FORCED MIGRATION, ADAT, AND A PURIFIED PRESENT IN AMBON, INDONESIA

Abstract

On the Indonesian island of Ambon, the revitalization of adat (customary land tenure) is shaped by a post-conflict dynamic aiming to induce a reconciliation between distrustful Christians and Muslims. This resurgence of adat reflects how indigenous communities cope with spatial relocation resulting from interreligious violence. Resettled indigenous communities in Ambon can be termed “communities in exile,” as people express feelings of territorial alienation and wish to return to the home village where they possess genealogical ties to the land. The desire to return expresses an urge to instate a renewed and purified adat order, where segregation by religion has been overcome.