Raja Ampat Regency is one of the most visited regencies in West Papua. Apart from visiting the majestic marine tourism spots in the said regency, what else could people do here? There are lots of activities people can do here, one of which is visiting Sawinggrai Village.
Sawinggrai Village – Home to Cenderawasih in West Papua
Located in Meos Mansar District, Sawinggrai Village has been home to the iconic bird and sacred symbol of the land of Papua, Cenderawasih, which is also widely known as the Bird of Paradise.
The bird is believed to barely place its feet down, prefer perch on a tree branch or fly. Therefore, local people dubbed Cenderawasih the Bird of Paradise as it always flies and never touches the ground. There are 41 species largely found in Eastern Indonesia, and 37 of them live in Papua.
In Sawinggrai Village, there are four species that people can see up close: Paradisea Apoda, Paradisea Minor, Cicinnurus Magnificus, and Paradisea Rubra. The latter, which means the Red Bird of Paradise, is Sawinggrai’s symbol.
The Mating Dance of Cenderawasih
Locating the whereabouts of this iconic species is never an easy task. Thankfully, due to the effort of the high-skilled villagers, tourists are now capable of observing the magnificence of the indigenous bird of West Papua from up close without disturbing their habitat.
Aside from their feathers, the next most appealing feature of Cenderawasih is, of course, the dance they do during the mating season. In order to attract female birds, the males will make some dance-like movements that become the primary attraction of this tourism village.
Being able to see how the males attract their female counterparts feel as though witnessing a sacred moment of the divine birds.
Other Things to Do in Sawinggrai Village
Besides sightseeing, the next adventure tourist can do in Sawinggrai Raja Ampat is swimming or snorkeling. The pristine seawater in this area is relatively safe, but best to avoid swimming at noon due to the extreme heat.
As a pro tip, it would be best to enjoy the underwater scenery this village has to offer in the morning before the weather gets too hot. Above the water, there is not much to see in this village. However, beneath the surface, it is a little Atlantic with a wide variety of fish and coral species.
Another experience is trying out some of the local cuisines. Because the villagers are friendly, travelers get the opportunity to try one of their most well-known foods, Sago Worm Satay. While the name is satay, it is made of sago rather than meat.
The Nuance of the Sawinggrai
Sawinggrai, much like other tourism villages in West Papua, has some traditional houses with lush vegetation. Approximately 38 families are residing in the village, and the majority of the residents work as carvers.
The residents of Sawinggrai are also extremely friendly to visitors. They sometimes welcome tourists with a performance of traditional dance. The magical music the adults played to accompany the dance can make everyone who just hears it for the first time want to join and show their best movements as the Birds of Paradise do.
In addition to enjoying the natural beauty of Sawinggrai and the chivalry of the villagers, tourists can also play around with the children. It’s advised to bring some snacks for those wonderful children and see how those treats bring a smile to their faces.To see the dance of the bird symbol of West Papua and see how the local people live, avoid coming to Sawinggrai Village between December to February because this is the period where female Cenderawasih will lay their eggs.
