Category: trip advisor

The ongoing Baliem Valley Cultural Festival (FBLB) currently held in Baliem Valley, the Jayawijaya Mountains from August 8 to 11 has broken national and world records for the throwing of more than 1,359 sege (traditional spear).

Sege is a war instrument made of wood and has the length of 2.5 meters and the diameter between 5 to 7 meters. The spear is usually painted in black but some tribes decorate it with white and red colors. For hunting purposes, the spearhead is smeared with poison, however, all spears for the festival were painted in black with the tip of the spearhead were made less sharp and poisonless.

“This Sege-throwing activity made it into the national record number 3344/ORI/Agustus/2017 that was signed by Agung Elvianto and World Record Holders Republic (RHR) that has the main office in London. These records were given to Jayawijaya administration for the throwing of 1,000 sege that was done simultaneously,” said Jayawijaya tourism department head Alpius Wetipo.

Throughout the 28 years, FBLB has been held, this is the first time the spear-throwing activity is included in the festival.

A total of 1,359 men took part in the activity that attracted around 50,000 tourists. Only men were allowed to participate, however the total of men from the 14 participating districts were less than 1,000, the committee then decided to allow tourists to participate as well.

Themed ‘Art of Dance & War’, the festival showcases the Papuan war tradition and traditional dances including the War Dance. Some of the Papuan tribes such as Dani, Yali and Yani are taking part in the festival where they will perform a mock tribal war battle. (asw)

Jayawijaya district said the Baliem Valley Cultural Festival was one of Papua’s tourism icons, due to its global fame. Jayawijaya Regent John Wempi Wetipo told antaranews.com on Tuesday in Wamena that the event was a concrete step by the local government to preserve the traditional arts and core values of the Dani tribe.

“This event is an important asset to increase local income by the owners of local culture, and also as the government’s income. It’s purposely held every August, in accordance with Independence Day,” he said.

Wetipo also highlighted Jayawijaya regency’s natural tourism potential, “We have the beauty of Baliem Valley and its Baliem River. We also have Habema Lake’s fantastic natural panorama.”

(Read also: Papua’s oldest festival to lure foreign tourists in August)

Aside from Baliem Valley and Habema Lake, Wetipo said the Lorentz National Park with its various flora and fauna, the Trikora summit and mummy culture tours are still popular among tourists.

The Baliem Valley Cultural Festival features many cultural aspects of the Dani tribe arts, and this year it highlights the tribal warfare simulation. Organizers of the event have prepared a 400 by 250-meter arena to accommodate up to 1000 warriors and dancers.

The tribal war simulation will be held on two days, featuring 26 groups of up to 50 warriors, and will be accompanied by traditional pikon music of Papua. Pikon is a wood skin-based Papuan musical instrument that makes a soothing sound when blown. The annual Baliem Valley Cultural Festival is held on Aug. 8 to 10  for the 27th time. (asw)

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 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.