Papua is one of the largest provinces in Indonesia in the eastern region. Besides having abundant nature, Papuan cultural elements are also rich.
Papua is also thick with hereditary customs and still preserves its traditions.
Let’s Learn Seven Papuan Cultural Elements
Papua Province, located at the eastern tip of Indonesia, has many unique and interesting cultures. Let’s get to know the Papuan cultural element as one of Indonesia’s cultural assets!
1. Language
The first Papuan cultural elements is language. Hundreds of regional languages have developed among ethnic groups in Papua.
This variety of languages raises difficulties in communicating between groups. Therefore, the Papuan people use Indonesian officially to facilitate communication.
2. Religion
One aspect that is very important for people’s lives in Papua is religion. The majority of Papua’s population is Christian.
But along with the times, the number of citizens of faiths other than Christianity is growing.
Currently, the inhabitants of most of the coastal areas are Muslims.
Many foreigners and Indonesians also carry out religious missions in the interior of Papua to spread the Islamic religion.
3. Livelihoods
Papua has various livelihood systems according to where the people live. Residents of coastal areas and islands have houses on poles, and their livelihoods are tapping sago and fishing.
Papuan people who live in rivers and lakes have a livelihood by catching fish and hunting animals. While residents of the highlands with a livelihood in livestock and gardening.
4. Living Equipment and Supplies
Papuan people have many weapons to survive. One of them is a dagger which is a traditional Papuan weapon. They also often use arrows and spears for hunting.
They also built houses to survive, like the Dani tribe, who had a place to live called Honai. Papuan made the Honai House with a conical roof made of straw.
The Honai house has a small door and no windows to keep out the cold from the mountains of Papua.
5. Kinship System and Social Organization
Papuan people live in a kinship system according to the father’s lineage. This culture originates from Melanesia. Indigenous Papuan people also tend to use regional languages.
The Dani people do not recognize the concept of a father, mother and children living in one house. They are a communal society.
The house is seen as a place to accommodate the personal activities of its inhabitants.
6. Traditional Clothing
Koteka is a typical Papuan dress worn by men. They only covered their genitals with koteka and were almost naked.
Koteka’s shape is a sleeve that tapers upwards with a rope tied to the waist. Koteka has two types, used daily and for traditional events.
Koteka for every day is fairly simple and without carvings. In contrast, the koteka for traditional ceremonies is longer, with ethnic carvings typical of Papua.
You can see a person’s social status from the size of the koteka. The larger the koteka he wears, the higher the position of a person in his customary order.
7. Musical Instruments
Several kinds of musical instruments in Papua are Tifa and Trifon.
Tifa is a percussion instrument that is similar to a drum. Made from an empty piece of wood, Tifa played to accompany war dances such as Tari.
Meanwhile, Triton is a traditional Papuan musical instrument made of shells and played by blowing. These musical instruments are found all over the coast.
Those are the various Papuan cultural elements that are still sustainable today. There will be no end to learning the ins and outs of Papua.
To find out more, you can visit Papua and see it yourself.