User:Juxlos/Agats

Agats is a town in Asmat Regency, Papua, Indonesia and the administrative center of the Asmat Regency.

History
Though Agats had been populated by the Asmat people from some time, as a largely waterfront settlement, the first non-native settlement originated in the late 1930s when a Catholic mission was established in the area, and later in 1938 the Dutch East Indies government established an outpost there. Due to the Second World War, however, the Dutch abandoned the Agats post in 1942 due to the Japanese presence.

In 1953, the Catholic mission was made permanent and the following year the Dutch government of Netherlands New Guinea established a permanent post in Agats. During this period, Asmat woodcarving became popular, with collectors, museum representatives, ethnographers and scientists visiting the area. One such person, Michael Rockefeller, disappeared after departing Agats for Southern Asmat in 1961, and was presumed dead.

On 23 November 1969, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Agats was established, with American Alphonse Sowada becoming its first bishop. The Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress (Museum Kebudayaan dan Kemajuan Asmat) was opened in Agats in 1973.

After Asmat became its own regency in 2002, Agats - being its administrative seat - saw a boost in building due to a need for government facilities and an increase of migrants, largely Bugis and Moluccans. In recent years, the wooden roads in Agats began to be replaced by concrete ones.

Geography
Agats is located on the delta of the Asewets River, in a tidal lowland area. Due to this, during high tides the water may rise up to 5 meters above sea level, resulting in the unique construction of the town in which all buildings and roads are elevated with wooden, and more recently concrete, structures.

Administratively, the urban settlement is located within the kampung of Bis Agats.

Transport
Agats is served by pioneer, government-subsidized flights from Merauke and Mimika through the nearby Ewer Airport, in addition to passenger boats to Timika and Merauke. Electric motorcycles are used for transport in the city, with an electrical charging station ran by PLN.