IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/forpol/v172y2025ics1389934125000036.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The fall of the kings: Power relations and dynamics in Papua's indigenous community in forest resource management

Author

Listed:
  • Ungirwalu, Antoni
  • Mansoben, J.R.
  • Runtuboi, Yubelince Y.
  • Fatem, Sepus M.
  • Peday, Mariana H.
  • Marwa, Jonni
  • Maryudi, Ahmad

Abstract

Tribal leaders in Papua had been positioned as both cultural symbols and real decision-making leaders, but they have lost their power over natural resource management and forests. Using the case of nutmeg management by the tribal Baham-Matta community, we present changes in the power constellations within the local social structures, in which the Kings (Patuans), the highest tribal leaders, have increasingly been unable to rule their people. In this research, we mainly employed the theoretical framework of Actor-centered Power, complemented by the Sequential Power Analysis approach, centered on historical timelines to better grasp the power contestation over time. We found that the Patuans have lost their key power sources/elements, a blend of dominant information, incentives/disincentives, and coercion stemming from the culturally entrenched beliefs held about their spiritual strengths, knowledge and skills in natural resource management and monopolistic contacts with traders. At the same time, community members have gained new power by accessing direct contacts with external traders, enabling them to act according to their own will. The change in the power configuration regarding nutmeg management has been driven by changes in the broader structural (external) context. Specifically, we argue that the introduction of new tenure and administration systems by the state created new social and power relations within the tribal community. The current tenure reform initiatives such as social forestry policies need to consider traditional systems such as nutmeg management, which constitute a key source of livelihood for the tribal community.

Suggested Citation

  • Ungirwalu, Antoni & Mansoben, J.R. & Runtuboi, Yubelince Y. & Fatem, Sepus M. & Peday, Mariana H. & Marwa, Jonni & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2025. "The fall of the kings: Power relations and dynamics in Papua's indigenous community in forest resource management," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:172:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125000036
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103424
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934125000036
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103424?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Agrawal, Arun & Gibson, Clark C., 1999. "Enchantment and Disenchantment: The Role of Community in Natural Resource Conservation," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 629-649, April.
    2. Nygren, Anja, 2005. "Community-based forest management within the context of institutional decentralization in Honduras," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 639-655, April.
    3. Sopaheluwakan, William R.I. & Fatem, Sepus M. & Kutanegara, Pande M. & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2023. "Two-decade decentralization and recognition of customary forest rights: Cases from special autonomy policy in West Papua, Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    4. Rogelja, Todora & Shannon, Margaret A., 2017. "Structural power in Serbian anti-corruption forest policy network," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 52-60.
    5. Kumeh, Eric Mensah & Kyereh, Boateng & Birkenberg, Athena & Birner, Regina, 2021. "Customary power, farmer strategies and the dynamics of access to protected forestlands for farming: Implications for Ghana's forest bioeconomy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    6. Ongolo, Symphorien & Giessen, Lukas & Karsenty, Alain & Tchamba, Martin & Krott, Max, 2021. "Forestland policies and politics in Africa: Recent evidence and new challenges," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    7. Rahman, Md Saifur & Sadath, Md. Nazmus & Giessen, Lukas, 2016. "Foreign donors driving policy change in recipient countries: Three decades of development aid towards community-based forest policy in Bangladesh," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 39-53.
    8. Krott, Max & Bader, Axel & Schusser, Carsten & Devkota, Rosan & Maryudi, Ahmad & Giessen, Lukas & Aurenhammer, Helene, 2014. "Actor-centred power: The driving force in decentralised community based forest governance," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 34-42.
    9. Schusser, Carsten & Krott, Max & Yufanyi Movuh, Mbolo C. & Logmani, Jacqueline & Devkota, Rosan R. & Maryudi, Ahamad & Salla, Manjola & Bach, Ngo Duy, 2015. "Powerful stakeholders as drivers of community forestry — Results of an international study," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 92-101.
    10. Maryudi, Ahmad & Citraningtyas, Erlita R. & Purwanto, Ris H. & Sadono, Ronggo & Suryanto, Priyono & Riyanto, Slamet & Siswoko, Bowo D., 2016. "The emerging power of peasant farmers in the tenurial conflicts over the uses of state forestland in Central Java, Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 70-75.
    11. Nkemnyi, Mbunya Francis & De Herdt, Tom & Chuyong, George B. & Vanwing, Tom, 2016. "Reconstituting the role of indigenous structures in protected forest management in Cameroon," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 45-51.
    12. Prabowo, Doni & Maryudi, Ahmad & Imron, Muhammad A. & Senawi,, 2016. "Enhancing the application of Krott et al.'s (2014) Actor-Centred Power (ACP): The importance of understanding the effect of changes in polity for the measurement of power dynamics over time," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 184-186.
    13. Gellert, Paul K., 2005. "The Shifting Natures of "Development": Growth, Crisis, and Recovery in Indonesia's Forests," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1345-1364, August.
    14. Sahide, Muhammad Alif K. & Fisher, Micah R. & Erbaugh, J.T. & Intarini, Dian & Dharmiasih, Wiwik & Makmur, Muliadi & Faturachmat, Fatwa & Verheijen, Bart & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2020. "The boom of social forestry policy and the bust of social forests in Indonesia: Developing and applying an access-exclusion framework to assess policy outcomes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    15. Fatem, Sepus M. & Awang, San A. & Pudyatmoko, Satyawan & Sahide, Muhammad A.K. & Pratama, Andita A. & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2018. "Camouflaging economic development agendas with forest conservation narratives: A strategy of lower governments for gaining authority in the re-centralising Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 699-710.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sackey, Ransford & Brobbey, Lawrence Kwabena & Kumeh, Eric Mensah & Ameyaw, Joana Akua Serwaa, 2025. "Environmentality and the making of compliant subjects: Insights from collaborative forest management innovations in Southwestern Ghana," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Do, Nhinh Thi & Casse, Thorkil & Ton, Ta Viet, 2025. "Actor-centered power and forest governance: Can a conceptual framework help us understand the conflict in managing national parks in Vietnam?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rahman, Md Saifur & Sarker, Pradip Kumar & Sadath, Md. Nazmus & Giessen, Lukas, 2018. "Policy changes resulting in power changes? Quantitative evidence from 25 years of forest policy development in Bangladesh," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 419-431.
    2. Zhao, Jiacheng & Zhang, Pei & Tian, Feng & Shi, Weiping, 2025. "Enhancing actor-centered power theory through actor typology: Insights from community-based conservation in China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    3. Fatem, Sepus M. & Awang, San A. & Pudyatmoko, Satyawan & Sahide, Muhammad A.K. & Pratama, Andita A. & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2018. "Camouflaging economic development agendas with forest conservation narratives: A strategy of lower governments for gaining authority in the re-centralising Indonesia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 699-710.
    4. Lukas Giessen & Pradip Kumar Sarker & Md Saifur Rahman, 2016. "International and Domestic Sustainable Forest Management Policies: Distributive Effects on Power among State Agencies in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-28, April.
    5. Prabowo, Doni & Maryudi, Ahmad & Senawi, & Imron, Muhammad A., 2017. "Conversion of forests into oil palm plantations in West Kalimantan, Indonesia: Insights from actors' power and its dynamics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 32-39.
    6. Kleinschmit, Daniela & Böcher, Michael & Giessen, Lukas, 2016. "Forest Policy Analysis: Advancing the analytical approach," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 1-6.
    7. Stanzel, Jens & Krott, Max & Schusser, Carsten, 2020. "Power alliances for biodiversity—Results of an international study on community forestry," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Wang, Weiye & Zhai, Daye & Li, Xinyang & Fang, Haowen & Yang, Yuanyuan, 2024. "Conflicts in mangrove protected areas through the actor-centred power framework - Insights from China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    9. Trejos, Bernardo & Flores, Juan Carlos, 2021. "Influence of property rights on performance of community-based forest devolution policies in Honduras," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    10. Kumeh, Eric Mensah, 2023. "Contestations, counteractions and equitable conservation – a case study of Ghana's Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Nantongo, Mary & Vatn, Arild & Vedeld, Paul, 2019. "All that glitters is not gold; Power and participation in processes and structures of implementing REDD+ in Kondoa, Tanzania," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 44-54.
    12. Singer, Benjamin & Giessen, Lukas, 2017. "Towards a donut regime? Domestic actors, climatization, and the hollowing-out of the international forests regime in the Anthropocene," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 69-79.
    13. Brodrechtova, Yvonne, 2024. "Assessing actor power in the trade-offs between ecosystem services affecting forest management – A case study from Central Slovakia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    14. Ba, Feng & Li, Xiaoyun & Zhang, Yao & Shi, Weiping & Zhang, Pei, 2023. "How human-elephant relations are shaped: A case study of integrative governance process in Xishuangbanna, China," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    15. Ba, Feng & Liu, Jinlong & Zhu, Ting & Liu, Yonggong & Zhao, Jiacheng, 2020. "CDM forest carbon sequestration projects in western China: An analysis using actor-centered power theory," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    16. Susanti, Ari & Maryudi, Ahmad, 2016. "Development narratives, notions of forest crisis, and boom of oil palm plantations in Indonesia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 130-139.
    17. Sahide, Muhammad Alif K. & Maryudi, Ahmad & Supratman, Supratman & Giessen, Lukas, 2016. "Is Indonesia utilising its international partners? The driving forces behind Forest Management Units," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 11-20.
    18. Sahide, Muhammad Alif K. & Fisher, Micah R. & Supratman, Supratman & Yusran, Yusran & Pratama, Andita A. & Maryudi, Ahmad & Runtubei, Yubelince & Sabar, Adrayanti & Verheijen, Bart & Wong, Grace Y. & , 2020. "Prophets and profits in Indonesia's social forestry partnership schemes: Introducing a sequential power analysis," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    19. Rahman, Md Saifur & Miah, Sohag & Giessen, Lukas, 2018. "A new model of development coalition building: USAID achieving legitimate access and dominant information in Bangladesh’s forest policy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 248-261.
    20. Schusser, Carsten, 2013. "Who determines biodiversity? An analysis of actors' power and interests in community forestry in Namibia," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 42-51.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:172:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125000036. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/forpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.