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Thursday, January 12, 2012
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The asmat region still belongs to the district of Merauke. There used to be thriceweekly regular flight from Merauke to Ewer in Asmat. Since a year ago the airstrip of Ewer is being repaired so that temporarily there is no flight to Ewer. In the meanwhile one of the alternative way to get to Asmat is by chartered flight to Senggo then continue by boat or by one-day motorized boat from Timika directly to Agats.Another way for indi small plane, like Cessna, to Ewer. From Ewer it would take another faorty minutes to Agats by motorized boat.
The whole area of Asmat consists of four sub districts called kecamatan of total 10,000 square miles and inhabited by about 70,000 famous Asmat tribesmen. The only town in Asmat is Agats and becomes the largest sub district capital in the area.Almost all part of Asmat area is swampy and water exists not only on raining season ( 200 inches per year ) but also comes from high tide of the ocean. So that like Venice, Agats looks like stands between the water and blue sky.All trips must be done by motorized boat with experienced guide and driver.
Asmat is one of the most interesting places to explore in Irian Jaya. The highlights are exploring the native with their long houses and seeking for headhunting tradition years ago.The Asmat were Rockefeller, son of the American late Vise-President,disappeared off their coast. Many believe that he was difted in the river when he was last seen swimming strongly for shore from his drifting boat towards the nearby village of Ocanep. Living amongst the estuaries of the world’s largest and accessible alluvial swamp. The
Asmat are wood-age culture with very primitive way of life. The rivers snaking through mangrove forest daily rise with the tides to submerge the entire area for up to a hundred miles island. The word Asmat means ‘Wood’ or ‘Tree’ people, for they are the same word and, like their totemic creature the praying mantis, they are the forest itself come alive. They also carve trees into which they drum the spirits of relatives killed in battle with neighboring villages. This spirits can only be released through a vengeance killing.
Asmat area has just been opened for tourists a few years ago after being closed for years. Soon, numerous visitors come to make expeditions. To visit Asmat, it is highly recommended to arrange your trip through a local tour operator. Due to frequencies of changes of local air schedule, a precontact to your travel agent is necessary to obtain latest information.
By admin
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
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Twelve kilometers fro Merauke in the far south east of Irian Jaya , lies Wasur National Park (4,260 square kilometers) immediately adjacent to the Tonda Reserve in Papua New Guinea. It is easily accessible from Merauke through the planed Trans-Irian Highway which in fact, bisects the park from east to west.
Wasur is a largely flat expance of wetland and coastal plain comprising ermanent and seasonal lakes and marshes criss-crossed by numerous rivers. The ark stretches from the mangrove-fringed coast, through beech forests, impenetrable bamboo forests, and swamps, to the open savannahs wood land and mixed monsoon forest characteristic of the seasonally flooded plains.
About 390 species of birds have been recorded, many of them migratory waders, ducks,cranes,storks,ibis,spoonbills other water birds. Also seen here the largest lizard in the world. Salva dor’s Monitor Lizard. Rather more elusive are the endemic plateless turtle, the frilled lizard, and a wide variety of frogs and toads, A patient observers may also be able to see Irian’s typical bird of paradise, rirlebirds, crowned pigeons and a host of other birds.
By admin
Monday, January 9, 2012
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The sounthernmost district of Irian Jaya, Merauke, is the closest town to the border with Papua New Guinea. There is one daily jet flight of Merpati departing early morning from Jayapura. This flight takes about an hour. Merauke also connects some flights to Senggo, Ewer in Asmat, Bade and some other small towns.
By admin
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
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driving South to sugokmo and kurima, the best of the valley is found here. by trekking for three to four days to tangma and ibiroma, you will experience another fascinating sights with beautiful sceneries of Baliem Gorge, the Irian's mountains cordillera. The native people of this southern valley is mixture between dani and yali tribes.
Kurima itself is a tinny village with scholls, police station and administrative center of the sub district, Nothing really interesting by spending your time just in kurima.hikes out steep moutainside on the western bank of the balliem river will lead to incredible mountain scenery. as the hike is about 60 degree slope with moderately difficult trail, you are sugessted to have good walking shoes, good health condition as well as an experied guide and porter's.
By admin
Thursday, September 22, 2011
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The most interesting part of Dani way of life that still exists until today is the pig feast, a festival that used to be performed in ritual and sacred ceremony. When on a wedding the Dani celebrate the party by performing the pig feast as the essence. The Dani pig feast may well be the most important ceremony, relative to its culture, in the world.
The bigget feast is celebrated by an entire alliance once every five years or so. Then, and only then, into the space of two and half weeks are packed all manner of important rituals : weddings, initiations, the final part of funerals and ceremony which have to do with affirmation of leadership and with warfare.
Today, not only at certain ritual ceremony, you can order and attend a pig feast at most Dani villages. Most of local tour operators may arrange a pig feast and perform a traditional dance show on request. Price for a package of pig feast ranges from US$ 300 up to US$ 500 which includes a small or medium size pig, performer and the chief, and a tribal dance.
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