Explore West Papua culture from the region. The location of West Papua is set in the western New Guinea island. It also includes the East of Papua New Guinea.
Meanwhile, there is another area in the west and south parts. The west part borders the Ceram Sea, and the southern border is the Arafura Sea. Let see the explanation below for further information.
Geography and Demographics
West Papua is a province with the capital city called Manokwari. This region’s motto is Cintaku Negeriku which means My Love My Country. Additionally, the emblem of this region is Cassowary.
As mentioned earlier, this region has several borders. The northern area locates the Pacific Ocean. Then, the southern area is the Banda Sea.
The east is bordered by Papua Province. Additionally, the western part is North Maluku Province. Thus, this region is in a strategic location.
West Papua Province is also a dense area. Over 50% of the total population, most are indigenous Papuans. These people come from New Guinea.
From West Papua development, we know that the ethnic groups are various too. We can find multiple tribes in this province. So, these ethnicities include the Arfat tribe, the Kuri tribe, the Doreri tribe, etc.
The people live in the mainland and lowlands. Yet, the major population lives in the lowlands or coastal areas. Meanwhile, the others settle in mountain areas.
Culinary
The diverse tribes make the culinary specialties vary as well. The most famous cuisine is papeda. The ingredients only originated from West Papua.
This dish is served as Papeda Tuna Kuah Kuning. Due to its popularity, we can call this cuisine the most popular signature dish. Therefore, it is suitable for you who are fans of seafood.
The Papeda allows people to explore West Papua culture and make them enthusiasts with local fish and shrimp. Both ingredients are locally caught and served grilled.
Aside from that, there is another food that you can explore as well. This food is sweet lontar cake. Try this menu and experience it as a great choice for the afternoon snack.
Most people prefer this lontar cake as a snack during the daytime. Some others take this meal as dessert once they have a celebration.
Land Condition and Place of Interest
From the geography, we can guess the condition of the land in this province. West Papua region forms slopes and cliffs. It makes it easy to imagine this area’s land condition.
The map shows that there are four mountainous areas and five mountains. Among them, the highest mountain is Mount Kwoko. Settled in Sorong Regency, the height is 3,000 m above sea level.
Besides, there are wonderful things that people can explore in this area. People can see beautiful lakes in this region. West Papua is worth exploring.
This region also allows you to explore its beaches. It is ideal for you who are a beach lover. Visit Cendrawasih Bay National park located in Wondama Bay Regency.
West Papua province is also known for some places of interest. Besides National Park, guests have to visit Raja Ampat Island. Located in the capital of Waisai, this island has 610 islands.
Language
This province is rich in the local language. Each tribe communicates with their language, although some regions share similar dialects. It makes it easier to interact with each other.
We may hear people apply Papuan Malay. They speak it for trading or inter-ethnic talks. For the official language, West Papuans use the Indonesian language.
Like the cuisine and places of interest, this place has numerous local languages. Through West Papua culture, we can learn about the language of native people.
