It is already common knowledge that the land of Indonesia is home to various enchanting cultures. Starting from Sabang to Merauke, you could find hundreds of tribal customs that are interesting for you to learn. Usually, you can see them at cultural festivals, such as the Humboldt Bay Festival.
For those of you who still do not know, Humboldt Bay is one of the places on the easternmost island of Indonesia. Administratively, it is a part of Port Numbay. Most people also know that area as Jayapura, the capital of Papua Province. So, it is one of the cultural festivals in Papua that you must attend.
Because there, you can see several artistic and cultural performances from several native tribes of Papua. Here are some of them!
1. Lemon Nipis Dance
Because Humboldt Bay is literally a coastal area, it is natural that there are many traditional dances of Papua which originate from the coast. For example, Lemon Nipis dance is always there every time there is a festival. This is because the dance is very meaningful for the people of Port Numbay.
Usually, the younger generation performs this dance, especially the teens. This is why many people call this dance “tari pergaulan”, which means “social dance”. Because the main purpose of this traditional dance is to socialize. They bind brotherhood and friendship with this dance.
However, it is common for the older generation to also perform the Lemon Nipis Dance. Sometimes, children, teenagers, and even adults perform this dance together, especially during the festival, where various tribes gather in one place. So, a sense of unity will emerge in them.
2. Yosim Pancar Dance
Apart from Lemon Nipis Dance, you could also enjoy Yosim Pancar Dance. It is one of the contemporary dances of Papua that is very well-known in almost all regions. It is also popular in Port Numbay, especially in Humboldt Bay. So, it is natural that this dance is performed at the festival.
Some people also know this dance as the Yospan Dance, which means Yosim and Pancar. Those are two different dances that originated from literally different regions in Papua. Its function is not much different from the Lemon Nipis Dance, that is, socializing. It is definitely a form of unity.
3. The Parade of Nusantara Culture
As a part of the archipelago of the Nusantara, you can see a parade featuring various Nusantara cultures at the festival of Humboldt Bay. The highlight of the parade obviously is the “Tumpeng Nusantara”. Tumpeng is a typical Indonesian dish that consists of a variety of different dishes.
Usually, there are various traditional foods of Papua in the tumpeng, such as papeda. Sometimes, some numbers are related to the independence of Indonesia, that is, 17, 8, and 1945. Then, in the parade, you can also directly see local people wearing the traditional clothes of Papua.
4. Batik Papua
Many people already know that batik is one of the cultural heritage of Indonesia. Almost all regions have this kind of culture, including Papua. However, the design will definitely be different from batik in other areas. Batik Papua has its own originality that you definitely will not find anywhere else.
Apart from batik, there is also another typical Papuan cloth that you can find at this festival. For example, woven cloth is characteristic of several regions in Indonesia. It includes Papua. This will usually have an exhibition held at the festival of Humboldt Bay, where you can see the cloth.
So, for your art and culture lovers, Humboldt Bay Festival is a perfect place for you. You could probably attend it once a year, from 5 to 7 August, in Jayapura.