Paper short abstract:

In this paper I discuss the institutionalistic/legalistic use of religion as being more prominent among Christian Papuans than it is among Muslims in West Papua (Indonesia). Christians are keen to establish a theocracy, Muslims appear more interested in producing historiographies.

Paper long abstract:

Among traditional Muslim Papuan communities along the western shores of the region, sizeable migrant communities throughout West Papua bring a distinct religious dynamic. Divisive perspectives on identity and belonging between Papuan and migrant communities tend to receive widespread attention only when they turn violent. The situation then gets portrayed in terms of a peaceful, innocent and victimised Christian Papuan minority versus a dominant and violent Islamic Indonesia supporters. Such inferences overlook the nature of the complex dynamics and historical background of Islam in Papua. In this paper I discuss the institutionalistic/legalistic use of religion as being more prominent among Christian Papuans than it is among Muslims. While many Christians are keen to identify Papua as a holy land and themselves as a Lost Tribe, Muslims appear more interested in developing religious infrastructure and producing historiographies that might establish them more clearly in between 'Indonesia' and (Christian) 'Papua'. Interestingly, the dynamics around religion and nation that I discuss all distance Papua from Melanesia as the issues are largely discussed in Indonesian nationhood terms.