Stone Burning and Peace in the style of the Indonesian Papuan Community

Many things can enrich insights when we talk about the scope of Papua, from the diversity of ethnic groups, cultures to how to deal with social conflicts.

Papua is not always safe, clashes between tribes often occur. In Mimika Regency, conflicts often manifest in wars between indigenous Papuan tribes in the area.

The war between the Dani, Amungme, Damal, Moni, and other tribes is the culmination of various social problems in the region around Tembagapura.

During this time, efforts to handle tribal warfare in the Mimika area have been more of a traditional approach. Cultural values are the basis of conflict resolution.

The tribal war will stop when the warring parties hold a stone-burning ceremony. As part of the ritual of peace, stone burning is done several times, with its own meaning and purpose.

First, burnt stones for the war parties, the victims' families. In Dani this is called jigin amia banggwi, while in Amungme it is called wem kogom urabin.

Burning stone is very sacred, because it can only be followed by war subjects and warlords and warring figures of groups.

Here, the families of the victims express their hearts to each other accompanied by crying, mourning the families of those killed. Tools of war used such as arrows, spears, cleaned and then tied, then stored in forbidden onai, which is a special traditional house for men.

The ceremony was marked with thanks at the expense of several pigs that were burned in the forest for ancestral spirits.

Second, burn men's stones and burn women's stones. Burning men's stones is only followed by men, who go to war. Children and women who do not participate also may not eat grilled meat.

In Dani this is called ap inanggo, and Amungme, me nobe. Here people list and match the victim and the enemy. This also applies to the burning of female stones.

Next is the burning of a meal together followed by a blood debt ceremony or compensation payment (Dani ‘yee wam’; Amungme ‘me aoo’). This compensation is usually with money or skin bia (snails), with several levels.

The last is a ceremony called by the Dani tribe as wim anep and by the Amungme tribe called wem ningging. This marks the end of the war. Here, all those involved in war, sit together to eat.

After this ceremony, the encounter with the opponent turns into an encounter with an old friend. Everyone laughed at each other's behavior while fighting.

Peace is only considered valid after going through all the stages of burning this stone.

Source: FOKAL.info