If you visit Papua, you will probably see this fascinating dance. This dance is called Yospan dance, which stands for Yosim Pancar. This dance is a social dance that is often performed by young people as a form of friendship. Yospan dance was performed by two groups of dancers and a group of musicians. The number of dancers must be even and not limited by age and gender. But usually there are six pairs, although sometimes eight or even ten and twelve, depending on the size of the venue and the occasion.
Yospan dancers dance with basic movements that are passionate, dynamic, and interesting. They wear clothes decorated with accessories. The women wear a woven sarong to cover the chest, the head is decorated with flowers and bird feathers. For male dancers wearing shorts, open chest, head is also decorated with bird feathers. They also sometimes paint some parts of their bodies and faces with interesting colours. However, because Yospan is a contemporary dance with a cheerful nature, dancers are also free to change their costumes and decorations. For example, at some casual events, they combine traditional with modern elements in their clothes, such as t-shirts, leggings, or even uniforms. Meanwhile, at events that want to show Papuan authenticity, they usually wear native Papuan clothes complete with traditional jewellery and accessories.
Meanwhile, the musicians play music with guitar, ukulele, tifa, and acoustic bass instruments. There are no strict musical rules in this popular Papuan dance. Musicians can play popular folk songs or even local pop songs. Depending on the event, many local composers will use their songs on Yospan. Sometimes the dancers also sing along with the musicians, thus making their appearance more dynamic when performing.
Yospan dance is very popular and is often performed at traditional events, welcoming activities, and cultural arts festivals. Indonesians also usually perform this dance at international events such as in England, Canada, Germany and even in America. This dance is similar to dances in other areas in eastern Indonesia such as Maluku and Nusa Tenggara and even Timor Leste, which is known as the Polones dance. This dance is also performed in groups and with a cheerful rhythm. This is quite interesting, because every region in Indonesia has a different culture, but if you look closely, they have similarities. So if you visit eastern Indonesia, don’t miss the Yospan dance performances in Papua or Polones in Maluku, and Nusa Tenggara.
Author: JS
Travel Vlogger, Journalist,
