West Papua is an Indonesian province located at the western tip of the island of Papua. Its territory includes the Bomberai Peninsula, Bomberai, Wondiwoi, and the Raja Ampat Islands. The provincial capital is located in Manokwari with the largest city in Sorong. This province which consists of various ethnic groups has various types of West Papua traditional games and is played by children.
7 West Papua Traditional Games
Unfortunately, currently the millennial generation in big cities prefers to play gadgets or online games. Even though the traditional life of West Papua and the series of games are no less exciting. Here’s West Papua traditional game that almost extinct
1. Hawam
Hawam is a term to refer to a traditional game in the form of javelin throwing typical of the Bahamas ethnic group, Fakfak Regency, West Papua Province. What is meant by hawam is a traditional game that aims to train dexterity and skills in throwing a javelin (a piece of wood approximately 2 meters long with a pointed tip). The target of the throw is a soft tree trunk, usually a banana tree trunk.
2. Korkouria
Korkouria is a term to refer to a traditional game in the form of a swing typical of the Bahamas ethnic group, Fakfak Regency, West Papua Province. This is a traditional game that aims to train dexterity and courage by swinging in the air using forest ropes (vines that usually propagate on trees). The traditional game of korkouria is usually done by choosing a challenging play location, for example in a place where there is a steep cliff on the edge of a river or sea, so that if the rope used for swinging breaks, the player will freely plunge into the water.
3. Mengget
Mengget is an archery dexterity game using arrows from sticks and soft banana tree trunks as targets. The player who shoots a large number of arrows will be the winner. This West Papua traditional game originated from Sausapor, Tambrauw, West Papua.
4. West Papua Traditional Games Name Aret
Aret is a traditional children’s game from Ayamaru, Ayamaru, Maybrat, West Papua. Played by local boys when they were teenagers. This game is made to train children when it’s time for them to go hunting in the forest. The movements in the game show how to throw a wooden spear to hit the target correctly.
5. Pampampum
Pampampum is a game played in shallow seas to bring down the opposing team. One team in this game has two people. They will compete with other teams. This game is held in shallow seas. In this game, the smaller child climbs on the shoulders of the larger partner. They then tried to knock the other team into the water.
6. Secha Vabi
Secha Vabi (secha hoo) is a type of children’s game that also functions to train children’s skills and agility in dealing with hunting and traditional war activities. This type of game is found in the city of Sorong, Maybrat Regency, Sorong Regency, and South Sorong Regency. To play this game, two pieces of equipment are needed, namely a piece of soft wood (lombo) and a banana stem. Later the banana stem becomes a target to be stabbed with wood
7. West Papua Traditional Games, Talo Sibye Bien
The talo sibye yen game (playing rope) is a type of game found in the Sorong area including Sorong City, Maybrat Regency, Sorong Regency, South Sorong Regency, and Tambraw Regency. This game is played by a young couple who are accompanied by their respective parents. Each parent sits behind their children, either a boy or a girl. The procedure for this game is about the agility of the fingers to insert their fingers into the slit of the rope that has been rotated which will later form a certain motif.
Those are 7 West Papua traditional games that are almost extinct. Interested to try?
