Kamoro Artists Introduce South Coastal Papuan Culture in Central Java
17 September 2024
Magelang, September 13, 2024 - Last week, eight artists from the Kamoro Tribe, accompanied by the Maramowe Kamorowe Foundation (YMWK) from Timika and the Atma Nusvantara Jati Foundation (Atsanti Foundation) from Magelang, visited two hamlets located near the Borobudur Temple area, namely Desa Kebonsari and Desa Dukun. This was the Kamoro artists from Central Papua Province’s first experience to embark on a cultural tour to Central Java.
In Desa Kebonsari, the Kamoro artists exchanged experiences with artists from the Bambu Community. The Bambu Community taught bamboo carving techniques and crafting Wayang Siladan bamboo puppets, while the Maramowe team introduced the Kamoro wood carving techniques.
“This cultural exchange was highly valuable for both artistic communities. We engaged in dialogue and shared experiences on crafting bamboo and wood into works of art. Conversely, the trip afforded us a great opportunity to gain insight on the development of tourist villages and product marketing,” said Luluk Intarti, founder of the Maramowe Foundation.
The next destination on the tour was the Sanggar Gadhung Sari Studio in Desa Dukun, where the artists met Ismanto, a painter, sculptor, musician, and dancer. The Kamoro artists were taught stone-carving techniques and gilding methods on carving tools. They also collaborated with dozens of young dancers and drummers from the studio, performing the social dance "Taware" in front of village residents who welcomed the artists from Papua.
Still in Magelang, the Kamoro artists became the stars of the 2024 Bhumi Atsanti Festival (FBA). This annual festival serves as a gathering for national artists and artists from Central Java. This year's theme, "Hayuning Roso," (roughly, adorning the senses) is inspired by the Javanese philosophy "Memayu Hayuning Bawana," which means beautifying the world. During the festival, the Kamoro artists demonstrated their skills in carving and weaving techniques, as well as performed folk songs and dances, such as the Mbikao Dance (spirit mask), Yamate Eyaro Dance, and the 'Wakuru' song, followed by the Wautu dance. They also collaborated with Yogyakarta-based artists "D+ Project," to perform a Kamoro folk song ‘Nuru Ai Pani.’
“It’s been a pleasure to be at Bhumi Atsanti Cultural House. We were warmly welcomed. My colleagues and I from Kamoro got to know other cultures, exchange thoughts and views, and to learn from them. We also showcased our culture—how we carve, weave, dance, and sing in the Kamoro way,” said Herman Kiripi, Chair of the Maramowe Foundation.
Claus Wamafma, Director & EVP of Sustainable Development at Freeport Indonesia, emphasized the company’s commitment to being actively involved in preserving the Kamoro Tribe’s culture. “This cultural tour to Central Java is expected to give Kamoro artists the opportunity to present their work on cultural stages, introduce the beauty of Kamoro art to a wider audience, expand their networking with other local artists and art communities, to gain greater access to collaboration among artists. It also serves as a learning platform to promote culture and engage the younger generation, the heirs of tradition,” said Claus.
In addition to visiting Desa Kebonsari and Desa Dukun, the artists from Central Papua also had the opportunity to extend their cultural tour to the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) in Surakarta (September 10-13). At this Institution, they shared information and engaged in discussions with lectures on Kamoro Tribe culture and participated in documenting Kamoro dances with students as part of the effort to preserve Kamoro culture through audio visual media. This activity was a collaboration with several departments within ISI Surakarta, under the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design.
“This activity provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen the connection between traditional art and academics at ISI Surakarta,” said Luluk.
Supported by Freeport Indonesia, the cultural tour, in collaboration with local artists, successfully showcased the richness of the arts and culture of the South Coast of Papua.
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