Kanal Jasa

Author: jasamu

  • Lembah Baliem dan Komodo Pikat Wisatawan Skandinavia

    Kalimantan, Papua, dan Flores berhasil menarik perhatian pengunjung Danish Travel Show – Ferie for Alle di Herning, Denmark. Selama tiga hari, 22-24 Februari 2019, anjungan Indonesia mempromosikan alternatif tujuan wisata selain Bali dengan perpaduan paket wisata alam dan budaya.

    “Indonesia merupakan negara kepulauan terdiri lebih dari 17.000 pulau. Terdapat tempat-tempat tujuan wisata selain Bali yang sudah cukup dikenal warga Denmark. Indonesia memiliki paket tujuan wisata yang bervariasi, mulai dari eco-tourism, marine tourism, wisata seni dan kuliner, heritage villages hingga modern shopping dan entertainment di kota-kota besar,” ujar M. Ibnu Said, Dubes RI untuk Denmark, saat pembukaan Table Top Meeting, acara pertemuan buyers dan sellers paket wisata yang diadakan oleh KBRI Kopenhagen di sela-sela pameran.

    Di hadapan travel agent dan tour operator, serta calon wisatawan Denmark potensial, Oyan Kristian dari PT Komodo Tours menjual paket wisata di Labuan Bajo dan Pulau Komodo, serta wisata budaya Flores.

    Wisata alam dengan kekayaan fauna Kalimantan, seperti bekantan dan orang utan, menjadi daya tarik paket yang ditawarkan Lars Faursholt, Indonesia Travel Specialist dari Denmark. Sedangkan wisata budaya Papua, seperti festival Lembah Baliem, menarik perhatian karena keunikannya. Lars menawarkan Bali sebagai penutup paketnya, yang sudah cukup dikenal warga Denmark sebagai tempat berlibur.

    Paduan bentuk wisata yang berbeda, seperti Pulau Komodo, Festival Lembah Baliem dan kedekatan dengan fauna seperti bekantan dan orang utan telah menarik perhatian pengunjung anjungan Indonesia dengan banyaknya yang menanyakan paket-paket tersebut.

    Sejumlah tarian tradisional seperti Selayang Pandang, Merak, Jaipong, Topeng Bapang Malang, Ngapotek, Lancang Kuning, Gantar dan Enggang ikut memeriahkan pameran, baik di panggung utama maupun di anjungan Indonesia.

    Pengunjung anjungan Indonesia juga disuguhi kuliner Indonesia, seperti nasi uduk, semur daging, kari ayam, somay, keripik talas dan bubur kacang hijau. Minuman hangat wedang secang sangat diminati karena keunikan rasanya. Kopi Indonesia juga sangat digemari oleh warga Denmark yang merupakan salah satu peminum kopi terbanyak di dunia. Berdasarkan penelitian setidaknya 20 juta cangkir kopi dikonsumsi warga Denmark secara keseluruhan setiap harinya.

    ”Danish Travel Show atau Ferie for Alle adalah pameran pariwisata yang paling banyak dikunjungi di wilayah Skandinavia dengan jumlah pengunjung lebih dari 60.000 pengunjung setiap tahunnya. Terdapat lebih dari 1.100 exhibitors yang berpartisipasi pada tahun 2019 ini,” ujar Georg Sørensen, CEO MCH Messecenter Herning.

    KBRI Kopenhagen berpartisipasi pada pameran yang diadakan setiap tahun tersebut karena merupakan kesempatan besar untuk mempromosikan Indonesia di wilayah Skandinavia, khususnya Denmark. Liburan merupakan hal penting bagi warga Denmark. Berdasarkan survey Expedia, setidaknya 81% warga Denmark mengambil libur selama 4 minggu setiap tahunnya. (KBRI Kopenhagen/nad)

  • Pesona Lembah Baliem dan Labuan Bajo Tarik Minat Warga Denmark

    TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Lembah Baliem, dan Komodo menarik perhatian pengunjung Danish Travel Show – Ferie for Alle di Herning, Denmark pameran wisata terbesar di Skandinavia.

    Dubes RI untuk Denmark, M. Ibnu Said, kepada Antara London, Minggu mengatakan anjungan Indonesia mempromosikan alternatif tujuan wisata selain Bali dengan perpaduan paket wisata alam dan budaya. Pameran wisata berlangsung selama tiga hari, 22 – 23 Februari 2019.

    Pada acara “Table Top Meeting”, yang mempertemukan “buyers” dan “sellers” paket wisata diadakan KBRI Kopenhagen di sela-sela pameran, Dubes Ibnu Said, mengatakan Indonesia merupakan negara kepulauan terdiri lebih dari 17.000 pulau.

    Dikatakannya banyak tempat tujuan wisata selain Bali yang cukup dikenal warga Denmark.

    Indonesia memiliki paket tujuan wisata bervariasi, mulai dari eco-tourism, marine tourism, wisata seni dan kuliner, heritage villages hingga modern shopping dan entertainment di kota-kota besar.
    Sejumlah perahu berlabuh di Pelabuhan Labuan Bajo saat matahari terbenam di Nusa Tenggara Timur, Jumat, 12 Oktober 2018. Labuan Bajo merupakan salah satu tujuan wisata para delegasi IMF sebelum mereka berwisata ke Pulau Komodo. TEMPO/Tony Hartawan
    Sementara itu Oyan Kristian dari PT Komodo Tours menjual paket wisata di Labuan Bajo dan Pulau Komodo, serta wisata budaya Flores.

    Wisata alam dengan kekayaan fauna Kalimantan, seperti bekantan dan orang utan, menjadi daya tarik paket yang ditawarkan Lars Faursholt, Indonesia Travel Specialist dari Denmark.

    Sedangkan wisata budaya Papua, seperti festival Lembah Baliem, menarik perhatian hadirin karena keunikannya.

    Lars Faoursholt juga menawarkan Bali sebagai penutup paketnya, yang sudah cukup dikenal warga Denmark sebagai tempat berlibur.
    Peserta memainkan musik tradisional Pikon di Festival Budaya Lembah Baliem, di Distrik Welesi, Kabupaten Jayawijaya, Wamena, Papua, 9 Agustus 2017. Keunikan alat tradisonal ini menghasilkan bunyi nada dengan menggetarkan pikon menggunakan seutas tali yang terlilit di pikon dengan tangan. Tempo/Rully Kesuma
    Paduan bentuk wisata yang berbeda, seperti Pulau Komodo, Festival Lembah Baliem dan kedekatan dengan fauna seperti bekantan dan orang utan telah menarik perhatian pengunjung anjungan Indonesia dengan banyaknya menanyakan paket tersebut.

    Sementara itu, CEO MCH Messecenter Herning, Georg Srensen, mengatakan Danish Travel Show atau Ferie for Alle adalah pameran pariwisata yang paling banyak dikunjungi di wilayah Skandinavia dengan jumlah pengunjung lebih dari 60.000 pengunjung dan diikuti lebih dari 1.100 exhibitors.

    Pensosbud KBRI Kopenhagen, Dieny Maya Sari mengatakan KBRI Kopenhagen berpartisipasi pada pameran yang diadakan setiap tahun karena kesempatan besar untuk mempromosikan wisata Indonesia di wilayah Skandinavia, khususnya Denmark.

    Liburan merupakan hal penting bagi warga Denmark. Berdasarkan survey Expedia, setidaknya 81 persen warga Denmark mengambil libur selama empat minggu setiap tahunnya.

  • Festival Lembah Baliem yang Mendunia

    FESTIVAL Lembah Baliem adalah festival budaya yang sudah diadakan lebih dari 29 kali. Festival ini sejak dahulu kala sangat terkenal sehingga turis mancanegara rela berbondong bondong datang ke Papua khusus untuk acara ini saja. Bagi kita, Festival Lembah Baliem mungkin terdengar asing. Ya wajar sih, karena untuk ke sini saja butuh perjuangan dalam perjalanan yang cukup panjang dan mahal juga tentunya. Tetapi walaupun kita jarang mendengar Festival Lembah Baliem Wamena tetapi turis asing sangat ingin ke sini. Di kalangan turis mancanegara, festival ini sudah terkenal sejak puluhan tahun lalu. Festival Lembah Baliem Papua adalah destinasi impian fotografer, begitupun juga saya. Sejak 3 tahun lalu saya sudah lama memimpikan untuk mengunjungi Festival Lembah Baliem di Wamena, Kabupaten Jayawijaya, Provinsi Papua. Festival Lembah Baliem di Kabupaten Wamena, Papua, berlangsung 6-8 Agustus 2017.

    Akhirnya impian itu terwujud pada tahun 2015 ini. Kenapa sih orang begitu tertarik untuk ke Wamena? Karena Lembah Baliem di Wamena terletak di daerah terpencil dan sulit untuk didatangi. Begitu pula dengan kebiasaan Suku Dani yang “maaf” mereka sangat komersial. Suku ini dikenal di kalangan wisatawan dan fotografer jika kita ingin mengambil foto harus membayar sejumlah uang kepada mereka. Nah, pada saat festival inilah kita bisa memotret dengan bebas penampilan Suku Dani. Lantas, apakah rumor yang mengatakan memotret Suku Dani pada saat hari biasa harus bayar dengan uang? Jawabannya iya. Jika hari biasa kita harus merogoh kocek yang cukup dalam untuk bisa membayar para Suku Dani ini. Saya tidak tahu “budaya” meminta uang ini muncul dari mana, tetapi dari beberapa sumber yang saya dapatkan kebiasaan ini muncul karena dahulu banyak turis asing dan orang-orang kaya luar negeri yang datang ke Wamena. Mereka kasihan dengan keadaan masyarakat adat yang memang tertinggal, baik ekonomi maupun pendidikan. Akhirnya, para turis asing dan orang kaya tersebut sehabis memotret membayar mereka dengan uang. Kebiasaan ini menjadi semakin membudaya ketika orang datang dan memotret mereka, dan ujung-ujungnya mereka meminta sejumlah uang. Festival Lembah Baliem di Kabupaten Wamena, Papua, berlangsung 6-8 Agustus 2015.

    Terlepas dari kebiasaan yang menurut saya buruk tetapi di Lembah Baliem Wamena punya budaya yang mereka jaga sejak dahulu, dan mereka menampilkannya pada Festival Lembah Baliem yang luar biasa dan telah menjadi daya tarik turis sejak dahulu ke Papua. Festival Lembah Baliem awalnya merupakan acara perang antarsuku Dani, Lani, dan Suku Yali. Pada saat festival kita bisa melihat simulasi perang dan pertunjukan tarian yang mereka perlihatkan. Sebuah festival yang menjadi ajang adu kekuatan antarsuku dan telah berlangsung turun temurun namun tentunya aman untuk dinikmati. Festival Lembah Baliem berlangsung selama tiga hari dan diselenggarakan setiap bulan Agustus dan biasanya bertepatan dengan perayaan Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia. Tetapi pada tahun 2015 ini diadakan pada tanggal 6 sampai 8 Agustus. Ternyata Festival Lembah Baliem sudah diadakan ke 25 kalinya, Awalnya pertama kali digelar tahun 1989. Yang istimewa bahwa festival ini dimulai dengan skenario pemicu perang seperti penculikan warga, pembunuhan anak suku, atau penyerbuan ladang yang baru dibuka. Festival Lembah Baliem di Kabupaten Wamena, Papua, berlangsung 6-8 Agustus 2015.

    Adanya pemicu ini menyebabkan suku lainnya harus membalas dendam sehingga penyerbuan pun dilakukan. Atraksi ini tidak menjadikan balas dendam atau permusuhan sebagai tema tetapi justru bermakna positif. Suku-suku di Papua meski mengalami modernisasi tetapi masih memegang teguh adat istiadat dan tradisi mereka. Salah satu yang paling menonjol adalah pakaian pria Suku Dani yang hanya mengenakan penutup kemaluan atau disebut koteka. Koteka terbuat dari kulit labu air yang dikeringkan dan dilengkapi dengan penutup kepala yang terbuat dari bulu cendrawasih atau kasuari. Sedangkan kaum perempuan Suku Dani mengenakan rok yang terbuat dari rumput atau serat pakis yang disebut sali. Saat membawa babi atau hasil panen ubi, para perempuan membawanya dengan tas tali atau noken yang diikatkan pada kepala mereka. Suku Dani terbiasa berperang untuk mempertahankan desa mereka atau untuk membalas dendam bagi anggota suku yang tewas.

    Para ahli antropologi menjelaskan bahwa “Perang Suku Dani” lebih merupakan tampilan kehebatan dan kemewahan pakaian dengan dekorasinya daripada perang untuk membunuh musuh. Perang bagi Suku Dani lebih menampilkan kompetensi dan antusiasme daripada keinginan untuk membunuh. Senjata yang digunakan adalah tombak panjang berukuran 4,5 meter, busur, dan anak panah. Seringkali, karena perang orang terluka daripada terbunuh, dan yang terluka dengan cepat dibawa keluar arena perang. Puncak acara adalah pertempuran antara Suku Dani, Yali, dan Lani saat mereka mengirim prajurit terbaiknya ke arena perang mengenakan tanda-tanda kebesaran terbaik mereka. Festival ini dimeriahkan dengan pesta babi yang dimasak di bawah tanah disertai musik dan tari tradisional khas Papua. Ada juga seni dan kerajinan buatan tangan yang dipamerkan atau untuk dijual.

    Setiap suku memiliki identitasnya masing-masing dan orang dapat melihat perbedaan yang jelas di antara mereka sesuai dengan kostum dan koteka mereka. Laki-laki suku Dani biasanya hanya memakai koteka kecil, sedangkan laki-laki suku Lani mengenakan koteka lebih besar, karena tubuh mereka lebih besar daripada rata-rata laki-laki Suku Dani. Sedangkan kaum laki-laki Suku Yali memakai koteka panjang dan ramping yang diikatkan oleh sabuk rotan dan diikat di pinggang. Menghadiri Festival Lembah Baliem maka Anda akan memiliki kesempatan langka untuk belajar dan bersentuhan langsung dengan beragam tradisi suku-suku setempat yang berbeda-beda tanpa harus mengunjunginya ke pedalaman Papua yang jauh dan berat.

    Diperkirakan festival ini diikuti oleh lebih dari 40 suku lengkap dengan pakaian tradisional dan lukisan di wajah mereka. Yang perlu Anda lakukan selama festival hanya mengamati dan menikmati perang saja sambil memotret. Semakin lama festival ini berlangsung maka suasana perang dengan tombak, parang, dan panah yang menghantam lawan akan semakin dekat dan seru. Semakin banyak tombak yang meleset maka semakin keras sorakan dari ratusan penonton. Suku-suku ini telah mengikuti festival perang setiap tahun sehingga acaranya semakin menarik tiap tahunnya. Festival Lembah Baliem memang diadakan selama 3 hari. Anda bisa menyaksikan festival pada saat pembukaan di hari pertama.

    Karena suasana memang meriah pada saat pembukaan. Pada hari lain anda bisa berjalan jalan sambil memotret keindahan alam Lembah Baliem yang memukau. Terus terang Lembah Baliem Wamena merupakan destinasi impian saya, sudah 3 tahun saya selalu gagal ke sini dan akhirnya baru kesampaian sekarang karena akses menuju sini sangatlah mahal. Terbatasnya hotel dan kendaraan yang ada di sini apalagi pada saat festival membuat hotel di Wamena penuh tamu dan sangat susah mencari penginapan. Jika anda ingin mengunjungi Wamena pada saat festival, saya sangat menyarankan untuk ikut trip saja. Jika anda mendadak datang ke sini, saya bisa pastikan susah mendapat penginapan dan kendaraan (mobil saja ke sini diangkut pesawat terbang).

     

  • Baliem Valley, Indonesia

    Tony visited Wamena, capital of Baliem Valley, with a couch surfing friend, Raymond. Raymond is from Wamena, and Tony stayed with his lovely family just outside the town. The Baliem Valley is home to many cultural tribes most noticeably Dani, Lani and Yali. Raymond’s family are Lani.

    The only way to reach Wamena is by plane. Trigana and Wings have several flights a day from Jayapura. Almost all produce is flown in by transport plane, hence it is an expensive area. Petrol is three times the price compared to Jayapura. Once Raymond and I had landed, we visited the local police station to obtain a Surat Jalan, a pass allowing me to visit the region. A passport photocopy was required plus two photographs.

    We rented a taxi for a half-day visit to a couple of local villages. The main stop was at Jiwika. This village is home to a 371 year old mummy. I was allowed to take photos with the mummy for a fee! The bones felt like wood and he has a large mouth and no teeth! This is a tourist village and the locals take off their clothes when tours arrive. People used to live naked in the mountains but modernity has come to the area in recent times. For 10,000 Indonesian Rupiah per person, approximately 50 pence, I could have my photo taken with the naked villagers, men, women and children. Raymond gathered about 20 people and I had a quick feel of one naked women – she was very nice!

    Go To Baliem Valley festival

    After this we headed to Raymond’s home about one kilometre from downtown Wamena. I met his family, sister, and his aunt and uncle plus their three daughters. We sat on the grass chatting, Raymond translating. I said ‘Halo’, Indonesian for hello, and shook hands. His house is a simple affair with a front room where I slept on a mattress then several other rooms leading to a simple bathroom. The toilet is a hole in the ground and flushing is by putting water into the hole afterwards. The shower is a bucket of cold water over the head! It rained every evening and on my first night there I met a local priest. He was impressed that a blind man could travel the world and prayed for me. We ate sweet potato and cooked vegetables. I played with kids who spoke some words of English. Everyone has tight curly hair like African people.

    On my second day, Raymond hired a motorbike and we explored some of the valley. Visiting local villages and taking photos of the rocky mountainous and tree-lined terrain. Grapes, watermelon, bananas and many other fruits line the roadside and the grass had a coffee smell. We attempted to drive to the mouth of the Baliem River but had to turn back due to dense grass. The water was sighted and also the old Iron Bridge across the Baliem River. Eventually we reached an area called White Sand. A beach-like place with many rough rocks and some trees. The sky was blue with clouds forming. Local kids took photos but we had to pay to visit the area! We raced the rain clouds but they soaked us before we reached Wamena.

    My second night was spent by the fire in Raymond’s small honai – a local traditional sleeping house. In the villages, the men and women have separate honais. More sweet potatoes and cooked veggies were eaten and I tried a local delicacy, Red Dragon Fruit. It is somewhat spiky and oval in shape. It is full of oil and your fingers and lips become red when eating it. They boil it on the fire and this creates a pan of thick oil which is drunk with seeds being spat out. It tasted thick and heavy to me, oily and not too delightful!

    The third day was spent visiting more old villages and hiking to Napua Waterfall through the forest. This was fun. Raymond lead me and we had to cross the river twice. The second time I removed my shoes and socks and went bare foot. The water was cool and inviting. The ground was very muddy with recent rain and I slipped several times. We climbed down the trail and finally reached the waterfall, a wonderful sound to my ears. After 15 minutes rest Raymond pulled me back up the steep incline of muddy steps to the trail and we retraced our steps. Recrossing the river, Raymond made a video of me walking through the river. Naturally I fell and swore. I made it to the other side and Raymond helped me up the bank, where I once again fell over with Raymond landing on top of me. Ten minutes later we exited the forest and rode back to Wamena.

    My fourth and final day was Sunday, everything was closed and most people went to church. Raymond and I relaxed. The previous evening I had bought pork and we shared it around the fire. In the early evening we visited a village where Raymond was born and where his Grandma had recently died. The villagers were overwhelmed to see Raymond and fascinated with me! Again it rained. To leave the village in the dark Raymond had to take the bike up to the road because the fields were muddy. I had to walk in the rain and climb over two fences! That night we had chicken and rice Nasi Aiam at midnight. The following morning we flew back to Jayapura.

    repost from : http://www.tonythetraveller.com/2015/03/03/baliem-valley-indonesia/ 

  • The other side of Indonesia: Baliem Valley

    Wamena is a hot and dusty town in the Baliem Valley on the edges of civilisation in the deep interior of Papua. Our wobbling aircraft, brimming with fresh fruit and essentials from the outside world, flew low over virgin jungle and touched down by a rusting shed.

    Advice: Baliem Valley

    Getting there: Trigana flight from Sentani or Timika
    Escaping: walk or bemo from Wamena (remember your surat jalan); walk to Freeport (if you dare)
    Bureaucracy: visitors must obtain a surat jalan from a police complex five minutes’ walk from the airstrip

    The Heart of Darkness

    The Papuan interior is one of the wildest places on earth. Undeveloped, sparsely populated and largely unexplored, the region hosts at least forty uncontacted tribes in a fragile sweet-spot forgotten by the authorities. To the east, the Indonesian army is distracted by a bloody conflict with the Papuan independence movement (OPM), regularly making incursions into refugee camps to terrorise ethnic Papuans; and to the south, the government’s attention is focussed on industrial projects like the environmentally disastrous Freeport copper mine. In Wamena, the people’s appearance differed little from the Torres Strait Islanders I had met in Townsville. Like the journey their ancestors took thousands of years ago, I had been describing an arc around the Arafura Sea.

    As in Australia, the native population seemed ashen and destitute in the city, selling fruit and string bags from the gutter in front of tourist shops run by magisterial Chinese immigrants. But in the countryside, these people were a force of nature.

    Wamena has an uneasy feeling. Walking its unsettled streets at night was the first time I felt threatened by Indonesia. A friend of a friend recommended a horrid, overpriced Chinese-run hotel where I spent a terrible night, bolt upright in my windowless room to the sound of breaking glass and a woman’s screams in the foyer outside.

    This man and lady in traditional dress agreed to a photograph near Widangku
    The Dani have an unshakable love of sweet potatoes. They carry them across their backs in huge stretchy noken, woven cork bags.
    MGJ--43

    A walk in Baliem

    On a beautiful morning I took a rattling PMV from Terminal Misi towards Sumogkoand walked for hours through the countryside. The fields were intensively farmed, dotted with round onai huts surrounded by birdsong and tinkling streams. Friendly Papuans sang si-ang! as they trudged by with string bags, sweet-potato bulging, slung over their foreheads and onto their backs. Past Kurima, the police checked my surat jalan at a checkpoint – petty bureaucracy is never far away in Indonesia! I rested above a rickety suspension bridge spanning the river-valley.

    I met a lady selling fruit: all the fingers of her left hand had been cut off to the knuckle. It is Dani custom to remove a finger each time a relative dies.

    After a few days in Baliem, I set off on an exceedingly ill-planned attempt to reach the next valley to the east.

  • Baliem Valley in West Papua Has Some Amazing Facts Anyone Should Know

    Baliem Valley is the beautiful place which is located in Jaya Wijaya Mountains, West Papua. It is located in the altitude of about 1,600 metres above the sea level so that it is reasonable that this place having the beautiful scenery and also nature. This is also the place of Yali tribes, Dani tribes, and also Lani Tribes. Baliem Valley is surrounded by the mountains. It makes the place having the cool temperature and fresh air. It is a good place to get relaxed and refreshed.

    There are only few people who know the beauty and unique of this place. It does not only offer the beauty of the nature but also almost anything there is amazing, including the people, tradition, cultures, and many more. If you love the beauty and the uniqueness of West Papua, you need to know about this place and go there if you have the chance. Below, there are some of the amazing facts you need to know about the Baliem Valley.

    Amazingly Beautiful Nature of Baliem Valley

    West Papua has been well known for its beautiful nature. That is especially for some places there which are more than beautiful. It is including Baliem Valley which is amazingly adorable so that it can be one of the must visit places when you go to West Papua. We have described the nature of this place which is really amazing in brief above. This place is completely that attractive with Baliem River which separate Valiem Valley. The river flows to Grand Valley and then it empties to Arafura Sea. Baliem Valley offers the beautiful nature which can make the visitors feel amazed. You will see not only the adorable yet dashing mountains but also in the height,  you can see the fields of the residents there which often look so green, fresh, yet refreshing. It becomes perfect with its cool temperature there. You will feel peaceful, refreshed, and of course feels much healthier because we get the fresh air there.

    The Unique Tradition of Baliem Valley

    Besides the beauty of the nature, Baliem Valley has the unique tradition. As many people already know, most of West Papua is still preserving their culture so that we can see their culture and tradition in West Papua is still strong. It is including in Baliem Valley where we can find the unique tradition as well. The tradition and culture are totally unique. One of the unique traditions in Baliem Valley is the finger cutting tradition. Sure, when we hear it at the first time, it may sounds so terrible and scary. This Dani Tribe tradition has a reason. This is the way to express their sadness and mourning, when they lose their family member. It may sound strange but cutting the finger may be the symbol of their mourning. For the Baliem Valley people, the hands and the fingers represent the harmony with the human his or herself.

    Attractive Fest in Baliem Valley

    Baliem Valley is also popular for its fest. Lots of people all over the world know about it especially for them who are always attracted by West Papua. That is because of the unique fest there. This fest is a kind of symbol of the prosperity and also fertility of Baliem Valley. The people then conduct this celebration of the power struggles between the tribes there. They are Yali tribes, Dani tribes, and Lani tribes. This fest is conducted for about three days. That is also conducted every August. Of course, the war is not real and it is still done in the very peaceful ambiance there. Thus, the tribes still live peacefully together.

    The Stone Burnt Feast in Baliem Valley

    Besides the Baliem Valley Festival, there is also another unique celebration in Baliem Valley, West Papua. It is including the stone burnt feast which is a feast of Dani tribe in welcoming the births, marriage, or even the after war euphoria. This feast is completely unique because the fire is not from two logs which are rubbed to be a fire but the fire is used to burn the well arranged stones. As the peak of this feast, it is used to burn the sweet potatoes and even pigs to be enjoyed by all people. That is done by placing the pig and also sweet potatoes on the coals of fire.

    Beautiful White Sands without a Beach

    Another beautiful yet unique thing we can find in Baliem Valley is about the beautiful white sands. The unique point is that there is no beach there even though there is the white sand. Commonly, we can find the white sands at beach but that is far away from beach since it is located at the valley. People believed that the white sand is the area of lack which now becomes a land. This is another beauty and fact of Baliem Valley in West Papua which of course will make you want to go there.

  • Baliem Valley festival in Wamena, Indonesia.

    The Dani, Yali and Lani tribes gather at this annual festival dressed in distinctive attire to stage mock battles, perform traditional music and dance, and celebrate with a pig roast.

    There are remote places in Indonesia, and then there are remote places in Papua, Indonesia, a land of rich traditions and exotic tribes often referred to as Indonesia’s Last Frontier. The Baliem Valley is perhaps one of the relatively more accessible places in Papua, from where foreigners can gain insight into the cultural complexities of this part of the world.

    The differences between Papua and the rest of the country are stark, starting with the appearance of the Papuans themselves, who are ethnically Melanesian, but comprise of several tribes who speak over 250 different languages. Few Papuans actually follow a modern life-style, and a further difference is that Papua does not have the Islamic heritage pertaining to most of Indonesia.

    So, when you are traveling across the Baliem Valley, Papua, you might be forgiven for feeling that you are no longer within Indonesia. Cannibalism and head-hunting continued to be practiced in Papua right up to the 1970’s, and the region is still considered to be well behind modern times, having been described as “20th-century Stone-Age” upon discovery.

    Amazingly Beautiful Nature of Baliem Valley

    West Papua has been well known for its beautiful nature. That is especially for some places there which are more than beautiful. It is including Baliem Valley which is amazingly adorable so that it can be one of the must visit places when you go to West Papua. We have described the nature of this place which is really amazing in brief above.

    This place is completely that attractive with Baliem River which separate Valiem Valley. The river flows to Grand Valley and then it empties to Arafura Sea. Baliem Valley offers the beautiful nature which can make the visitors feel amazed. You will see not only the adorable yet dashing mountains but also in the height, you can see the fields of the residents there which often look so green, fresh, yet refreshing. It becomes perfect with its cool temperature there. You will feel peaceful, refreshed, and of course feels much healthier because we get the fresh air there.

    Baliem Valley Trekking

    Trekking is the reason for which most people head to Baliem Valley. Baliem Valley trekking not only provides fantastic views over the valley, it’s rivers and lush landscape, but is the best way (and in many cases the only way) of coming across members of the different, remote Papuan tribes.

    There are few to no roads outside of Wamena so the more remote parts of the Baliem Valley, and areas outside of it can only be explored on foot.

    Costs for Baliem Valley trekking expeditions with guides are often incredibly high and prohibitive to most people traveling on a restrictive budget. Although hiking some parts of the valley in the village area without a guide is possible, hiring a guide in this region, one who knows the area and is familiar with tribal customs and dialect, is highly recommended.

    Tribal warfare continues to be practised in the valley and conflicts are common, and although this is not directly targeted at tourists, the risk of getting caught in a cross fire is high, especially if you are not aware and familiar with your surroundings. The situation could potentially become very dangerous and indeed, during our time in Wamena, guides were refusing to take trekkers to one particular area of the valley because of some violent incidents pertaining to tribal conflict.

    What is so particular about villages in the Baliem Valley?

    Traditional dress

    An elderly man dressed in his traditional koteka - The Tribes and Mummies of the Baliem Valley, Papua

    Males traditionally wear a Koteka to cover their penis, and little else. A koteka is a penis sheath made from dried gourd (yes, the vegetable) and is normally tried to the scrotum. The idea of this contraption made Nikki squirm and he wasn’t sure whether he would feel comfortable spending much time with the tribes wearing such attire.

    The way in which a man wears his koteka can give an indication as to what tribe he belongs to, and different kotekas are worn on different occasions. Admittedly, I found it hard to meet the villagers on our independent Baliem Valley tour without staring at their kotekas since I found it to be such a weird item of clothing. I felt embarrassed for staring so intently at their private parts, but they did not seem at all bothered! Nikki did fine too 😉

    Women are often bare-breasted and wear grass skirts as do some of the children.

    Fingerless women

    Crushing fingers is a tribal tradition in the Baliem valley - The Tribes and Mummies of the Baliem Valley, Papua

    You will notice that many of the older women in Wamena and in the villages of the Baliem Valley are missing some of their fingers. The ancient practice (which is now banned) sees a woman having her fingers amputated to mark the loss of a relative, symbolising the pain after the loss. It was normally performed by a village ‘specialist’ using a straight-edged stone, after striking the woman’s elbow with a stick to numb the nerve, and thus reduce the pain of the procedure. The chopped-off finger is burnt along with the body of the deceased.

    Things to know before you travel to the Baliem Valley

    Surat Jalan

    This is essentially a travel permit which you need to purchase to access some spots in Papua. You can obtain the permit from the police authorities in some cities in Papua such as Jayapura and Sentani. The permit can also be made in Wamena itself and will allow you to travel in the Baliem Valley. We always intended to make the permit at the Wamena Police Station, but kept forgetting to do so every time we passed by.

    We were not sure whether it was mandatory to have a permit or not (due to conflicting information) when staying in Wamena, but it seemed to be required mostly for going outside of the main town. The permit SHOULD be free of charge, but it is not uncommon for a fee to be charged. If you need the permit, bring along two passport photos. You need to list every place outside of Wamena that you intend passing through, which sounds like quite a hassle if you are planning a long trek.

    Once you have your permit, be sure to make several copies of it. When you arrive to the main town of the regency you are passing through, head to the local police station with your permit to be registered.

    If you hire a guide for a Baliem Valley tour or Baliem Valley trekking, he should be able to help you with all Surat Jalan formalities.

    Weather conditions

    March – August sees less rainfall, but it can rain at any time in the Baliem Valley and rain should not be a deterrent to your plans. Be sure to carry around a good thin waterproof rain jacket in Wamena, and a thicker jacket if you are trekking to a higher altitude where the nights tend to be very chilly.

    Renting a scooter for an independent Baliem Valley tour

    Scooter rentals are awfully expensive in Wamena, and very difficult to find. Our guesthouse owner arranged our rental from a friend and this was only possible after asking around a couple of days. None were available before. The rental set us back 250,000 IDR (about €15) a day which would be an outrageous price anywhere else in Indonesia, but actually a good deal in Papua, where everything is so much more expensive. The scooter was sparkling new!

    Two women waiting at the wamena market place - The Tribes and Mummies of the Baliem Valley, Papua

    There are very few places which are still unexplored on our planet. The Baliem Valley is probably not one of them, but the area surrounding it may certainly be! Even now, in the 21st century when travel has been made so easy, visitors to Papua are few, and not many people make it to the very remote tribal lands.

    Although we didn’t get to go too far out of Wamena, the Baliem Valley has got to be one of the most special places that we have traveled to, and this thanks to the unique culture that makes the region so incredibly rich, and colourful. If you’re looking to travel to one the world’s last frontiers, Wamena would make a good base!

     

  • Baliem Festival and trek in Papua

    BALIEM VALLEY FESTIVAL AND TREK IN PAPUA

    This is a fascinating two week trek through the remote Baliem Valley on hunting trails in Papua’s central highlands, staying in local Dani villages and culminating in a visit to the annual Tribal Festival, when all the various highland tribes come together for a mock war and big party in Wamena – it’s a photographers dream and a remarkable experience.

    Part of the interest is in the natural environment, but staying in local homes and being immersed in the culture to experience an ancient way of life that is deeply in tune with the local environment is equally as fascinating. It is the type of isolated wilderness in which communities only survive by working together and establishing a cohesive social structure.

    Th highlight is the visit to see the Baliem Valley Festival, also known as the pasola festival, when all the diverse tribes from the highlands of Wamena and the Baliem Valley such as the Dani, Lani, and the Yali congregate to celebrate their annual festival. This year the festival will be in August, high in the Jayawijaya mountains on the Indonesian side of the island of New Guinea. The festival includes mock tribal warfare held to maintain the agility and preparedness of the tribes to defend their villages.

    These battles are accompanied by Papuan traditional music of Pikon, a musical instrument made out of wood bark which is difficult to play and produces a soothing and melodic sound. Additionally the festival aims to preserve the values and culture of the traditional tribes with art and culture, including traditional dances, pig racing, Puradan Rattan Spear Throwing and Sikoko Spear games.

    TREKKING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

    This is not one of our most strenuous treks in terms of the distances that you walk or the altitude that you travel to. However, it is quite committing with the heat and humidity and the nature of the experience itself. Generally you walk with a small rucksack wearing good hiking boots and trekking clothes, sleeping in the homes with a lightweight sleeping bag. Food is all provided locally and there is an English speaking local guide to lead the teams.

    TRAVEL IN THE BALIEM VALLEY

    The Baliem Valley sits in the centre of the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea. The valley is walled in on both sides by the high mountain ridges of the Sudirman, Maoke, Star and Jayawijaya ranges. The valley its self is at an altitude of between 1600-1700m with its surrounding peaks rising to over 4000m.

    As a consequence of its geography the valley was not know to the outside world until 1938 when a reconnaisance flight from a zoological expedition flew over it. Even to this day the only practical way to access the valley is by flying to the airstrip of Wamena. Prior to the 1940’s the communities of the valley lived in a way that had changed little since the stone age, including using polished stone for blades and axes.

    There are three main tribal groups living in the valley; the Yali, the Dani and the Lani. Each tribe has its own distinct language and cultural practices. All do share some common practices, one of the more famous being the penis-gourd or Koteka, worn by most of the men of the tribes. Many of the men will little else, other than perhaps a wooly hat!

    Inevitably, with different tribal groups all occupying a single ‘walled’ region, there was a long history of some degree of inter-tribal conflict. Legend had it that some tribes would also eat their vanquished enemies. Nowadays the annual Baliem Valley festival plays host to a mock war where the tribes meet and celebrate their own and their shared cultures.

    The tribal communities largely live by subsistence farming. They cultivate sweet potatoes, sago palm and taros, a broad-leafed plant that is mainly grown for its root tuber or ‘corm’.

    Raising pigs is also another essential part of the local food supply. Pig feasts therefore form a very significant part of the cultural rituals of the area such as celebrations. Pigs also usually form the dowry given by the prospective groom to his bride-groom’s family. Social superiority is also inevitably measured in part by the number of pigs a family own.

    The cultural rituals of the local communities have evolved over millenia and most of the practices can be traced to the essential aspects of survival in a remote and isolated region. One example is the taboo associated with sex for a woman within 2-5 years following giving birth. This would ensure that each child received undivided attention through their most vulnerable early years.

    Local village houses are made from the natural materials available to them. The Dani build oval-shaped huts with a framework of wood in-filled with straw and heavy thatching to keep out the rain. Open fires are used cor cooking and also to keep out the mosquitos.

    The best time to visit the Baliem Valley in terms of weather is the season from March til September. This will ensure that you miss the worst of the regions high rainfall. However, even during this time the global location and local geography make it inevitable that there will be some rain and possible disruption to the internal flight to and from Jayapura.

    PAPUA TRAVEL FACTS

    Flights

    When flying to West Papua on the island of New Guinea your international flight will arrive at Sentani Airport near to Jayapura City; (Bandar Udara Sentani) (IATA: DJJ, ICAO: WAJJ).

    Flights can be rather expensive due to the number of connections so do shop around and consider using flight comparison sites such as SkyScanner.com.The most economic way to fly to Jayapura (Sentani) is often to buy two seperate tickets; a return to Jakarta and a return from Jakarta to Jayapura. There are a few operators flying this final leg and their ticket prices can vary a lot. Please do note however that if you have two seperate tickets and you miss a connection, the airlines have no obligation to re-schedule your second leg. Therefore it is wise to leave a large amount of time for connection between flights.

    Visa

    British nationals need a visa to enter Indonesia. You can get a 30-day visa on arrival at a cost of US $25. You will also need a permit to travel to Papua and West Papua. The UK FCO advise that entry requirements can change at any time, so you should get the latest information from the Indonesian Embassy in London before you travel and talk to us about helping you with the relevant permissions. It is recommended that you carry your passport with you at all times when travelling around Papua.

    Baggage
    Do check the baggage allowance for you particular airline and flight. Also, be sure to mark your bags clearly with your own name and address and the contacts for Adventure Alternative (which will be advised prior to departure).

    Vaccinations and Travel Health
    You will need to visit your GP well in advance of your trip to discuss vaccinations; we recommend asking about; Primary courses and boosters: diphtheria; tetanus; hepatitis A; typhoid. Also consider:  hepatitis B; Japanese encephalitis; cholera.

    A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from areas with risk of yellow fever transmission.

    You are also advised to enquire about anti-malarial medication. Anyone known to have allergic reactions to insect bites should carry their own EpiPen.

    We have a contract with Interhealth in London which can provide expert travel advice and guidance on travel in any country. Benefits include:

    • Free travel consultations and health advice with a medical team to discuss pre-travel requirements such as malaria prevention and vaccination requirements. Tel: 020 7902 9033- 2-3pm Mon-Fri or [email protected]
    • Access to our own Online Travel Health Advice Centre
    • Urgent medical advice – for serious health issues, available 24 hours a day. emergency phone line: 079 7325 0026

    Insurance
    You will need a policy that covers trekking in the rainforest and to moderate altitude. There are plenty of companies to choose from, such as DogTag, Campbell Irvine, Snowcard or STA Travel.

    We encourage people to buy insurance as soon as you have booked your flight and trip, in case there is a need for cancellation. Do also take your papers with you and make sure your team mates and group leader know where it is, in case somebody else needs to make a phone call for you.

    PAPUA BOOKS AND MAPS

    Region Guides
    New Guinea: Irian Jaya, Periplus Editions, Eiseman Jr Fred, ISBN-13: 978-0945971061
    New Guinea: An Island Apart, Neil Nightingale, BBC Books, ISBN-13: 978-0563361619
    Indonesia, Ryan ver Berkmoes, Lonely Planet Publications, ISBN-13: 978-1741048308

    Maps
    Papua New Guinea, Hema Maps International, 1:2 167 000, ISBN-10: 1875610014, ISBN-13: 978-1875610013
    Indonesia – Papua, Maluku, 1:1500 000, Nelles Travel Map, ISBN: 9783865740458

    Climbing, Exploration and Rainforest
    Descent into Chaos: Doomed Expedition to Low’s Gully, Connaughton, Brassey’s, ISBN-10: 1857531477, ISBN-13: 978-1857531473
    Into the Heart of Borneo, O’Hanlon, Penguin, ISBN-10: 0140073973

    MOUNT TRIKORA

    This is an optional addition to the trip for people who want to explore this interesting peak.

    Puncak Trikora was until 1963, known as Wilhelmina Peak, Puncak meaning Peak. It’s exact height has been of some debate over the years but the accepted height of the summit is 4750m. Perhaps one of the factors in this debate is the fact that it is the third highest peak on the continent of Oceania, only just behind Puncak Jaya (4884m) and Puncak mandala (4760m).

    The name Trikora was chosen in 1063 to commemorate a speech by the first president of Indonesia, Kusno “Sukarno” Sosrodihardjo. The speech is known as the Trikora, Tri Komando Rakyat, or “People’s Triple Command”. The command being: to defeat the formation of an independent state of West Papua, raise the Indonesian flag in that country, and be ready for mobilization at any time.

    The local Dani people who live near Lake Habbema at the foot of the mountain call it Ettiakup.

    Trikora sits in the Maoke/Jayawijaya Range which forms part of the mountainous the spine of New Guinea, running East-West across the island.

    Despite being in the tropics the peak does occasionally receive a blanket of snow on the summit. At the time of its first recorded ascent in 1913 the upper regions still hosted a permanent ice cap. From around 1936 the ice cap was observed to be in retreat and around 1962 it had disappeared altogether.

    The vegetation on an ascent of Trikora ranges as you ascend. We find mountain rain-forest then scrub beech trees,  grassy swamp, tree-ferns then alpine scrub to lichen-covered scree then bare rock on the summit.