How the Island Life is Going?

        

(Bontosua Island wharf // photo by Pramestiiww)

        The next destination of Modul Nusantara Kebhinekaan series landed on one island which is 28,9 km away from Makassar, South Sulawesi. After visiting Paotere Port, the Modul Nusantara journey continued to an island known as Bontosua Island. It is a 6,06 hectare island in South Sulawesi, which its territory includes in Desa Mattiro Bone, Kecamatan Pangkep. The exchange students and lecture need to cross the sea using a passenger boat from Paotere Port to get to this island. The travel time is approximately about 60 minutes.

        Arriving on the island, the students immediately greeted with a wonderful view.  Many fishermen's fishing boats moored around the wharf. Crystal clear blue water makes the coral reefs and small fish underneath clearly visible. In Bontosua Island, there were no motorcycles. The electricity is only available at night with the help of generator machine power. In the daytime, the residents use the sunlight to dry the fish as a result of fishing. Also, they use it as the source of natural light. The source of pure water is also difficult to get, there is only brackish water. If the residents want to get pure water, they need to buy it from the city.

(Photo by Pramestiiww)

        Most Bontosua people work as fishermen and they are very kind, especially the children. They welcomed the exchange students immediately after they arrived at the island wharf. Most Bontosua children are such good swimmers, even 7 years old can swim well. It is because they have contact with the sea every day; the sea has become like a friend to them.

(Bontosua Children // photo by Pramestiiww)

        This visitation gives insight to the students about how the island life is going. People live peacefully even though they live in a small place in the middle of the ocean. With limited access to electricity, water, and even access to the city center, they still live with gratitude.