Know The Customs And Culture of The Asmat , Papua

The Asmat is the name of a tribe, the largest and most famous of the many tribes in Papua, Irian Jaya, Indonesia. One of the things that makes Asmat well known is the result of traditional wood carving is very typical. Some ornaments / motif which is frequently used and become a major theme in the process of carving sculpture made by a resident Asmat is the theme of the ancestors of their tribe, commonly called mbis. But do not stop there, often also found ornaments / other motif that resembles a boat or wuramon, which they believe to be a symbol of the boat that brought the spirits of their ancestors in the realm of death. For the native Asmat, wood sculpture was more a manifestation of the way they perform rituals to commemorate the spirits of ancestors.(wikipedia)


History Asmat

As we have noted that Indonesia consists of various types of tribes with different customs are different from each lain.Suku-these families, who live in coastal areas, urban and even inland. One of them Asmat.

The Asmat are among tribal Mappi, Yohukimo and Jayawijaya among a wide variety of other tribes in New Guinea. As other tribes residing in this area, Asmat there who live in coastal areas with the distance of 100 km to 300 km, even Asmat is located in the countryside, surrounded by woods heterogeneous containing plant rattan, wood (agarwood) and tubers with travel time for 1 day 2 night to reach the residential areas with each other. While the distance between the sub-district village about 70 km. With such geographical conditions, then walking is the only way to reach the village from one another.

In general, the physical condition of the Asmat community members, boned straight, sharp nose with the color of skin and black hair and round her eyelids. Besides that, the Asmat belong to the tribe Polonesia, which are also found in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea.

Customs Asmat life

Asmat is a tribe in Papua. Asmat known for wood carving unique results. Asmat population is divided into two, namely those living in coastal areas and those living in the hinterland. Both populations are mutually berbada one another in terms of the way of life, social structures and rituals. Coastal population further divided into two parts Bisman tribe located between the river and the river nin Sinesty and ethnic Simai.

Habits Of Asmat

In the Asmat people's lives, there are many very strange habits. One of them, their habits are terrible and difficult to accept common sense, that is when they kill their enemies.

They still use the ways prehistoric times. Once killed, enemy corpses were brought back to the village. In the village, the bodies are dismembered, and then divided into the entire population. The residents had gathered and ate pieces of the bodies together.

When eaten the corpse together, the residents sang songs which they call with death. Not quite up there, they were beheading the corpse. Brain dead body was taken, and then wrapped in corn leaves. After that, the brain is baked to be eaten together. How awful.

Asmat people good at making ornate carving. Remarkably, they make carvings without making preliminary sketches. Carvings they create meaning, ie sacrifice and gratitude to ancestors. For the Asmat, carving, no ordinary work. Carving out is a way for them to connect with the ancestors.

People Asmat believe that the spirits of the dead can lead to disaster for people who are still alive, cause wars, but also transmit disease. To avoid this, the Asmat people make sculptures and organizes a wide range of parties. Among these are the Party Bus, Dairy Party, Party Ulat Sagu, and Party Mask.

There are many contradictions between the Asmat village. The most appalling is the means used to kill enemies Asmat. when the enemy killed, his corpse was brought kekampung, then cut and distributed to the entire population to eat together. they sing the song of death and beheaded him. dibunngkus brain sago leaves and roasted and then eaten.

Ornate Advance

Asmat tribe lives has not been much affected by modern life. One example is custom decorated. They still decorated according to their own way. They tarnished the face with a variety of colors. The colors are those obtained with a very simple way. Colors that they use to decorate the face is red, white, and black.
For red color, they get a lot of red dirt around them. The white color they get from the previous shell until finely ground. And, in black, they get from charcoal, which also pounded until smooth.
in addition to culture, the villagers syuru also very good at making such Asmat carvings general.
For Asmat carvings could be a link between the present-day life with the life of their ancestors. Each carving dwells image and appreciation for their ancestors laden with oversized Asmat.
Sculptures and carvings generally they created without a sketch. for Asmat when menukir statue adlah the moment in which they communicate with the ancestors yag in another world. it is possible because they know the three concepts of the world: Amat ow capinmi (natural life now), Dampu ow campinmi (pesinggahan nature spirits of the dead), and Safar (heaven).
Believe before entering dusurga <spirits of the dead would disturb people. can be a nuisance disease, disaster and even warfare. So, to save mankind and redeem the souls, those who are still alive to make sculptures and statues to organize a party like the party bus (Bioskokombi), masquerade, party boats, and sago worm feast.
It is said that the statue of the bus is the most sacred statue form. but now make a statue for Asmat not just to fulfill the call of tradition. because the results of the carvings they also sell to a stranger when the party carvings. they know the results of the hand-carved high valued between Rp. 100 thousand to millions of rupiah outside Papua.
Livelihood
Habits survival and foraging among the tribes one with the other tribes in the region Citak District-Mitak turned out almost the same. Asmat land, tribes and tribal Mitak Citak have a daily habit of making a living is separti hunt forest animals, snakes, cassowaries <bird <swine Hitan <dragons etc. they also always meramuh / tap sago as a staple food and fishermen that fish and shrimp to eat. The life of a third tribe appeared to have changed.


In life, Asmat has two leadership positions, namely a. Leadership comes from the government and b. Head indigenous / tribal chiefs who came from other masyarakat.Sebagaimana, Kapala indigenous / tribal chief of the Asmat very influential and active role in the running of governance prevailing in this environment. Because of all the activities here are always didiihului by custom events that are traditional, so that in carrying out activities that are authorized, required cooperation between the two leaders is needed to expedite the process.

When the chieftain had been near death, the post of chief is not passed on to the next generation, but chosen from those derived from fain, or the oldest clan in the neighborhood or selected from a hero who succeeded in the battle.

Before the missionaries carrier religious teachings come to this region, the Asmat people embrace Anisme. And now, the tribal community has embraced many religions, such as Protestantism, Catholicism and even Islam.

With daily activities namely farming in the fields, with other types of plants carrots, matoa, citrus, corn, sweet potato and taro also raise chickens, pigs. Thus pulling this tribal customs, so that needs to be preserved. Besides, it also can be used as a tourism activity to generate foreign exchange for the country.

"Different is different but still one nevertheless, that Indonesia". That words must have been very close in your mind? If we open a book of cultural diversity in the country, of course, we will know that Indonesia is composed of many tribes and cultures, one of which is the Asmat tribe who inhabited the eastern region of Indonesia (Papua). Let us look more deeply about the Asmat.

Asmat is a tribe with millions and millions of uniqueness, as well as save a lot of tourism potential. This tribe is well-known works of art ukirnya. You as a lover of cultural tourism must be familiar with the statue asmat? A work which is phenomenal. Asmat, is composed of two groups: asmat pesisi and asmat inland. Both are very different in dialect, way of life or culture; but there is a similarity that is very exciting to be a cultural tourism destination. Asmat coast is divided into two, namely Bisman and Shimei. Awesome ,...

Source:
http://watipuspitasari.blogspot.com/2011/04/kebudayaan-suku-asmat.html


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