Musical instruments and weapons are two cultural things that signify the uniqueness of each culture in Indonesia. Both are more than just tools for entertainment and protection. Every musical instrument and weapon has a special meaning related to the cultural identity of a place, including those in West Papua.
Papuan culture is unique, and you are fortunate if you can get to know it more. There are various amazing things from Papua, and you can start to feel the magic by getting to know their musical instruments and weapons.
Papua’s Musical Instrument
The simplicity of Papuan musical instruments brings us back into a dazzling and virgin landscape. Every beat that we hear from these musical instruments has meanings related to the philosophy of life and the way of life of the West Papuan people, recalling us on how they get used to blending with nature.
Tifa
The Papuan plays tifa by beating it. So far, this is one of the most well-known Papuan musical instruments. The animal’s skin is tied with rattan in a circle so that it is tight enough to produce a beautiful sound.
The Papuan usually plays tifa to welcome guests and accompany dances, such as War, Asmat, and Gatsi. The size of the sound that comes out of tifa depends on the size of the instrument.
Triton
This musical instrument is made of seashells. The Papuan collected shells all over the coast in Papua, especially the Biak, Yapen, Nabire, Waropen, and Wondama areas. Originally, triton was initially used as a calling and signaling instrument. As time goes by, it becomes a musical instrument to accompany various dances and performances.
Fuu
Fuu is made of wood or bamboo. It is commonly combined with tifa to create a harmonious blend of sound.
You can create the sound by blowing the open or hollow part of the instrument. This traditional Papuan musical instrument is used to call the people and accompany the Asmat dance.
The Papuan Weapon
Weapons on the tribes in West Papua were originally used to protect themselves. However, over time, these objects have various functions, ranging from tools for hunting to symbols of masculinity.
Skewer
Cuscus bone skewer is a traditional Papuan weapon used by the indigenous Bauzi tribe. The Bauzi tribe is living a semi-nomadic life. They usually pick the riverbank that is close enough to the food source. When they find the right riverbank, they will build houses made of leaves and branches obtained from the forest.
The Bauzi used the skewer for hunting and gathering animals while waiting for the plants to harvest. Making this skewer is environmentally friendly. It does not require the help of industrial equipment that pollutes the environment.
How to Make Skewers?
First, the cuscus bone is cleaned, and they sharpened it by rubbing a whetstone; the step is repeated until they meet the desired sharpness.
Dagger
It comes in the form of a small knife with tassels on the handle. They use the dagger to slash or cut animals in the forest, ranging from mammals to crocodiles.
Dagger is made of a Cassowary bird, a Papua’s endemic animal. That’s what makes this weapon unique, and you will rarely find it outside Papua. The cassowary feathers are also attached to the handle of the dagger.
Traditional Spear
This West Papuan tradition comes from a local community called “Tul”. The Tul people features spear both in combat, hunting, and dance props. It’s pretty easy to find the material to make a spear. Wood is used as the handle, and the sharpened river stone is used as spearheads.
How to Make It?
It takes around one week to create one sharp spear. The people will cut the wood from the tree, then cut it until 3 m in length. They will let it dry. After drying, the wood for the handle is shaped, then rubbed with sea snail powder until it becomes sharp. In traditional Papuan culture, the spear is defined as a symbol of the courage of a man.
Bow and Arrow
Bows and arrows are inseparable weapons of West Papua used for hunting wild boars and other animals. They usually carry these weapons along with spears. Besides being used as props for hunting, they also use arrows as a tool for war. However, arrowhead for war is different from that for hunting. The arrowhead for hunting is made of bamboo. Meanwhile, when going to war, the spears are made of animal bones.
In modern times, this traditional Papuan weapon has undergone many developments and changes due to modernization. Some weapons, such as bows, arrows, and spears, are commonly found as home decorations or props to accompany dance. However, the interior tribe people still use them as the tools of survival.
Now you know that the musical instruments and weapons in Papua are more than just props. They represent how they live and deal with nature. Interestingly, West Papua‘s musical instruments and weapons feature many stories and philosophical life lessons on it and the eco-friendly making process reflecting how Papua people respect nature.
