A unique and very famous festival for foreign tourists because of its distinctiveness and originality as a culture which located in the interior of Papua will commence shortly. Baliem Valley Festival. Baliem Valley Cultural Festival will take place in the Village Wosi, District Wosilimo, Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, on 8-11 August 2012
Located in incredibly lush and fertile valley with the most people living here have a farming tradition more than 9000 ears long – much longer than in most other parts of the world. More than 70 km long and around 20km wide, 1800 m above the sea level and surrounded by a crest of mountains some of which reach up to 4500, this area was not touched by the western world until the 1940s. And it took many more years to discover the whole beauty of this fertile highland and the various tribes living there.
Baliem Valley has since 1991 become the venue for the largest annual cultural festival in the land of Papua. In this valley, the Dani people live in harmony and united in the embrace of the mountains of Papua surrounding beautiful and charming nature. Aside from being a 'home', often used to Baliem Valley into the arena of war by the warring tribes and became the arena of those who slaughter the tribe that fought for the glory proud.
Three mains tribes are inhabiting the Baliem Valley, all are “Melanesian” with black skins and curly hair: The Dani in the base, the Lani to the west and the Yali in the south-east, each with it’s own distinct culture and language (in whole Papua there are more than 250 different languages still spoken today). Many of the people still dress in their traditional way, for example the “Koteka”, or penis gourd, is still sported by many male members of the tribes.The Dani man only use small koteka, the Lani tribes use bigger Koteka, while the Yali have long slender Kotekas and covering their waist with a rattan belt.
In the Baliem Valley festival, usually staged many different kinds of entertainment events, among which shows the War between the Tribe (tribal history), custom appearances dancing, performances Karapan Racing Pigs (Pig Racing), Puradan (game throws the spear into the sphere of rattan which is spins when thrown), Sikoko (puz use Pieces of wood species in throw toward the goals they have been appointed), competition plays a traditional musical wind instrument (Pikon), and various cultural competitions for foreign tourists like throwing spear (Sege) to a target that has been is set correctly and archery (archery target on the banana stem).
Staging a war activities are scheduled for 2 days, with displays of tribal warfare about 26 groups, consisting of 30-50 people per group. Then in a separate area also featuring traditional music game. Pikon traditional music game is that the music created from the bark of which is called in the vernacular "Hite" (bark to bow). While the song being played is an expression of the hearts of the music player in the ring and played to entertain his or her heart or of the listeners.Interestingly, not all of the Baliem valley can play this instrument, because it requires special expertise.
During the festival, set your camera in a large-capacity memory. Because you will see many unique things that should not be missed. Tribal participants involved more than a thousand people wearing regalia of their tribe. There are unique in that they use the trendy sunglasses even in traditional dress. Ask them politely to pose with you because obviously this is an unusual thing that should not be missed.
You can also watch the show pikon or traditional musical portrayal of human life. There is also a pig race became an attractive tourist and causing the hubbub of participants and spectators. In addition, you can watch the race archery, throwing Sege or stick to the target, puradan the rolling wheels of woven rattan, and sikoko is throwing at a target pion. Race-the race you can follow directly.
All you need to do during the festival just observe and enjoy it war while photographing. The longer it lasts the festival atmosphere of the war with spears, machetes, and arrows that hit the opponent will get up close and exciting. The more the spear that misses the more loud cheers from the hundreds of spectators. These tribes have followed the war festival every year, so this show more interesting every year.
