Getting to Know the Origin of the Asmat Tribe and Its Traditions
Ditulis pada: January 14, 2022
So far the Asmat Tribe is only known as one of the tribes in Indonesia that has amazing sculptures. Sculpture for the Asmat Tribe is not just a craft but an inseparable part of the elements of belief.
The origin of the Asmat Tribe is the same as the indigenous tribes in New Zealand and Papua New Guinea who come from the Polynesian family with physical characteristics of skin color and black hair, rounded eyelids, sharp nose and sturdy build.
As part of the ethnic groups in Indonesia, the Asmat tribe in their daily life takes place with two leaderships, namely formal leaders from government elements and tribal leaders from the community.
Like other tribes in Papua, such as the Yahukimo, Jayawijaya and Mappi tribes, the traditional chief or tribal chief plays a very important role in the governance of everyday life.
In carrying out official formal government programs, cooperation with tribal or traditional heads is absolutely necessary. Without cooperation with tribal chiefs, government programs can run aground halfway.
In terms of selecting tribal chiefs or customary heads for the Asmat tribe, it is not a hereditary position like most other traditional tribes. Also the election of this tribal chief does not recognize the inheritance of the throne of leadership as is known in the royal tradition.
The tribal chief can come from the oldest tribe, a clan that is considered old or can even be appointed from someone who is considered meritorious, such as those who won a war for example. So, after the tribal chief died, from those elements the new chief came from.
The problem of belief, in the Asmat tribe before the missionaries who brought Catholic and Protestant Christianity, and even later Islam, the Asmat ethnic belief was animistic. The wood carvings of the Asmat tribe were inseparable from the problem of this animist belief in the beginning.
However, after entering the influence of religion, the belief itself began to fade but not so with the wood carving craft. Things that are magical and supernatural, become an inseparable part.
To support their daily life, the Asmat people know good farming practices, especially farming. Several types of commodities such as matoa, oranges, corn, carrots, taro are well known. Likewise, in terms of how to raise chickens and pigs, for the Asmat tribe, it is not something that is considered new.
The tradition of the Asmat tribe that remains sustainable apart from wood carving is a tradition of war. War between tribes is a common thing in the life of the Asmat tribe, as are other tribes in Papua. Even the tradition of war between tribes can be regarded as a terrible tradition.
Just imagine, when the enemy is killed, usually the enemy's corpse will be brought to the village, then cut and distributed to the entire village to be eaten.
Even more sadistic, decades ago, after a war broke out between the tribe and the enemy was killed, the brain was built with sago leaves, then roasted and eaten together.
According to the latest survey conducted by the Indonesian government, one village is inhabited by 100 to 1000 people. Traditionally, each village has a single house. This bachelor's house is a house where various traditional and religious ceremonies are held.
