiRempah expedition’s goal of expanding access to local knowledge. By leveraging various Wikimedia projects, the developers aim to provide the greatest possible benefit to Wikipedia contributors worldwide.

Jailolo: An Example of Interfaith Harmony

There simply wasn’t enough time to explore even a small part of Jailolo; specifically, in the village of Lapusu, there is the Hoku Hoku Kie Church, which has stood since the 1870s. Interestingly, not far from there, a mosque stands side by side with it in peaceful harmony.

I was deeply moved to discover that this sultanate has, for thousands of years, served as a living example of religious tolerance. In one village, Muslim and Christian communities live side by side without any perceptible barriers. When a traditional ceremony is held, everyone gathers at Sasadu as one community. While religious identities remain distinct, tradition serves as a shared space that unites them.

A similar scene is also evident in the Sultanate of Jailolo. The white flag represents the Muslim community, while the red flag symbolizes the Christian community. Between the two stands the yellow flag as a symbol of tradition. Remarkably, this is a simple illustration of how differences can coexist within a shared cultural bond.

Jailolo Shares Knowledge Through Its Meaningful Hospitality

To this day, the WikiRempah team continues to expand knowledge about Jailolo by adding a variety of articles, documentation, and data from the region. Most recently, we just wrapped up a meetup with the Indonesian Wikidata Community to create and develop items, including those related to Jailolo. More details here https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Gorontalo_Community/Kopdar_Wikidata_WikiRempah/home

For us, there are still many treasures of local knowledge worth introducing to the wider public. Every journey unveils a new story, revealing just how vast the potential is for knowledge that can be shared through various Wikimedia projects.

Another thing that left the deepest impression was the hospitality of the people of Jailolo. When visiting the Jailolo Military Command, for example, we were welcomed by open-minded officials who accompanied us on our journey, engaged us in discussions, and even helped us gain access to the information we needed.

That warmth made the distance between outsiders and the local community feel almost nonexistent. That sense of openness was evident from the moment we entered the Jailolo region, as we were greeted at the gate by a sign reading, “Welcome to Jailolo, a region free of illegal tolls.”

We hope we can do even more for the people of Jailolo; it feels as though we owe a great deal to the local residents. And we will remain steadfast in the goal we have set: to make knowledge accessible throughout Eastern Indonesia.