Asmat People

Asmat comes from Papua Province. Asmat were among the tribes Mappi, Yohukimo and Jayawijaya between various tribes in the Papua island. As with other tribes that are in Papua island, there Asmat tribe who live in the coastal areas with the distance of 100 km to 300 km, even Asmat are located in the countryside, surrounded by heterogeneous forests containing rattan plants, wood (aloes) and tubers.

Asmat tribe scattered and inhabit around the coast of Arafuru sea and Jayawijaya mountains. In the

life of the Asmat, stones that we usually see on the street is very valuable to them. The residence of Asmat that shaped swamp making it very difficult to find stones. They use the stones to make axes, hammers, and so on. In fact, the stones can be used as a dowry. 

Asmat has a very simple way to make up themselves. they just need the red soil to produce a red color, to produce white color they use clamp shells that have been mashed. black color they produced from pulverized wood charcoal. How to use is very simple, by mixing the materials with a little water and dye then use to color the body.

Asmat traditional house known as the Jew, is a home designed for all activities that are traditional. For example, for a custom meeting, doing the work make noken (traditional bag Asmat), wood carving, and also the house of Bujang. Therefore, the ouse also called as a  Bujang house. This House is unique because it was made very long, even up to 50 meters. Because the Asmat are not familiar with the nails, they making the Jew house without nails.

There is another traditional house Asmat, Tysem. This house can also called as a family home, because that stay in this house are those who have married. Usually, there are 2 to 3 pairs of families who stay in Tysem. The size of Tysem is smaller than the Jew house. The location of the Tysem house usually around the house Jew. A Jew house normally surrounded about 15 to 20 Tysem houses.

In the Asmat tribe they also know spirits and magical power. Demons Life, Asmat people closely to the natur. They belief that the place where they life is inhabited by spirits, devils, which are all called with devil.

The devil classified into two categories: 

• The Satan life threatening. The Satan who is believed to endanger life by the Asmat as demons that threaten life and soul. Like the pregnant women devil who have died or demons that live in the beringin tree, the spirit that brought disease and disasters (Osbopan). 
• The Satan are not life threatening. The Satan in this category are considered by Asmat as the devil that does not endanger the life and soul of a person, just like to scare and disturb it. In addition, the Asmat also familiar to good spirits especially for his descendants., Which is derived from ancestral spirits known as yi-ow. 

Magical powers and magic. Asmat People also believe in the existence of magical powers that are mostly existence as a taboo. Many things done in a manner that abstinence doing everyday activities, such as in the case of collecting food such as sago, fishing, and hunting. This magical powers can also be used to find lost things, swag or show the thiefed goods. There is also the use of this magical power to dominate nature and brings out the wind, thunder, rain, and typhoons.

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Yospan Dance

Yospan Dance is one of the social dance originating from the two regions, namely Biak and Yapen Waropen. In the beginning of this dance consists of social dance Yosim and Pancar which are two different dance but eventually combined into one dance. In Yospan dance performances from Yapen Maropen, the dancers are so graceful dance that brought the audience swayed. This dance is accompanied by song and the musical instrument ukulele and guitar that comes from outside Papua. Also there is an instrument that functions as a bass with three straps. Bass strap is made of pandan leaves that can be found in the coastal forests of Papua. In addition to these instruments, there are musical instruments made from dried gourds that filled with beads or small stones. 

Pancar dance from Biak have not agile movement and dance as much as Yosim, because it follows the accompanying music instruments such as Tifa.

Yospan Dance

Tifa musical instrument made of leather monitor lizards (soa-soa). The name of Pancar dance comes from the name of the jet plane ever passed over Biak. They were amazed by the plane that left a thick cloud and white lines on the tracks, so the dance is named Pancar dance.

Both dances (Yosim and Pancar) are then combined so its look dynamic. Even when the Commander XVII / Trikora (1987 - 1989), Major General Wismoyo Arismunandar introducing the dance in every activity of Kodam XVII/Trikora then almost all central agencies in Jayapura bandwagon perform them. The Yospan dance accompany song comes from the lyrics of the two people of Papua.

Yospan dance is a social dance, there is no limit to the number of dancers in this dance, anyone can go in a circle and can be directly moved to follow the dancer. No matter whether they are male or female, old or young. The position of the dancers are usually in a circle and walk around while dancing, accompanied by musicians. Through Yospan dance, Papua people communication with immigrants being positive, as well as introducing the music and contemporary songs that created the Papuan artists. The dance is usually exhibited on special occasions. For example weddings, national day event. This indicates these dances can be followed by anyone in his appearance, including visitors who are watching it.

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Papua Dance

Indonesia has thousands of traditional dances that spread throughout the archipelago . One of the areas that possess a variety of traditional dances is the island of Papua . Papua Island is an island located in the eastern part of Indonesia. Folk dance is a traditional dance known almost all ethnic groups in Indonesia. Dance is an expression of the soul known to mankind since humans know the culture. Essentially folk dance is a ritual, a joyous celebration, for example, harvesting, and ceremonies of worship. Not infrequently in some areas assume that folk dance is merely strengthen the brotherhood. Traditional dance is a dance that combines all the movements that contain a specific meaning. In traditional dance music rely on precision, fluidity of motion, compactness movement , and composition settings .

Almost all dances in Papua is considered sacred dance. Here is some dances in Papua.

1. Det Pok Mbui Dance
Det Pok Mbui Dance is located in three districts namely Agats, Sauwa Ema, and Pirimapun located in Merauke, Papua province. Det dance Pok this Mbui existed before the independence of the Republic of Indonesia. Origin of the word is Det Det Mpok Mbui which means mask-like demons, and Pok Mbui which means party or ceremony. So Det Pok Mbui are demons masquerade.

This dance is performed by a group of men and women who performed in the afternoon or evening, after harvest or look for a bunch of old sago show two or three hours. The venue is usually on the banks of the river, because there adengan up the boat, there are several boats mask, performed by some of the dancers.

The female dancers dressed in Awer the form of a skirt made of grass, while the male dancers wearing skirts original plain or cassowary feathers. Jewelry worn in the form of ankle, wrist strap, and bracelet sleeves. On the neck wearing a necklace made from the teeth of dogs, pigs, or beads. For the face and body of the dancer were black from charcoal, white chalk, and red from the soil or fruit.

In this dance performance accompanied by musical instruments fu or bamboo trumpets and drums. While the accompanying song is Jipa So that means devil or spirits.. Several scenes in the dance as follows :

1. The leader of party or ceremony stood in the middle of the arena and call with the code of fu or bamboo trumpets sound as a sign that the ceremony is immediately begins.
2. The dancers or participants of the ceremony came and gathered in stage

Aya  Nende Dance
Aya Nende Dance contained in Mimika part bordering the Asmat region, Merauke, Papua province. The area is inhabited by tribes in Mimika. This dance has four dance sequence, as follows:

• Part 1: Head custom enters the stage, then call the wives of the hunters in the vernacular: "Ajendei Dendera waee suma".
• Part 2: A group of women as wives of hunters welcome the hunters (their husbands).
• Part 3: The hunters hunted submit to the wife.
• Part 4: Core ceremony, thanks to their ancestors.

This dance performance danced by a group of women and men, who carried on the afternoon and evening during the whole night. The dancers wear consisting of: Tauri, which is like a skirt that is mainly made from sago palm leaves or shoots. Tumii, namely anklets and bracelets are made up of buds or shoots sago palm leaves. Aye Nende dance lacks the musical instruments or drums and tumuu or bamboo. With the soundtrack titled Ayedendei.

Aniri Dance
Aniri dance originated from the village Koakwa, Fak-Fak regency, West Papua Province. Anriri associated with magical dance, dance illustrates the release of a child against evil, since abandoned by his parents who went to the village. Aniri have a sense of liberation child.

Aniri Dance have some dance composition, as follows:

• parents
• The little boy who lives alone in the house.
• Satan came to see small children in the house and made his son.
• Parents looking for his son, met then released.

Movements in this dance is natural, but there are some special motion, as follows:

• Ndi wae motion, which the motion to protect children against evil
• Ndi Aniri motion, which feeds a vicious movement to release the child.
• Wapai motion, which the release of children from demonic power

Dancers dressed tauri or rogoi or sago leaves equipped with Cassowary feather jewelry, Cengerawasih, and the white cockatoos. While makeup using lime and red soil. Tao Awito song used as soundtrack, and accompanied with the accompaniment of musical instruments drums. This dance is performed by a group of men and women, the, usually in the late afternoon or evening.

Dow Mamun Dance
Dow Mamun dance comes from the Biak, of Paradise Bay District, Papua Province. Dow Mamun

Papua's Dance

dance existing before the independence day the Republic of Indonesia, this dance describes the battle and victory. This dance is performed by a group of men and women and is done in the afternoon or evening.The male dancers wear clothing or mar loincloth made of bark, equipped with some carved bamboo comb jewelry and carrying machetes, arrows, or in mariam, and spear.

There are some dance scenes, which are as follows:

1. The Tifa beater or siwer which consists of two people entered first, and then followed by the other dancers.
2. The dancers perform motion jump twice in a rapidly.
3. The Male dancers stepped two steps to the left and right side, while the female dancers facing each other while holding hands.
4. The Tifa beater make triple jump backwards, forwards, and surround the dancers.
5. The male dancer back to their position, Tifa beater remains in starting position.
6. The dancers make a semi-circle and they are in a row, whereas the Tifa beater make a jump action.
7. The dancers make two circles. The female dancers circle are on the inside, whereas male dancers circle on the outside around the female dancers

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