7 Jaw-dropping Facts About Papua That You Must Know
- U-Report
VIVA – As known, Papua has a Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat is one of the famous and beautiful destinations for the travelers. Papua is the easternmost island in Indonesia.
This island is also famous for being rich in natural resources such as minerals, gas, and oil.
It turns out that not only famous for the amazing scenery of Raja Ampat and a lot of natural resources, here are some interesting facts about Papua that were reported through several sources:
1. The Only Snowy Area in Indonesia
Papua has a mount dream for Indonesian climbers such as Jaya Wijaya mount. Jaya Wijaya mountain is the highest land in Indonesia and in Asia. Not only have a stunning view, but also on the top of this mountain, there is a snowy area.
The mountain which has a height of 4.884 meters makes the temperature on this mountain very cold. Even at 100 meters altitude, the temperature will drop 1 degree.
2. There are Too Many Languages: 268 Regional Languages
The reasons for the many regional languages in Papua include colonialism, interaction with other local tribes and fellow Papuans, and other non-scientific activities. Regional languages found in Papua include Abinomn, Asmat, Baham, Citak, Dani, and Mekwei languages.
3. The Traditional Bag of Papua Recognize by UNESCO
Papua has a traditional bag that is commonly called Noken. This bag was recognized as one of the cultural heritages by UNESCO on December 4, 2012. Noken is a traditional bag made from bark or tree fibers formed with a woven or knitting system.
The knitted forms are usually net-shaped and are used by the public to carry goods by attaching the Noken bond straps to their heads, while the luggage is placed on the back.
4. The Location of the Deepest Cave
The cave, which is located in the Lina Mountains area, Irameba Village, Anggi District, Manokwari Regency, was discovered by an expedition team from France. The depth of the cave is estimated at 2,000 meters. With that depth, the cave is supposedly the deepest in the world.
5. The Tattoo Culture of the Sentani, Moi and Waropen tribes
The people of these three tribes have known tattoos since prehistoric times or about 3,000 years ago. Tattoo culture was brought by Austronesian and Asian people who moved to West Papua.
The tattoo material consists of wood burning charcoal mixed with tree sap and then sago thorns or fish bones are dipped into the mixture.
Tattoos in these three tribes aim to beautify themselves or as a body decoration, show masculinity, and as a symbol of power, or one's social status.
6. There are Endemic Animals
An animal can be called endemic if those animals can’t be found in other areas. Papua is one of the places of origin for various endemic animals. These animals include birds of paradise, black-winged parrots, spotted carpet sharks, golden coat tree kangaroos and cassowaries.
7. Tradition of Finger Cut by The Dani Tribe
The Dani tribe in the Baliem Valley, Papua has an interesting tradition. This tradition is called Iki Palek.
Iki Palek is a finger cutting tradition. For the Dani, this tradition has a very deep meaning. The finger cutting is done to express loyalty and a deep feel of loss for family members who have died.