Basically, talking about all the unique traditions in the land of Papua is indeed endless. From Sorong to Merauke, there are many traditions that are interesting to explore. One of them is probably khombow. It is a tree bark painting tradition that comes from Asei Pulau Village, East Sentani, Jayapura.
Usually, people use canvas as the medium of painting. But, it is not the case for the people of Asei Pulau. Instead of using canvas, a khombow painting from Papua uses tree bark as its medium. This is one of the cultural heritages from Papua that needs to be protected and preserved.
The Making Process of Khombow
Basically, the making process of khombow is kind of hard. The only bark you can use to make it is just from the khombow tree. It is said that this tree only grows in this area. Because the raw materials are not easy to get, this culture must be sustainable.
You also need to chop the wood first before taking the bark. After that, you have to pound and dry it. Then, the bark is ready for you to use as a painting medium. Unlike canvas, the surface of the bark is rough. So, it is really hard for you to paint on it. It will take you 10 minutes to 1 hour to finish a 50×50 cm painting.
For painting and coloring, usually, the people of Asei Pulau use natural materials. From charcoal for black, coconut oil for white, and brick for red. If the material and color are wrong, then the result will not be good. This is because the painting will be easily erased later.
The Purpose of Khombow
At first, people used khombows for clothing. However, as time went by, the purpose changed. This is due to the entry of raw materials for the manufacture of clothing that is more modern, such as cloth. So, the people of Asei Pulau started to abandon this habit of making tree bark paintings.
However, they finally realized that they needed to preserve this culture and traditions. Finally, they started painting on the bark again. But now, the purpose of this painting has changed. People no longer use this painting as clothing, but make it a souvenir from Papua.
However, this is indeed the culture of the people from Asei Pulau. So, in order to get it, you have to go to Asei Pulau Village. First of all, you can land in Jayapura and go to Lake Sentai by road trip. Then, from there, you can continue your journey to Asei Pulau by using a motorboat or canoe
In addition, you can also see this painting on the bark at the annual Lake Sentani Festival.
The Philosophy of Khombow
Apart from being clothing, this painting has a deep philosophy. In ancient times, the people of Asei Island only used it three times in their life. That is when they are born, when they marry (for women), and also when they pass away. Besides, there is a philosophy of khombow in the pattern.
There were around 12 patterns of khombow in ancient times. Starting from the sun, snake motifs, lizard motifs, lizards, fish, crane feet, and eels. There are also patterns of bats, flying squirrels, leaves, forest flowers, etc. All motifs have their own meaning related to their lives at that time.
In addition, there are also paintings that are closely related to religious and mythological values. For example the painting of Hu and Yoniki. Then, there are also those that have social and economic value. There are also motifs that are only used by certain people, such as the leader of the tribe.
But, for now, there are various other motifs and patterns that are more popular. Especially since khombow is popular as a souvenir from Papua. From the pattern of people dancing with archery, birds of paradise, people casting nets, pictures of fish, tifa, and so on.
