Each community develops its own culture and customs, which are eventually passed down to future generations. Among these is the culture developed by West Papua’s indigenous people. There are dozens of fascinating cultures and customs in this lovely area. In today’s session, we will learn about Kiuturu Nandauw, one of the cultures that evolved in Wondama Bay.
Not only that, but we will also discuss a little bit about Wondama Bay, where the custom is practiced. For further information, see the following:
What does Kiuturu Nandauw mean?
Kiuturu Nandauw is one of the long-established inherited cultures of West Papua. It is a 5-year-old child’s hair-cutting ceremony.
So it is safe to say that this ritual is similar to the concept of aqiqah in Islam. Plus, the traditional ritual is also known as kakarukrorbun.
Another Culture in West Papua
Like other regions in Indonesia, the Papuan people also receive wisdom from their ancestors through various traditional ceremonies. So, in addition to Kiuturu Nandauw, here is another example of West Papuan culture.
1. Birth Ritual
West Papuans also practice burying the baby’s placenta in the ground during this ceremony.
2. Adulthood Ritual
The ritual performed during this period is known as the “era-era tu urau” traditional ceremonial. It is distinguished by cutting open the earlobes and nose lobes of girls aged 3 to 5 years.
3. Marriage Ritual
Marriage, a once-in-a-lifetime event, is performed in line with the traditions of each region. Many cultures emerged in West Papua; for example, those in Wondama Bay are known as parwabuk or wamendereow traditional rites.
4. Customary Funeral Service
Death is an unavoidable part of existence. Papuans employ a variety of rituals to commemorate death, which is unique to each tribe.
Further Information about Wondama Bay
Wondama Bay is one of West Papua’s unique places. The Wondama bay regency was established from the Manokwari regency under Law No. 26 of 2002. It was established as a newly created autonomous region on April 12, 2003.
This regency has a combined land and sea area of 14,953,800 square kilometers, of which more than 50%, or 7,777,110 square kilometers, is the sea and 7,176,690 square kilometers is land.
There are 13 districts, 1 sub-district (kelurahan), and 75 villages in the province. According to the Office of Population and Civil Registration, the population of Wondama Bay in 2019 was 54,148.
The People of Wondama Bay
Most Wondama Bay people are farmers who grow sago flour, vegetables, and fruits.
They also have fishermen who catch 5,631 metric tons of fish using 6 motorized fishing boats, 182 non-motorized boats, and 366 outboard-powered boats almost daily.
Furthermore, they sell their agricultural goods to local marketplaces and to the metropolis of Manokwari.
The Geography of Wondama Bay
Coral reefs, with diverse marine life, ring most islets in the Wondama Bay area.
Rasiei, the headquarters of Wondama, is situated at the foothills of the Wondiboy mountains, which are covered in beautiful tropical rainforests.
The coral reef and tropical rainforest have become popular tourist attractions in this region.
Wondama regency’s Department of Tourism and Culture, in collaboration with the Indonesian Tourist Guide Association, has created a website named Wondama Tourism to encourage tourists to the regency.
The Summary
So that was all about the traditional ceremonies of Kiuturu Nandauw and some details on the Wondama region in which the culture is practiced. Let’s not forget that West Papua is huge and has a diverse range of ethnicities. They are unique and add much to Indonesia’s cultural variety. So, make way for this island to be on your bucket list.