goodmorningpapua.com – Berau Bay in Fakfak, West Papua is known to have beautiful natural tourism potential. Yet, unfortunately, the beauty was tarnished by the garbage of masks that were thrown away carelessly.
Berau Bay is a bay in Fakfak Regency, West Papua. By European sailors, Berau Bay was called Mac Cluer Bay.
Berau Bay became known in Europe when in 1937-1938, when the Forschungsinstitut fur Kulturmorphologie of the University of Frankfurt expedition team explored the bay.
The results of the such exploration were later written by J. Röder, under the title Ergebnisse einer Probegrabung in der Höhle Dudumunir auf Arguni, Mac Cluer-Golf (Holl. West Neuguinea) (1940). This article depicts that the existence of burial cave sites, prehistoric dwelling sites and prehistoric painting sites are on karst cliffs in Berau Bay.
The archaeological sites in Berau Bay are prehistoric paintings on karst cliffs, the Patimburak Mosque, and the tomb of a mermaid on Ota Island. The Patimburak Mosque in Patimburak Village, Kokas District is an evidence to the religious tolerance of the local community.
Patimburak Mosque was built by King Pertuanan Wertuar in 1870. The architecture of this mosque is very unique because there is a combination of mosque and church forms.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted Berau Bay in Fakfak. This can be seen in the medical waste in the form of masks that are just thrown away in the waters of the bay.
This mask waste is difficult to decompose and disturbs the aquatic ecosystem of Berau Bay. In addition to disturbing the beauty of the underwater charm of Berau Bay, the mask waste also has the potential to damage coral reefs.
The environmental sustainability of Berau Bay in Fakfak is a shared responsibility. It is needed a campaign not to throw away rubbish carelessly.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prokes [health protocols] rules must keep to be obeyed, but the preservation of nature also needs to be maintained!