Abstract
Raijua Island is a unique area of Indonesia, both in terms of its remoteness and its extremely minimal precipitation. A previous ethnographic study reported that the inhabitants have developed a subsistence dependent on the drought-resistant Borassus palm. The present study explored how people in the village of Kolorae, Raijua Island, survive during the dry season. It assessed household-level livelihood, energy intake, daily activities, and social relations, in an effort to understand dietary and behavioral patterns. Dietary intake of energy and proteins were far below the international average, and malnutrition was prevalent. Major sources of energy included palm sugar (harvested during the dry season), and products of seasonal agriculture (harvested during the wet season); rice was also provided via a governmental aid program. Palm sugar and crops were frequently shared among the community, to provide for vulnerable people (e.g., the elderly), but rice and remittance money were usually not shared with others. Although support from outside the island is likely to be necessary in the future, residents of the village of Kolorae use two main survival strategies as safety nets: (1) production of palm sugar during the dry season and crops during the wet season; and (2) reciprocal food-sharing relationships.
