Hundreds of tribesmen wielding bows and spears clashed with police in the mountainous eastern part of Indonesia in early January 2025, leaving one dead in an unfolding tense confrontation. The incident also dramatized long-running conflicts between indigenous groups and the government over land rights and natural resources.
The recent confrontation had dramatically escalated from what has been decades of tensions. Reports coming in told how the tribesmen, with spears and bow-and-arrows of decorative craftsmanship passed down through generations, clashed in a charged standoff with the police. Exactly what had happened in the conflict remained uncertain, with eyewitnesses narrating the weapons being used as a symbolic act to protect their cultural identity and in desperation to save their rights.
The use of bows and spears, tools in the hunting and defence of a community, is where a peek into traditions may be well observed. The weapons, though crude compared to modern firearms, are nonetheless weighted with deep cultural value and emblematic of the tribe’s resilience.
It is not a separate case, but rather the part of continued history of indigenous resistance in Indonesia. In 2004, a tribal battle involving bows and arrows over a disputed territory in Papua left dozens injured. In 2010, the Tarakan riot broke out in East Kalimantan, stirred by ethnic tensions between the Tidung and Bugis communities; it caused a number of deaths and the displacement of thousands of people.
Conflicts generally arise over disputes in land ownership and resource control, aside from government initiatives that have been viewed as intrusions into the territories of indigenous people. Modernization and the preservation of indigenous traditions are two poles that balance delicately.
Traditional weapons are among the most palpable connections with their heritage for indigenous communities in Indonesia. The bows and spears that appear during these conflicts are much more than a form of defense-they are emblems of self-sufficiency and cultural pride.
But such communities are often in conflict with the Indonesian government. Tensions rise with each development project involving mining or destruction of their forests, for their lands have constantly been taken without proper consultation and compensation. The pattern has continued to force tribes to defend their ancestral territories, at times with violent clashes.

These disputes typically result in peace negotiations and agreements by the Indonesian government to resolve conflicts amicably. Security forces have been sent in to restore order, but often the outcome has been to further escalate, rather than reduce, tensions. Officials acknowledge the balance that needs to be achieved between economic development and preserving indigenous rights; in practice, this rarely occurs consistently.
While authorities called for restraint following clashes in January 2025, it initiated discussions with representatives of the tribes involved. Land ownership, therefore, is a question that remains open, and long-term solutions need to be systemic.
The air was thick with tension and the sharp twang of bowstrings as the clash began in the mountains of eastern Indonesia. Tribesmen, draped in traditional gear, stood their ground, faces marked with determination. Across the field, police in riot gear formed a jarring contrast, their presence a reminder of the state’s authority.
One of the tribal elders was quoted as saying, through an interpreter, “We defend what is ours. These lands carry the spirit of our ancestors.” Such sentiments denote the deep-seated emotions driving these confrontations.
These recent clashes poignantly remind that mutual understanding and respect are extremely important between indigenous communities and government authorities. Sustainable solutions need to redress the surrogate causes of these tensions, without breaking the cultural heritage of Indonesia’s tribes.