West Papua is one of the provinces in Indonesia rich with cultures. There are so many traditional dances, songs, and musical instruments here.
They consist of over a hundred local tribes. From there, come various artwork, like fashion and traditional houses.
However, those are not the only reasons this province is rich in cultural heritage.
Why West Papua Is Rich With Cultural Heritage
On February 17, 2023, The West Papua Culture and Tourism Office held an event to socialize the cultural heritage of this province better.
The event was held regarding The Registration and Determination of the Cultural Heritage of this province.
According to the head of the office, Ruland R. Sarwom, the cultural heritage in this province is very large.
Unfortunately, many of their cultures have not been properly socialized and officially registered. Ironically, most local residents are still unaware of how huge the West Papua cultural heritage is.
The event was carried out by the Secretary of Raja Ampat Tourism. The technical OPDs were in charge of purchasing samples of relics (as proofs of cultural heritage to be exhibited at the event) from four different districts in the province.
The districts are Manokwari, Teluk Bintuni, Wondama, and of course, Raja Ampat as well.
The purpose of this event was to gather a long list of cultural heritage that belongs to West Papua.
That way, traditions and artwork rightfully theirs will be keep safe – copyrights-wise. It will be difficult for anyone to steal cultures from them.
The Famous Festivals
West Papua has many cultural festivals. The list is long, but here are the top three (3) famous festivals:
1. The Kamoro Festival
The Kamoro Tribe holds this annual festival. Since they have their own “calendar”, it is hard to predict the exact time of this festival.
It starts with a ceremony when 20 Kamoro men dance the Cassowary Dance. They dress in cassowary-like costumes, with their bodies painted in black and white.
The Cassowary Dance tells a sad folktale about two young lovers at the girl’s father’s disapproval. Because of this, the man flees into the jungle and transforms into a cassowary bird.
2. The Asmat Festival
The Asmat Festival is the most popular, even worldwide. This festival takes several days. It begins with an art exhibition, where people can see sculptures and other artwork by the tribe.
Then there are dances and songs performed by the Asmat. Many usually wait for the auction for the most highly valued statues of the tribe.
Anticipate the Asmat Festival sometime in mid-October.
3. The Baliem Valley Festival
The Baliem Valley Festival is also the most popular. This festival is held for the first three days in early August. It shows the fighting choreography between the Dani, Lani, and Yali tribes.
It means to symbolize fertility and prosperity in the valley. These days, 40 other tribes besides the three already mentioned also participate in this festival.
The Famous Local Traditions
Although some of the local traditions are also part of the festivals, not all of them are for show and entertainment. These are the examples:
1. The Stone Burning (Bakar Batu)
This ritual is done by cooking stacked stones over a flaming pit, along with food like wild boar, fresh vegetables, and sweet potatoes.
This is how they express their gratitude to God. They gather friends and families.
2. Body Tattooing
The Moi and the Mayakh tribes are the tribes that have had this legacy for decades from their ancestors. The patterns mix geometrical shapes, dots, and circles.
The ink is a natural ingredient. There is no special ceremony open for the public for this. The reasons behind body tattooing may be varied.
There are many ways in terms of celebrating West Papua’s cultural heritage. Let’s make sure that they are officially register and fully protect.
