55,000
Years Ago
Early Traces of ‘Modern’ Man
According to a scientific journal published in 2024, the homo sapiens visited Raja Ampat 55,000 years ago.’ A team of archaeologists from Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia based their theory on a discovery in Mololo Cave in Waigeo Island, which then developed into two migration theories: the north and south routes (National Geographic, September 4th 2024).
15th Century
Tidore Sultanate’s Influence
The Tidore Sultanate, which originated in northern Maluku, expanded its influence into Raja Ampat and other areas along the northern and southern coasts of Papua (according to various sources).
Tidore’s and Raja Ampat’s traditions and cultures were uniquely assimilated, as seen today in the communities of the Misool Islands.
1860-1869
The Wallacea Expedition and The Malay Archipelago
The Raja Ampat islands were a focus of Alfred Russel Wallace’s expedition in 1860 (according to various sources), and were first published in “The Malay Archipelago” in 1869.
It confirmed the abundance of Raja Ampat’s biodiversity, as well as that of other areas in Indonesia.
The ‘Heart’ of the Coral Triangle
In 2002, a team of international scientists published “A Marine Rapid Assessment of the Raja Ampat Islands, Papua Province, Indonesia”.
which later became a scientific reference for the communities and stakeholders in Raja Ampat in developing MPAs and their sustainable utilisations.