"Mama Lima"; The significance of women’s role in protecting nature, nurture, and culture in Banda Islands

The historiography of Banda has paid little attention to the existence women. Stories involving women are mainly about romance, family, and suffering. In reality, “Mama Lima” (groups five women) is very strong in tradition (adat). They carriers knowledge tradition, a consequence matriarchy. determine content implementation adat ceremonies like Buka kampong, forming set social norms customary law community. Mama Lima groups living example throughout ages who have played significant role welfare, environment, religion, spiritualism, education, nature. This article discusses position from its colonization 1609: defending their land, customs, descendants, this day. results show that been practising gender equality for centuries, passing functions on younger generation, become an all Bandanese today.