To explain the origin of the name Kera Island, according to Hamdan (a community leader on Kera Island, age 61) Kera comes from the word Takera which in Solor (East Flores) means a tool for taking water (dipper/bucket/bucket), from said Takera, this was later known as Kera Island (Picture 2). Lochana (2011) writes that Monkey Island was originally an uninhabited island and was often used as a place to look for turtle eggs. This uninhabited island was named according to the language of the tribes that had searched for turtle eggs on the island. Fishermen from Rote Island call this island “Kea Island” (Kea in the Rote language means Turtle), fishermen from the Helong Tribe call “Ke Island” or “Pul Ke” (In the language of the Helong tribe it means Turtle).
The population on Monkey Island in 2022 was recorded at 92 heads of households (KK) with a total of 316 people spread across two Neighborhood Units (RT) areas, namely RT 30 and RT 31 Kera Island-Sulamu Village, Oelamasi District, Kupang Regency. The number of residents living on the island is 105 souls. The majority of Kera Island residents are Muslim (91 households) and only 1 household is a Catholic Christian.
Initially the people of Kera Island came as regular seasonal residents, but until now they have settled on the island by building semi-permanent and permanent houses. The community already feels that they belong and are comfortable living on Kera Island because their predecessors have lived since the Dutch colonial era and died on this island.
The people of Kera Island choose to live even though there are minimal facilities due to the location of the island close to fishing locations as the only means of livelihood, debt bondage with the financier (boss/tauke), the existence of the island close to Kupang City making it easier to buy their daily needs, conditions peaceful and conflict-free local community, and ease of telecommunication.
Kera Island has the potential as a tourism area in Kupang Regency, NTT Province. However, land area development efforts are still needed to increase land readiness to receive tourists. The two main programs in tourism planning on Kera Island are the construction of supporting facilities and efforts to increase the value of shelter on Kera Island. Meanwhile, to increase the value of shade or shade on the mainland of Kera Island, planting Sterculia sp. and/or other appropriate types.
The community as one of the tourism stakeholders has unique characteristics and still requires further empowerment efforts to increase readiness to play an active role in the tourism sector. The main program of community empowerment is through increasing the income of the capture fisheries and aquaculture sector and the readiness of the community to play an active role in the development of the tourism sector. Ditulis M.Taufik & An. Njata
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