Rhidian Yasminta Wasaraka, is a Papuan – Javanese woman, born in Manokwari, West Papua. Having spent her childhood on the edge of a beautiful forest behind her house, Dian considers nature to be a part of her. Being close to nature since her childhood, she has worked to save the environment since 1998, as a radio announcer, volunteer, and professional for local and international NGOs.

Her success in mobilizing parties is shown through the success of the Cycloop Festival 1 and 2 which were held with the hashtag #it’sparty’scampaign. This movement invites all parties to take part in protecting the Cycloop Mountains.

After completing her Bachelor in Communications and Masters in Anthropology in Jayapura, this mother of two has also been a blogger and a photographer who raises many issues of environment and humanity in her photos. Dian’s photographs have even been exhibited in the Uncen Loka Budaya Museum in 2005 and 2019, and as far as Germany, to raise scholarship funds for children in Waropen Atas-Papua.

Dian is one of the very few people in the world who has researched and studied the culture of the Korowai tribe or “tree house people”. In 2018, Dian published a book which was the product of fifteen years of her research in Korowai. The book entitled “Mighty Women – Learning the Practices of Equality in the Culture of the Korowai Tribe” tells the story of the Korowai tribe’s culture which highly values an equal relationship between humans and nature, and men and women. She also raises and advocates for some development issues that may not be promoted in local discourse.