Highland Papua

Papua Pegunungan

Highland Papua (Indonesian: Papua Pegunungan) is a province of Indonesia, which roughly follows the borders of the Papuan customary region of Lano-Pago (often shortened to La Pago). It covers an area of 51,213.33 km2 (19,773.58 sq mi) and had a population of 1,448,360 according to the official estimates as at mid 2023.

Formally established on 12 November 2022 from the central and mountainous former part of the province of Papua, it is located on the central highlands of Western New Guinea, where it is the first and only landlocked province in Indonesia. The capital of Highland Papua is in Jayawijaya Regency, in Walesi District.

Geography

According to Statistics Indonesia, Highland Papua’s land area is 51,213.330 km2. Highland Papua is the first and only province in Indonesia without a seacoast (i.e. it is landlocked).

Highland Papua presents a picturesque landscape characterized by deep valleys bordered by imposing mountains, attracting adventurers seeking unique experiences. Facilitated by tour guides, travelers can embark on expeditions to explore scattered traditional villages nestled within these valleys, each adorned with traditional dwellings and lifestyles emblematic of the region’s cultural heritage. However, accessing these settlements entails traversing rugged terrains fraught with hazards, including steep gradients, precarious ravines, and river crossings.

Highland Papua predominantly consisted of highlands referred to as the New Guinea Highlands, spanning from Central Papua to Papua New Guinea. The Jayawijaya Mountains are located on the Indonesian side of the New Guinea Highlands. This range encompasses peaks exceeding 4000 meters above sea level. Notable peaks within this province include Puncak Trikora, towering at 4,760 meters, and Puncak Mandala, reaching 4,750 meters above sea level. Nestled amidst these lofty peaks are valleys with elevations surpassing 1,500 metres above sea level. Renowned for their fertility, these valleys serve as location for traditional settlement and agricultural land, primarily cultivating sweet potatoes, a staple food among local tribes. Examples of such valleys include the Baliem Valley in Jayawijaya Regency and the Toli Valley in Tolikara Regency. Moreover, these mountains serve as the wellspring for major rivers on Papua Island, notably the Mamberamo River flowing north and the Digul River coursing southward.

Certain regions in this province are susceptible to frost, a consequence of extreme cold temperatures. This climatic phenomenon poses a significant threat to agriculture, often resulting in crop failures and, in severe cases, famine. One such instance occurred in Kuyawage, Lanny Jaya, where frost-induced hardships were observed. However, the delivery of aid to such areas is hindered by minimal infrastructure and the presence of the Free Papua Movement, a terrorist group operating in the region. In contrast, the southern and northern flanks of the Central Mountains feature lower-lying plains. These lowland areas are home to key urban centers, such as the capitals Yahukimo in Dekai and Nduga in Kenyam. While these locales are not subject to the extreme cold of the mountains, they face their own challenges. The warmer climate makes them vulnerable to malaria outbreaks, necessitating concerted efforts in disease control and prevention.

In terms of ecoregion (ecosystem and biodiversity area), Highland Papua can be divided into two. Namely the Central Range montane rain forests zone from a height of around 1,000 – 3,000 meters above sea level and the Central Range sub-alpine grasslands 3,000 meters above sea level. Its flora and fauna are similar to Australia such as bird-of-paradise and echidna. One of the conservation areas established to protect this region is Lorentz National Park, which is the largest national park in Southeast Asia.

Papua Pegunungan - Highland papua

Province

Regencies

Population

(km2) Area

Culture

The native Papuan people has a distinct culture and traditions that cannot be found in other parts of Indonesia. Coastal Papuans are usually more willing to accept modern influence into their daily lives, which in turn diminishes their original culture and traditions. Meanwhile, most inland Papuans still preserves their original culture and traditions, although their way of life over the past century are tied to the encroachment of modernity and globalization. Each Papuan tribe usually practices their own tradition and culture, which may differ greatly from one tribe to another.

One of the most well-known Papuan tradition is the stone burning tradition (Indonesian: Tradisi Bakar Batu or Barapen), which is practiced by most Papuan tribes in the province. The stone burning tradition is an important tradition for all indigenous Papuans. For them, is a form of gratitude and a gathering place between residents of the village. This tradition is usually held when there are births, traditional marriages, the coronation of tribal chiefs, and the gathering of soldiers. The name of this tradition varies in each region. The name Barapen is from the Biak language, Lago Lakwi (Lani in Tolikara) or Logo Lakwi (Dani in Puncak), Mogo Gapil (Paniai), Kit Oba Isogoa (Wamena, Jayawijaya), Kerep Kan (Nduga), and Hupon (Pegunungan Bintang). It is called the stone-burning tradition because the stones are burned until they are hot enough to be used to cook food. Meat, sweet potatoes, and vegetables are placed on top of banana leaves, which are used to cover the hot stone surface.

Arts and Performance

There are a lot of traditional dances that are native to the province of Papua. Each Papuan tribe would usually have their own unique traditional dances.

Each Papuan tribe usually has their own war dance. The Papuan war dance is one of the oldest dances of the Papuan people because this classical dance has been around for thousands of years and is even one of the legacies of Indonesia’s prehistoric times. In Papuan culture, this dance is a symbol of how strong and brave the Papuan people are. Allegedly, this dance was once a part of traditional ceremonies when fighting other tribes and now can be seen preserved during Baliem Valley Festival.

The dancers who perform this dance are a group of men, the number starts from seven people or more. They danced to the sound of drums and war songs. Their movements were characteristically excited as if they were warriors heading for battle. The Papuan war dance is unique, varied and energetic to indicate the heroism and courage of the Papuan people. Apart from the dancers movements in playing the weapons they carry, the uniqueness of this dance is also seen in the dancers’ clothes.

Architecture

Papua is famous for its varieties of traditional houses, one of which is a traditional house called honai. Honai is a traditional Papuan house, especially in the mountainous region. The basic shape of the honai is a circle with a wooden frame and woven walls and a conical roof made of straw. The honai is spread across almost all corners of the Baliem Valley which covers an area of 1,200 square kilometres. The distance from the surface of the house to the ceiling is only about 1 metre. Within the honai, there is a fireplace which is located right in the middle. The thatched roof and wooden walls of the Honai actually bring cool air inside If the air is too cold, the whole house will be warmed by the smoke from the fireplace.

For the Dani people, smoke from firewood is no longer unusual for being smoked for a long time. As long as the door is still open, oxygen can still flow inside. The honai is supported by 4 main poles called heseke, which are stuck in the ground at a certain distance (about 1 metre) so that they are square. In the middle of this main pillar is placed a fireplace called a round wulikin. An honai is made in an attic so that it is divided into two rooms, at the top it is called henaepu as a bed and the bottom is called agarowa as a place to rest, tell stories or chat, and eat. The upper part of the attic or floor is made of fruit wood and covered with woven lokop wood (a kind of very small bamboo) and can be covered again with straw or dry grass. There is usually only one door in the honai, which is small and short so that people come out and enter on all fours. To the left or right of the entrance is a door leading to the attic.

Music and Handicrafts

Pikon [id] is a traditional wind instrument typical of the highland tribes such as Hubula, more commonly called Dani, inhabiting the Baliem Valley. Pikon comes from the word Pikonane in the Dani language, which means a sound musical instrument. While Walak people called it Goknggaik and Lani people called it Longger. Pikon consists of vibrating sticks which are attached with a rope in the middle, so that it is able to produce a variety of sounds. Originally the sticks are made of wood or bamboo but iron have been used to produce higher pitch sound. This musical instrument is generally played by men in the Dani tribe.

The Noken is a traditional Papuan bag carried with the head and made of bark fibers, although it is also used as head and body covering. Similar to bags, in general, this bag is used to carry daily necessities. Papuan people usually use it to bring agricultural products such as vegetables, tubers and also to bring merchandise to the market. Because of its uniqueness that is carried with its head, this noken is registered with UNESCO as one of the traditional works and world cultural heritage. On 4 December 2012, the noken was listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as a cultural heritage of Indonesia. In several areas of Papua, noken – instead of the usual ballot box – is preferred as a way to place ballots, where it is recognized as a ballot tool in the Papua regional leadership elections.

Kabupaten & Kota

The province is administratively divided into 8 (eight) regencies (kabupaten)

Lorentz National Park

The name of this National Park is taken from a Dutch explorer, Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, who passed through the area in 1909 which was his 10th expedition in this National Park.

Lorentz National Park is a national park located in the province of Papua, Indonesia. With an area of 2.4 million Ha; Lorentz is the largest national park in Southeast Asia. The park is still uncharted, explored and contains many native plants, animals and cultures.

In 1999 this national park was accepted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area also contains mineral deposits, and large-scale mining operations are also active in the vicinity of this national park. There is also the Lorentz National Park Conservation Project which consists of a community initiative for communal conservation and ecological heritage in the vicinity of this Loretz National Park.

From 2003 until now, WWF-Indonesia Sahul Papua Region is mapping indigenous territories within the Lorentz National Park area. In 2003–2006, WWF conducted mapping in the Lorentz National Park area in the Kurima District, Yahukimo District, and in 2006–2007 the mapping was carried out in Sawaerma District, Asmat District. The name of this National Park is taken from a Dutch explorer, Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, who passed through the area in 1909 which was his 10th expedition in this National Park.