IJSKP 2026 – Navigating Nature: Traditional Maritime Knowledge

On 6 March 2026, Webinar 4 of the International Junior SeaKeepers Program (IJSKP) 2026 brought together participants from across the South Pacific and Asia for an engaging session on traditional maritime knowledge from Bintan , Indonesia . The webinar featured Indonesian ecotourism lecturer, filmmaker, and environmental advocate N. Asti Lalasati, founder of Bintan Batutor and a champion of the Orang Laut, the sea people of Bintan Island, Indonesia.

During the session, Asti shared fascinating insights into the rich maritime traditions of Bintan in the Riau Islands Province, part of Indonesia’s vast archipelagic nation of more than 17,000 islands. She explained how local communities have navigated the seas for generations using only natural signs such as star constellations, wind directions, phases of the moon, and cloud formations, without relying on modern navigation instruments. Participants also learned about the four monsoon winds that shape Bintan’s seasonal patterns and influence fishing and sailing activities throughout the year.

Asti highlighted the deep historical and cultural maritime connections between Bintan and Singapore, which once shared the same monarch and served as important regional trading hubs over 200 years ago. The webinar concluded with an interactive Kahoot quiz, allowing participants to test their knowledge of Bintan’s geography and traditional navigation practices in a fun and engaging way.