1. Becoming the Second Largest Island in the World
Papua is often considered a small territory in Indonesia. In fact, Papua has a wide and diverse territory. Papua is the second-largest island in the world after Greenland with a total area of 421,981 square kilometers. This is the reason why hundreds of indigenous communities live there. As a result, more than 200 different languages are spoken in Papua.
2. Papua Has the Deepest Cave in the World
Another interesting fact about this province is its beautiful nature. Papua has the potential for captivating natural beauty reaching 2000 meters. This cave is the deepest in Indonesia as well as in the world. The beauty of this West Papua cave is located at the Lina Mountains, Manokwari Regency. The cave attracts domestic and international tourists.
3. UNESCO recognized the culture as a heritage
Papuans are often regarded as primitive people because of their rural residence. In addition, their minimal clothing is also often underestimated by some people. The government has even carried out a campaign to modernize the Papuan population to wear proper clothing. However, the campaign failed because the Papuan people prefer to use traditional clothes and bags.
Talking about the habit of Papuans using traditional bags and clothes, of course, this gives its charm. West Papua people will use bags for several purposes, such as luggage, game, and produce, with bags hanging from their heads. The locals call this bag Noken as a traditional bag from Papua. In this case, the bag is recognized by UNESCO as one of world heritage.
4. Have Unique Eating Habits
Unlike most other Indonesians, Papuans have their special food. They choose sago as daily food consumption. In addition, there is also sweet potato which is used as a staple food to replace rice. They prefer to eat sago and sweet potatoes when compared to rice. It is because of the geographical location and climate that makes sago plants are more fertile in Papua.
5. Have Nature Tourism
People visit Papua because they like nature tourism. West Papua is one of the provinces that provide the most beautiful places in Indonesia. Papua has the richest coal deposits in the world’s coral triangle area. Its very awake and pure nature makes anyone not want to leave it. There are many natural charms that you can see such as beaches, mountains, caves, nature reserves, etc.
Overall, Papuan culture has always been unique and exotic because of its geographical location. That is why Papuans have different customs, languages, and ways of dressing than the average Indonesian. This uniqueness has become the reason why outsiders are interested in visiting Papua and getting to know about Papuan culture.
