Research on Indonesia's borders has tended to focus on international borders. In contrast, studies of internal borders are less common. I combine archival data and oral histories to examine how the border communities of Elpaputih baai on Seram Island, regions with the worst border conflicts, have survived Indonesia's post-colonial and post-reform administrative changes. I show how these changes have divided the communities and revived collective memories of the tsunami-induced village reorganisation of 1899. I also show how these disputes have exacerbated identity conflicts, with some groups seeking recognition of their customary lands and linking their interpretations of Indonesian independence and reform to the disaster within a Christian framework. In response, they adopt multiple identities, move to remote forest areas, and continue to cultivate collective memory through the customary system. I argue, therefore, that border studies should extend to how local communities maintain and transform their collective memories and survival strategies.