Since 2003, Papua, previously Irian Jaya, has been divided into two provinces: Papua in the east region and West Papua in the west. There are numerous tribes in Papua and West Papua, and Asmat is one of the most well-known tribes due to its artistic products in sculpture and carvings. However, Asmat tribe also shares more to learn. Get informed with what makes them unique below!
The History of Asmat Tribe
Since 1904, Asmat had been coming into view. It was all started as the history notes that back in 1770, James Cook and his crew came to a bay Asmat regions. A hundred black men in red, black, and white makeup suddenly approached them in canoe boats. It resulted in a difficult fight between them.
A few centuries later, specifically on 10 October 1904, a ship landed on the southwest shore of Irian Jaya, namely SS Flamingo. Again, like what had occurred during James Cook’s pullover, a hundred black men in canoes came to approach. Luckily, it didn’t end in a fight but fair communication. By using sign language, they even managed to exchange some goods. Hence, the contact became the first gateway of Asmat tribe discovery.
Since the expedition of SS Flamingo to the region, people kept coming there, which was soon popularly known as Asmat. The history also mentions numerous expeditions, including one managed by Hendrik A. Lorentz, a Dutchman, visiting the area from 1907 to 1909 and another led by A. F. R. Wollaston, a British 1912 to 1913.
Tradition and Rituals
Asmat people uphold the tradition and rituals mostly to respect the spirit of their ancestors. The following elaboration discusses two of them: the funerals and Bis ceremony.
The Funerals
The people in Asmat tribe believed that death resulted from evil acts from either magical or physical force unless coming to those who were too old or too young. They devoted their ancestors’ spirit represented in spectacular wood carvings on canoes, shields, or wood poles.
The dead body was placed on “para” or bamboo webbing and left rotten away from the village. After a certain period of time, the bones were collected and kept on trees. These people believed that the dead spirits (bi) were still in the village, especially once manifested into “mbis”, a 5 to 8 meters high wooden statue. Alternatively, the dead were positioned in a canoe, along with sago and caterpillars, then sent through a river to the last stand of the spirits.
Today the ritual has been influenced, and Asmat people bury the dead along with his heirloom. In general, they don’t have a public funeral as instead they normally bury them in the wood, by a river or within the tall grass without any tombstone. What makes it interesting is that wherever the dead are buried, the family can find it.
Bis Ceremony
Bis ceremony, one of the most important rituals for Asmat tribe, used to commemorate the dead family member and the death must be revenged. The making process of “bis”, the statue depicting the ancestor’s spirit or the dead family member, took 6 to 8 weeks in their longhouse (bujang). One stands on another’s shoulder level, and the most prominent figure is on top. It is given colors and accessories then placed on a stage installed in the longhouse.
During the process, women weren’t allowed to enter and “papis” (the act of exchanging wives) might occur on “perang-perangan” ceremony in the afternoons.
“Perang-perangan” ceremony was initially meant to expel the evil spirits where the women had the chance to hit the men they hated. Today clan wars no longer exist, so the ceremony is now organized when there is a disaster or limited necessities. They believe that it is due to the spirits of the dead who haven’t been sent to their last stand on an island after Sirets river.
People of Asmat
Asmat people share unique physical characteristics. They are commonly black, and their hair is curly. They make a tall-built posture. Generally, the women are 162 cm high, and the men are 172 cm high.
The people living in Asmat are certainly close to nature as they believe they are part of it. Consequently, they put a high respect toward nature by taking care and maintaining its wellness. The trees growing around them are believed as their portrait. The tree trunk is symbolized as their hand; the fruit is defined as their head; and the root means their leg.
The people of Asmat are popularly recognized not only for their sculptures and carvings but also for their makeup. They use natural pigments to color the parts of the body. To gain red color, they simply need red ground or laterite. The white color is made from mashed seashells, while the black one is from mashed charcoal. To put on the makeup, they mix these colors with water and apply them to their skin.
Interesting to learn, isn’t it? Explore more about the tribes in Papua and West Papua, and be amazed at the diversity of Indonesia.
