Koteka Tribal Assembly

History

The Koteka Tribal Assembly, or Dewan Musyawarah Masyarakat Adat Koteka (DeMMaK), is a cultural and political organization established on January 2000 by the highland tribal elders in West Papua. It was founded to protect customary laws, secure indigenous rights, and advocate for full independence from Indonesia.

Foundation and Early Goals

  • Establishment: Formed in January 2000 following assemblies of highland elders. From Source koteka.home.blog states the assembly was established on April 1999, under the direction of Sem Karoba. There’s also a note that DeMMaK was in May 2000, prior to the Papuan People’s Congress II (2000) held in Jayapura.
  • Core Mission: DeMMaK works to protect the traditional values, beliefs, and customary laws of the Koteka-wearing peoples.
  • Leadership: Sam Karoba founded the organization as its international chair, and Benny Wenda served as its field leader or the Secretary-General.
  • Tribal Makeup: Represents central and southern highland groups, identifying broadly across traditional classifications. The Koteka Tribes are claimed to consist of seven major tribes in the central and southern highlands of Papua — Lani, Mee, Amungme, Kamoro, Yali, Damal, and Moni — with sub-tribes including Nggem, Walak, Hubla, Kimyal, Momuna, and Ngalik, though the organization notes this is a foreigner-imposed classification rather than how the Koteka Tribes classify themselves.

Political Stance and the Papuan Spring

  • Papuan Spring: Active during the regional political opening around 2000–2001.
  • Rejection of Autonomy: DeMMaK rejected Indonesian special autonomy offers, holding firm to a demand for full political independence.
  • Suppression: Following shifts in Indonesian policy by 2001, leaders faced crackdowns, arrests, and exile due to their assembly activities. More details and structural updates can be found directly on the Koteka Tribal Assembly platform. Many activists from the organization involved in peaceful protests have been tortured and forced into exile, and other sources note Wenda specifically served as secretary-general until his 2003 exile and still serves as the Secretary-General of DeMMAK right now (2026).