Traveling to West Papua, various tourist destinations with natural beauty and cultural uniqueness are ready to satisfy your explorer soul, from recreation to exploring history. Raja Ampat, Arfak Mountains, White Sand Beach, Cenderawasih Bay National Park, and many more tourist destinations that you must visit!
It is incomplete if you don’t bring home the traditional souvenirs of the land of Papua. There are various kinds of souvenirs from the easternmost region of Indonesia. If you’re planning to visit Papua, you better prepare your list from now on.
Papuan Batik
Who doesn’t know Batik? This traditional fabric of Indonesia is popular throughout the world. Originated from Java, Indonesia, Batik is also one of the traditional souvenirs from West Papua as the cultural heritage must be preserved. To identify Papuan Batik, the characteristic is on the bright and attractive color. Meanwhile, shaded and dark colors commonly dominate Batik from Java.
You can find various types of Papuan Batik from each tribe. They have different motifs, especially asymmetrical Batik. The best recommendation, you can hunt Papuan Batik at a good shop in the Sorong area.
Pearls
Papua is also famous for its ocean potentials, one of which is pearls. The cultivation of pearls in some areas in the region, including Raja Ampat, is growing rapidly. The pearls from the land of Papua have been known for high-quality beauty and durability. You can buy whether the raw ones or that are into jewelry. Interestingly, you can also find the rarer pearls—the black pearls.
Keripik Keladi
It is a snack in the form of chips made from taro or sweet potato mixed with various spices, such as salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic. With a sweet and spicy taste, these taro chips can be stored for a long period. Therefore, they are very suitable as one of the traditional souvenirs from West Papua worth bringing home.
Noken Bag
Noken is a hand-made knitting bag, a kind of women’s traditional clutch. It is made manually—without a machine—from the genuine tree barks or roots. Amazingly, Noken is used by draping on top of the head; local people usually use it as a container to store crops or other items brought from traditional markets. The bigger version of it can even be used to carry children.
Papuan Women also wear it for certain events like wedding ceremonies. It can’t be easily damaged and available in various shapes, colors, and sizes. Plus, you will easily find some of them in modern designs.
T-shirts with Papuan motifs
T-shirts with Papuan motifs can be a good option to bring back home. They are relatively available at an affordable price, suitable as gifts for friends and family, also easily found in all central shops in the area.
Tifa Musical Instruments
Having one of the traditional musical instruments of the West Papua in your home? Why not! You can make a tifa musical instrument as a souvenir. It is a traditional Papuan musical instrument made of wood (carved wood) with leather placed on top. Use it as a display to beautify your house interior, or send it as a gift to relatives. It is available in various sizes, which makes it easy to buy according to your needs.
The Lontar Cake
Locally known as “Kue lontar“, it has a sweet taste and soft texture inside. Meanwhile, on the outside, a delicious crispy skin makes this cake taste even more delicious. Many say the lontar cake is a Papuan milk pie with a larger size. The name lontar cake is known originally from the Dutch language londart, which means a round cake.
Martabak Sago
Martabak sago is processed by mashing the sago, filling it with brown sugar or grated coconut, then frying it. It has a distinctive taste to be enjoyed and is commonly found in Fakfak Regency, West Papua. If by chance you are in the area, don’t miss your opportunity to try this special food.
Sarang Semut (Ant nests)
It is a natural medicinal plant originating from the Wamena region, Papua. This nutritious plant is often used as a residence for ant colonies, so its name is better known as an ant nest. Sarang Semut is believed to be efficacious for improving body health and treating dangerous diseases.
This belief is not without reason. Experts have found active compounds in Sarang Semut that are very useful for suppressing the development of various dangerous diseases, such as diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension, liver, heart, cysts, prostate, heart, and cancer.
If you have opportunities to visit the Papua region, in addition to getting to know more about the customs, culture, and the people, take time to shop for these traditional souvenirs from West Papua. When you return home, you can get lots of experiences and keepsakes in the form of souvenirs.
