Helloindonesia.id – The Baliem Valley Festival is an annual event held in a field in the foothills of the Walesi District, Wamena, Jayawijaya, Papua. The festival which involved representatives of 40 districts from all of Wamena was first held in 1989.
Formerly the Baliem Valley Festival was a war event between Dani, Lani, and Yali as a symbol of fertility and well-being. The festival which is an arena for inter-tribal fighting is the oldest festival in Papua.
Not only the attraction of traditional warfare, a group of festival participants also presents a variety of other attractions, such as grilling stones, piggybacking, traditional dances and songs, as well as Papuan musical instruments. The participants came from three bare-chested tribes, both men and women.
Men wear koteka or cover traditional genitals. Their faces are decorated with traditional trinkets such as pig fangs (wamaik) and necklaces called mikak. Meanwhile, groups of women from three tribes wore traditional skirts and noken hoodies.
The Baliem Valley Festival is very unique, second to none in the world. One of the highlights is the scenario that triggered the war that started it.
There are a number of war scenarios, ranging from disputes caused by kidnapping girls to murder cases. A war ensued between two disputing tribes. Men fight each other with arrows and spears.
Some war scenarios end with one party experiencing victory and defeat on the other. But there is also an end to peace when the disputing parties consider war can not solve the problem.
This festival has a great attraction for tourists. The foreign tourists are willing to come to Papua just to see it. The Baliem Valley Festival has been famous for decades.
In addition, the Baliem Valley, which is the location of the festival, has a spectacular view. In the valley enclosed by the Trikora Mountains, there is Lake Hameba, nicknamed the Lake above the Clouds. One thing that is unique about this valley is that when it comes to May, the stretch of thatch will be purple.
For local people, this festival is more than just an attraction to bring tourists to Papua. The Baliem Valley Festival is one way to maintain the traditions and local wisdom of Papua. This festival has become a site for Papuan culture.
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