Therefore, all people have the ability Asmat art sculpture because they are part of the worship is done to ancestors or ancestors who are believed to have supernatural powers beyond their earthly powers.
Such belief is then able to generate confidence and trust of them to be able to carve or sculpt wood is good and the power of high art, even without the help of a sketch once.
Native tribes of Irian Jaya or Papua has two living areas , the areas along the coast with a wide area around the inland lowland swampy and muddy . Latter area is an area that is covered by tropical jungle and mangrove trees that dominate the forest sago .
Therefore, the tribe known for its wood carving distinctiveness is divided into two groups, ie, groups of people living in coastal regions and groups of people living in rural areas.
Both the residence differences also affect the community creations, especially in cultural values. Both of these groups have differences in terms of structure soisal, the language used, lifestyle and way of thinking, religious activities or rituals performed, and so forth.
In addition, people living in coastal areas are also subdivided into two groups, namely ethnic and tribal Bisman Shimei.
Origins Asmat.
The origin of the Asmat tribe the same as the original in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea which is derived from the clump Polonesia with the physical characteristics of skin color and black hair, round eyelids, high nose and boned strapping.As part of the ethnic groups in Indonesia, Asmat in his daily life takes place with two leadership, the formal leader of the government and tribal leaders from the community.
Like the other tribes in Papua, such as Yohukimo tribes, and tribal Jayawijaya Mappi, customary chief or chiefs play a pivotal role in the governance of everyday life.
In carrying out programs authorized formal government, the cooperation with indigenous chiefs or heads is absolutely necessary. Without cooperation with tribal leaders, government programs could run aground in the middle of the road.
In the selection of chiefs or heads of tribes indigenous to the Asmat, not a hereditary position as most other traditional tribes. Also the selection of chiefs is not familiar with the succession of leadership as known in the royal tradition.
Chiefs could come from the oldest tribes, clans are considered old or even can be removed from a man who is credited, as it managed to win the war for example. So, after a chieftain died, of the elements that originated a new sachem.
Public confidence Asmat.
Issues of trust, in Asmat before entering the missionaries who brought Christianity Catholic and Protestant, even later Islam, Asmat belief is animism. Typical Asmat woodcarving was not apart of this animism problem at first.However, after entering the influence of religion, belief itself is starting to fade, but not so with the wood carving handicraft. The things that are magical and supernatural, become an integral part.
To sustain daily life, Asmat know how to grow crops especially good farming. Some commodities such as matoa, citrus, corn, carrots, taro has been well recognized. Similarly, in terms of how to raise chickens and pigs, the Asmat is not something that is considered new.
Asmat tradition is preserved in addition to the art of wood carving is a tradition of fighting. Inter-tribal wars were common in Asmat life, as well as other tribes in Papua. Even the tradition of clan warfare is arguably a terrible tradition.
Just imagine, when the enemy had been killed, his corpse usually it will be brought to the village, then cut and distributed to the entire village to eat.
Even more sadistic , tens of years back , after a war between tribes and the enemy were killed , then his brain is built with sago leaves , then baked and eaten together .
According to a recent survey by the Indonesian government, in a village inhabited by 100 to 1000 people. Traditionally each village had one house flunky. The house is a house flunky venue for religious ceremonies and customs.
Community Livelihood Asmat.
In general, people who live in the interior is very closely related to the livelihood of hunting. Likewise with the Asmat people who live in the interior, they also perform a variety of hunting wild animals to meet their needs in terms of food and clothing. Some animals are often the object of poaching so they include wild boar, birds, snakes, dragons, and other animals that live in the forest.Meanwhile, the Asmat people who live in coastal areas have the same livelihood with different media. This coastal community groups usually seek game that is in the sea, or more often called by the fishermen.
However, although there are methods and different game objects, both groups have the same peculiarities, which are both made of sago as a staple food that must be consumed everyday.
Asmat Traditional House.
Once we know the origin of the Asmat , their beliefs , and livelihoods that are used to meet the needs of their lives , now we will get acquainted with the place they live or what we call as a custom home .
All the traditional tribe in this world has a traditional house that serves as a community shelter, or even a place to perform various ritual activities associated with the custom. therefore, each custom home has a different characteristic of the concept of philosophy is not the same.
Likewise with the Asmat people who have a custom home with the philosophy of the values of decency and the desire to avoid outside interference tribal society in terms of making the custom house.
Asmat society is still holding firm stance and their primordial belief that their lives are protected by ancestors who always gives the values of the culture.
Here is a custom home Asmat which has the function and role of each in terms of maintaining the culture.
The traditional house is the home of the first Jew, the custom house built for the sake of special interests while doing activities that are traditional or customary under the terms, such as customary meeting activities, activities to make various crafts, make a variety of wood carvings, as well as a residence for men flunky. Thus, the Jew is often also referred to as the footman by the local indigenous people.
The second is a custom home Tsyem home, custom home that is occupied by the entire family. Family members who inhabit this custom home is usually numbered two or three families.
This custom home Tsyem placed around the custom house Jew because of its small size. However, both of these custom homes have in common in terms of manufacture, ie not using building materials such as nails because the ingredients used are natural substances found in nature.
Thank you for reading this article. Written and posted by Bambang Sunarno. sunarnobambang86@gmail.com
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http://primadonablog.blogspot.com/2014/02/asmat-tradition.html
DatePublished: February 24, 2014 at 18:55
7MHPNPADAEFWTag ; Asmat tradition.
