Indonesia is one of the archipelagic countries that have various tribes and cultures. It can be seen from the numerous traditional houses that have characteristics. One of the traditional houses that you can see is West Papua. In this province, you will find the uniqueness of the Arfak tribe who built the Kaki Seribu House. For details, see the following information.
Unique Traditional House
1. The Arfak Tribe’s Traditional House
One of the tribes that you can meet in Papua is the Arfak Tribe. This tribal population has the largest population in Papua Province in the west. It is one of the proud tribes of Indonesia, which consists of 4 foremost sub-tribes, namely Sough, Hatam, Meyah, and Moille. These four sub-tribes live in the Manokwari region, which is included in the Arfak Mountains.
The Arfak tribe has a unique culture and way of life. It includes the traditional house that they are made of. This tribe in West Papua has a residence with unique architecture. Its distinctiveness lies in the foundation of the building. The foundation is applied using solid wood, which is assembled to form the stage. Almost the entire construction of this traditional house is built with wood.
2. Officially Become Indonesian Intangible Heritage
The uniqueness of this traditional house has made it a national cultural heritage. Officially, the traditional house of the Kaki Seribu was designated as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia in 2016. It was crowned along with 150 other national cultural works so that it has its characteristics.
3. Known as Igmam
The people of the Arfak Tribe have the name of the Kaki Seribu to designate this traditional West Papua house. While the Hatam tribe calls it Igmam because it consists of two words, namely “Ig ” which means house, and “mam” which is a native Papuan from the interior. If interpreted literally, Igmam is often interpreted as the house of inland people or people who live far from the coast.
Not only that, the Sough Tribe calls the house of the Kaki Seribu Tu Misen. Then, the Meyah Tribe called this house Mat Aki Aksa. Plus, there is another name that is known for this house because of its uniqueness. The traditional home of the Kaki Seribu is also widely known as Mod Aki Aksa or Igkoje, which means a house with high feet.
4. The function of the Kaki Seribu House
A home is a place of shelter from the weather, wild animals, etc. It applies to the traditional Kaki Seribu House West Papua, which is not only beneficial as a place to live. It also serves as a place to store possessions, a place to gather with family, and a place to dance. In addition, there is also a function of the room in the house building, namely as a terrace.
Overall, this traditional house in Papua has a uniqueness that deserves admiration. It is due to the house construction and the way the Arfak Tribe built the Kaki Seribu. All the materials for the houses are from wood and natural sources. Therefore, the traditional house Kaki Seribu is used by a lot of people in the tribe.
