Papua is a province in Indonesia which until now has maintained its culture. Not only that, traditional beliefs and spirituality in West Papua are also very strong and are still practiced here,
Both in the form of ceremonies, dances and other traditions that are thick with spiritual aspects.
Traditional Beliefs and Spirituality in West Papua
As previously mentioned, there are quite a number of traditional and spiritual beliefs in West Papua.
So, below, this information will be explain clearly so that readers can understand the traditional culture of the Papuan people. Here are the full details!
1. Suanggi Dance
Traditional dances like the suanggi dance come from West Papua. Papua is renowned as a place where magical beliefs are still prevalent,
Such as the idea that if evil spirits are not exterminate, they will do harm to civilization.
The Musyoh Dance, the Sajojo Dance, the Welcome Dance, and many others are just a few of the other traditional dances that West Papua is know for in addition to the Suanggi Dance.
This dance is perform by 16 male dancers and 2 female dancers wearing traditional clothing typical of West Papua.
2. Ceremony of Tanam Sasi
The Marind tribe performs the traditional ceremony of tanam sasi, a traditional funeral rite that originated in the Merauke Regency region.
The vast plains of West Papua are home to the Marind people. The tribe uses sasi wood in their customary funeral rites; it is no longer permitt after the thousandth day.
Sasi wood carvings, according to the Papuan people who perform the sasi planting ritual, have a number of specific meanings, Including the presence of ancestor spirits, a symbol of belief in living things, and a symbol of beauty and works of art.
West Papuan Belief System Now
Over time, the people of West Papua have embraced the religions that spread there; most of the population is Christian.
Christians in the Land of Papua are urged by the General Working Committee of the GKI Synod in Tanah Papua to continually deepen their devotion to God through consistent prayer and worship.
For the Land of Papua to be able to rebuild people’s lives, which are today full of numerous issues due to moral deterioration, high spirituality and faith,
Which have been talk about, are the solution. With the entry of these religions into the Land of Papua, it does not mean that their traditions have disappeared.
In fact, many of them combine cultural heritage traditions with religious existence so that both of them can help guide the Papuan people to become the foremost people.
Therefore, teaching about this tradition must be carry out from generation to generation so that it is not timeless with the times.
That was information related to the kind of traditional beliefs and spirituality in West Papua in various forms of celebration which are very thick with certain meanings.
As good citizens, we should maintain that this cultural heritage is preserve by not setting aside the role of religion in it.
