Goats feeding on paper and rags may be a strange sight for some. The practice is commonplace on Bungin Island.



People have no other choice for grazing for their animals, as no grass or vegetation can grow on the densely populated coral islet in Sumbawa regency.



The unusual story of paper-foraging goats ' and a unique coral expansion project to build an ever-extending island ' have transformed Bungin into one of Sumbawa's not-to-be-missed tourist spots.



'You must be interested to go there because of goats eating paper, right? Only Bungin will let you witness it and make you believe it,' Supardi, who works at the ferry terminal in nearby Alas, said.



Bungin Island is located to the north, about 70-kilometers west of Sumbawa Besar, the regency's capital, or about five hours away by ferry from Mataram, the provincial capital.



Upon arriving in Alas, visitors can see Bungin Island just 15 minutes and 4 kilometers away by boat. Fares typically run from Rp 3,000 (26 US cents) to Rp 5,000.



'Goats are consuming paper and rags here because there's no grass,' said Roni, 8, who shows visitors how local livestock forages.



Houses on stilts stand close to one another across the whole island, showing just how crowded Bungin is. According to the village office, the island has 3,126 residents comprising 723 families.



'This may be the only densely populated islet with an ever expanding area,' Bungin village head Sophian told The Jakarta Post.



He's not joking about how the island is growing. The total area of Bungin has increased from 6 hectares in 2002 to around 8.5 hectares today due to the coral planting program, which has its origins in the island's overcrowding ' and a unique wedding tradition.



'Based on our customs, young couples wishing to get married are obliged to build their own plots for their houses, by collecting coral to be piled up on outer edges of the island, causing the area to expand,' Sophian said.



Each plot is required to measure 6 meters by 12 meters. 'Usually it takes three to seven months to build one plot. As the rule has been applied through generations, people can wed only after their locations are ready,' Sophian said.



The custom is not seen as a burden, he adds, as the coral for land reclamation is gathered collectively.



Although the Sumbawa office of the National Land Affairs Agency measures the area of the island every five years, no one on Bungin has a land certificate. 'As the land is made up of coral built by residents, the islanders only possess land title documents issued by the village office,' Sophian said.



People on the island, most of who work as fishermen, are of Bajo or Bugis descent from South Sulawesi. According to local legend, Bungin originally covered only 3 hectares of coral terrain.



The first residents reached the island aboard the ships of Mayo, a military leader and warrior from South Sulawesi, when he was cornered by Dutch colonizers in 1818.



'People speak Bajo here instead of the regional tongue of Sumbawa,' Sophian said. Despite a dependence on fishing, the people on the island show no signs of poverty, as is often noticeable in the other fishermen's settlements in West Nusa Tenggara.



Nearly every family has an assortment of electronic appliances, including television sets with parabolic antennas and Playstations for children. Daily expenses, however, are relatively higher here than in other parts of the province, as rice and other basic necessities must be shipped in.



'Our husbands go fishing, sometimes for three months,' said one woman, Hasnah, 35. 'We just make some money to cover expenses.' Along with other housewives, she gathers fish and mollusks for sale, earning as much as Rp 30,000 a day.



The fishermen use modern equipment and large vessels, sailing as far as Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara and Maluku. They are also known for hunting lobsters, which means that they can build houses, send their children to school and even make the haj pilgrimages.



Infrastructure on Bungin has also improved. There's enough electricity and drinking water to meet local needs, as well as two primary schools, a junior high school and an auxiliary public health clinic ' all built on plots made by residents.



While expecting government assistance to build a senior high school for the island, residents have built a bridge to connect Bungin with Alas, making the island also accessible by land.



The chairman of the provincial tourism promotion agency, Awanadhi Aswinabawa, said that Bungin might grow into a major tourist destination for Sumbawa with a little work, such as by developing tours with travel agents based in Lombok.



'With the Sumbawa administration, we're trying to develop cultural tourism on the island with the home-stay concept, allowing tourists to mingle with locals by staying and interacting with them,' Awanadhi said.



There will also be time to watch the goats eat.



'Two to three domestic and foreign tourist groups come here every month,' Makassau, the chief of Bungin hamlet, said. 'They're fond of seeing the paper eaters.'

Despite the growth and development, one thing has not changed on the island: While every house has a bathroom, none have toilets with plumbing, as commodes simply drain into the sea.



'Don't worry,' Makassau says. 'We've built a public toilet near the terminal for our guests.'



' Photos By JP/Panca Nugraha