Legal Pluralism and the Resolution of Adultery among the Arfak Indigenous Community: The Dialectic between State Law and Customary Law

Agustinus Luturmas

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.6183

Agustinus Luturmas Fakultas Hukum, Universitas Caritas Indonesia Manokwari

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i03.6183

Keywords: Legal Pluralism; Arfak Customary Law; Adultery; Dispute Resolution; West Papua.

Abstract

This study examines the existence and effectiveness of the Arfak customary law in resolving adultery cases in Manokwari Regency, West Papua. The Arfak people regard adultery termed Niwak Cam in the Hatam language not merely as a domestic matter but as a violation of collective social order that demands resolution through customary mechanisms. The national legal system, however, often fails to accommodate the cultural and restorative justice dimensions required by indigenous communities. Using a juridical-empirical method with customary law and case approaches, data were collected through interviews with customary leaders, village heads, and academics in Manokwari over one month. Findings reveal that Arfak customary law operates through three principal actors Manir, Moskur, and Andipoi within a structured resolution process encompassing informal reporting, customary deliberation, sanction imposition, and social restoration rituals. Sanctions are collective and restorative in nature, including fines of pigs, cash, traditional goods, public apologies, and temporary social exclusion. The legal pluralism between state law and Arfak customary law is dialectical: each system fills spaces that the other cannot occupy. The study concludes that Arfak customary law remains relevant and effective because it addresses the psychological, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of conflict that formal legal procedures cannot reach.

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