FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RACI Sponsors Silamakama Documentary Exploring The Front Lines of Conflict Between Livelihoods and Conservation
WASHINGTON, DC – Nov 30, 2009 – For those who haven’t yet experienced Indonesia’s breathtaking Bunaken National Marine Park (BNMP), Simalakama brings to you the stories and images from within a marine protected area (MPA) world famous for its’ traditional culture and biodiversity.
Seen through the eyes of five members of the community living within the marine park, this compelling film objectively explores the charged tension between conservation and economy in the lives of local residents. The film will be available in a variety of lengths, including:
Traditional feature length (90 minutes)
TV/broadcast length (48 minutes)
Web-accessible short film (18 minutes)
Free preview vignettes (3 minutes)
As RACI enjoys close ties with community leaders within BNMP through programs developed in concert with RACI:Indonesia, our endorsement of the documentary will make operations smoother while shooting. On the strength of clear channels of communication and community cooperation, the production team is set to hit the ground running when it begins shooting in May 2010. In terms of both production value and distribution strategy, Silamakama will be cutting edge while it remains a model of efficiency– the production team will optimize marketability with minimize cost.
Established in 1991, BNMP is today an internationally recognized, co-management model for MPA management. The management structure of this park is unique in that the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the local, provincial, and national government in conjunction with tour operators and community representatives.
The park encompasses five islands – each with its own vibrant culture – and boasts extraordinary marine bio-diversity. More than 20,000 people live in the terrestrial component of the park, which actually accounts for a scant 3% of the total park area.
Entrance fees – the collection of which Indonesia requires in all of its parks – represent the single most significant supplement of park operational costs. Visitors drawn to BNMP each year to dive and snorkel in its gin clear waters pay the entrance fee from the dive operation or resort directly to a member of the community. While not perfect – and certainly not without its bumps in the road – this system has thus far proven more successful than most in underpinning conservation management efforts in other MPAs.
RACI’s interest in the people of BNMP stems from its commitment to the empowerment of local residents in the marine park to provide new ecotourism markets to expand livelihood opportunities. As BNMP has shown, community buy in is critical to the continued preservation of fragile ecosystems.
Through Silamakama, RACI will introduce to a global audience the untold stories of five local stakeholders who unwittingly find themselves on the front lines of the conflict between conservation and economic development in a remote corner of Indonesia.
For more information please visit www.simalakama.com.
About RACI:
Reef Artisan Collaborative International (RACI), a Washington, D.C. based non-profit, was founded in 2008. The organization customizes development strategies to empower alternative livelihood opportunities through cultural exchange within Marine Protected Areas throughout the world. Working alongside Reef Artisan Collaborative of Indonesia as development practitioners within the community of Bunaken National Marine Park, we have co-developed a series of initiatives to launch in May 2010.
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