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Asmat Tribe Customs

Asmat Tribe Customs
beritapapua

The Asmat have many dances and songs. they performed dances along with this song when welcoming guests, harvest times, and paying homage to the spirits of the ancestors. They are very respectful of their ancestors, this can be seen from every tradition they have. although now modern culture has a lot of influence on their lives, the Asmat tradition and customs will be difficult to eliminate. The Asmat tribe has an extraordinary and worthy culture to be the main object that should be studied further when visiting Papua.



In addition to art, one of the most interesting traditions to look at is the Bujang house or commonly known as Jew. this house is an important part that is inseparable from the life of the Asmat tribe. Jew became the main house where all the Asmat tribes in each village began. So important, that in setting up Jew there is a special ceremony that must be done. jew, only lived by unmarried men. Occasionally women may enter but must be in a large meeting situation.

The Tobe dance is a dance of the Asmat Tribe which is also a typical war dance. This type of dance was a dance that was performed when there was an order from the customary chief to fight. This dance is indeed to inflame the spirit of the soldiers. Along with its development, this dance is used to welcome guests as their form towards guests who come. This dance is performed by 16 male dancers and 2 female dancers. This Tobe dance is combined with enthusiastic songs accompanied by a tifa musical instrument.

Dancers wear chest beads, skirts from bahar roots, and leaves tucked into their bodies. This symbolizes that the Asmat people are very close to nature.

Asmat Tribe Customs

In their daily life, the Asmat tribe has a custom that has been held by them from generation to generation. These customs are still being guarded by the Asmat tribe.
Here are some of the customs that come from this tribe:

  • Pregnancy. The tribal people really take care of a woman's pregnancy in the midst of their family. They treat pregnant women well until the delivery process is safely achieved.
  • Birth. After the process of reaching childbirth, the family will hold a salvation ceremony by cutting the navel using a sembilu. The Sembilu used for cutting is made from stretched bamboo. For development, the baby will be breastfed by the mother for 2-3 years.
  • Wedding. Marriage is held at the age of 17 years or older. Of course this has received agreement from both parties. In addition, there is a test of courage from men to buy women using antique plates whose value is unbeatable in the price interpretation of Johnson boats.
  • Dead. The customary chief is the exception in taking care of the dead. The deceased tribal chief or customary chief will be mummified and displayed in front of the Asmat Tribe joglo.
Such is the culture of the Asmat tribe, which has a classic aesthetic value in the life of this tribe. There is a valuable value that we can take from this tribe, even though the people are religious and magical, they respect nature because of all their activities and what happens is because of nature and everything in it.