Mansinam Island is an area of 410.97 ha located in the Gulf Doreh, south of Manokwari regency, West Papua Province, Indonesia. Around 154 years ago, precisely on February 5, 1855, two German evangelist, CW Ottow and Johann Gottlob Geissler, set foot for the first time in Mansinam Island.
Beauty of Masinam beach
According to records, the two missionaries arrived on the island Mansinam, after going through a very long journey. By using the Abel Tasman ship, they sailed into the ocean across the cape of Harapan, Batavia, Makassar, Ternate, and finally arrived at the island Mansinam in 1855. Since the arrival, Mansinam Island became an important point for evangelism in Papua. On this island, for the first time people of Papua are embrace Christianity. The first church in Papua, the Church of Pengharapan (Crack der Hopen), also built on this island. The church built in 1864 until now still maintained the authenticity of its architecture.
Memorial inscription of Masinam island
Not just a starting point for the spread of Christianity, also became Mansinam Island beginning of the entry of a formal education in Papua. Presence C.W. Ottow with his wife, a daughter of Papua has a school for the first time in 1857. In that year, Mrs. Ottow opened girls’ school in Kwawi (Manokwari), by using one of the rooms in his house as a class. Until now, various historical relics of the introduction of Christianity in the land of Papua on the island there are still in Mansinam. Once entered Mansinam Island, visitors will be greeted with a memorial inscription of the cross with a height several feet. This memorial surrounded by a locked fence. But visitors can ask the caretaker to unlock the fence. Besides the memorial, the inscription of the cross is also intended as a tourist attraction. In addition, there are many more spread the remnants other Christian religions.