The influence of globalization is a severe threat to the cultural resilience of Papua today. It is necessary to find a format or concept to preserve Papuan culture so that the future of Papuan and identity are not lost.
If not, the young generation of Papua as successors will lose their West Papua identity due to joining global culture and modernization.
10 Things to Preserve the Future of Papuan Culture and Identity
Culture gives value and meaning to human life to understand the essence of culture. Papua has a diverse culture. Overall, Papua has approximately 255 tribes. The following are things to safeguard the future of Papuan culture and identity:
1. Must Often Preserve Papuan Culture
Each tribe has its traditions and West Papua identity. Although the forms are different, these cultures clearly show the similarity of human nature from various tribes, languages and races.
The Papuan people must permanently preserve Papuan culture. First, the preservation of community-based culture. Second, the development of cultural supporting facilities and infrastructure.
Third, increase coordination between stakeholders in preparing and implementing programs or plans and implementing and evaluating activities’ performance.
Coordination as a form of joint activity will result in better performance in the coming years. Moreover, almost one can grasp all significant aspects of culture.
2. Art can be Developed Creatively and Academically
The development of arts-based on cultural roots and traditions can be an advantage.
There are two approaches, namely, the creative and academic approaches. In an academic approach, art plays as they are or based on their authenticity. The goal is to preserve this culture.
Meanwhile, with a creative approach, art continues to develop creatively with modern technology, although its traditional roots are still visible.
The diversity of traditional arts and their development using a creative approach can be a great strength and capital. Its development accompanies appreciation and respect for other cultural arts.
3. Experiencing the Transition of Local Culture to Global Culture
Papuan people are experiencing a transition from local culture to global culture. The progress and self-sufficiency of society need to cover traditional cultural values sufficiently but also human development on a dynamic cultural basis.
Today’s society regards culture as a world of individuals and stories rather than a social world and history. It is gradually a cultural crisis that shows a shift in values, attitudes and lifestyles.
6. Depends on Community Capacity
The development of cultural awareness must rest on knowledge of future facts, which contain truth.
The past is the foundation for the presence of the present, and the gift is the knowledge framework for the future. As well as the end is something that has not yet but will come true.
Based on this thinking, Papuan culture is an unfinished past and a future that will soon take place.
At first glance, this thought emphasizes the past dimension but implicitly encourages a tridimensional continuation of time with great concern for the future.
What community identity looks like depends on the community’s ability to design and build its culture and learn about distinctive life designs. It is a community strategy for dealing with the environment and facing various challenges and problems.
7. Must Have Cultural Insight and Awareness
Insight and cultural awareness are critical in the life of the West Papua identity. especially in dealing with world changes and technological developments.
So, in this survival, they can contribute to strengthening community identity to organize life creatively and innovatively.
Papuan culture and its future should be a space for people to take the initiative. In addition, to express opinions both orally and in writing to be creative in various fields of life.
8. Increasing Papuan Cultural Data so that it Doesn’t Become Extinct
There needs to be more data on Papuan culture for the future of Papuan culture and identity; some even speak Dutch, making it difficult to know about traditional life in the past.
There are also only so many journals produced by Papuan academics. Traditional leaders, cultural actors, and arts must be relied on. There are few of them, and it is necessary to increase them.
The roles of traditional schools, nature schools, and environmental and art community studios in Papua are equally crucial in analyzing and teaching the division of agricultural labour again.
It starts from planting, maintaining, harvesting crops, catching fish and lake and sea biota, to hunting animals in the forest. It will preserve local food consumption.
9. Enhance the Culture of History
In general, the cultural crisis is the biggest challenge in development the future of Papuan culture and identity. It arises because of obstacles within its culture and the influence of foreign cultural values, which are increasingly unstoppable.
Problems like this can increase the issue of cultural competitiveness so that the life of the Papuan people is not free from all forms of neo-colonialism.
Supposedly, as an area that has a unique and dynamic tribal history, local cultural awareness is expected to be able to provide spirit and motivation for people’s lives in the present and the future.
10. Human Development for OAP Based on Indigenous Values
Human development for indigenous Papuans or OAP must adhere to and prioritize traditional community values.
The future of Papuan culture and identity are important, relevant, and able to underlie ways of thinking about how to develop Papua.
The basics of traditional values will also serve as a filter for the destructive influence of modernism. Culturally, the average value is in conventional knowledge, technology, and local wisdom.
The Papua Development Master Plan (RIPP) 2022-2041 must look at the most critical question: who will be served by this development? It is a solid root in determining the direction of change in Papua in the next 20 years.
Traditional values are not sediments from ancient cultures but have become identities.
The younger generation must continue to defend the future of Papuan culture and identity so that the lives of the Papuan people are in harmony with nature, each other and the Creator
