Irian Jaya Origins

Irian Jaya Origins by Wilhelm Solheim II The prehistory of New Guinea is Very few archaeological data there may not necessarily give a very little known. Irian Jaya, the emerged, however. Recently it cross-section of the cultures of western Indonesian half, is archae- was hypothesised that the Aus- peoples living in or using an area ological ly, the least-known part of tronesian-speaking people1 the Nu- over time, but they provide a begin- Indonesia. The first organised re- santao, originated in the southern ning. search there began in September Philippines and eastern Indonesia. 1975, although Irian Jaya was not The Nusantao's most likely route completely unexpiored before. into the Pacific would have been Padwa Settlement In 1907, Van der Sande found along the north coast of New bronze artefacts in Lake Sentani. Guinea to the Admiralties and the Over the next thirty-five years, islands of the Bismarck Archipelago. The best rock type cave formation similar artefacts were reported, A survey of the Irian Jaya coast being limestone, it was the coastal considered to be related to the limestone areas that were examined. so-called 'Dongson bronze culture' was therefore mounted to collect artefacts these people might have Four areas were surveyed—the of northern Vietnam. How and northern and western portions of when these bronzes come to Lake left as evidence of their move into the Pacific. Cenderawasih Bay (formerly Geel- Sentani remains a mystery. In vink Bay), scattered areas near the 1937-38, Josef Roder led an western tip of New Guinea, the expedition to the Arguni Island Kaimana area on the southwest area of MacCluer Gulf, western In an area for which there is so codst, and part of Lake Sentani. New Guinea, in search of reported little existing archaeological inform- cave paintings, which he found. ation,it is very difficult to plan an In the final, long-delayed report on exploration programme. The pro- The most thorough survey was of this expedition, he mentioned other blem is mitigated by searching Biak and the Padaido Islands, in archaeological materials also dis- for caves. With little time to cover Cenderawasih Bay. On the south covered in these caves. Following a wide area, it is impossible to shore of Biak Island exists a kam- World War II, K.W. Galis kept find sites by ground survey. Inform- pong or settlement called Padwa, track of all accidental archaeolo- ation must be obtained from local consisting of about ten small houses gical finds reported to the Dutch inhabitants who are familiar'with built on piles over the water. To government offices and visited nearby caves, many of which were the east of the kampong are two many of the sites. used in prehistoric times for burial, limestone formations with sheer temporary shelter, refuge, or living. sides extending upwards about Dr. Solheim is a Professor Archaeological materials found sixty metres. The outer formation of Anthropology at the Univer- has two horizontal grooves all sity of Hawaii. His major the way around, one above the interest is the prehistory of other. The lower groove is still Southeast Asia,and he has done being cut by high tides while extensive fie Id work in the the upper one, now about five Philippines, Thailand and Austronesian languages are those related metres above high tide, was formed Indonesia. languages spoken by the native inhabitants by wave action either from an of Polynesia, Micronesia, Island Melanesia, earlier higher sea level or at the This is a reprint from the Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, the pre- present sea level with tectonic Australian Natural History, Chinese peoples of Taiwan, some groups movement raising this cut to its Vol 19, No. 10. in Vietnam such as the Cham, and the Malagach of Madagascar. present position. 25 The people living in Padwa speak The first settlement of Padwa, For people considered to be special, Biak, an Austronesian language. called Padwa Mnu, was located a secondary2 burial ceremony was They are very interested in the on top of the two limestone towers. held, and their bones were placed in history of their kampong and These were easily defensible if a carved wooden coffin on a ledge reported that five generations ago, attacked, and provided an un- of the larger tower. The western their ancestors arrived on the coast obstructed view of any approach by ledge continued in active use into from an interior settlement close by, water. During World War II, the the 1930s. which had been founded by people people of Padwa were able to moving from a kampong towards watch the air battle over Biak Korwar the eastern end of Biak. This, and when the Americans and Australians ultimately all Biak kampong, were attacked the Japanese. All the caves West of Padwa, continuing for established by people from Kam- close to Biak town had been used about 200 metres, was a limestone pong Korem, a location several by the Japanese, producing much cliff. In two areas where the upper disturbance and leaving considera- ledge was particularly evident there hundred metres upriver from the ble equipment, including unfired were other exposed cemeteries. present kampong Korem on the ammunition and unexploded hand Associated artefacts were similar north coast of Biak. Legends', partly grenades. to those from the Founders' Cave magical in nature, tell of the original The inner and larger limestone and included a number of korwar. Korem founders, the first Biak- tower had numerous vertical fis- These are carved wooden figures speaking people who came by sures as well as upper hori- representing specific ancestors. from the east, probably from the Though greatly valued by art north coast of Irian Jaya. These collectors, they rarely appear in people have been very successful, museums (mainly in Holland and first inhabiting Biak Island and Germany) and very little was later taking over all of Biak and the known of their manufacture and Padaido Islands from their earlier use. Korwars were particularly dis- inhabitants, except for the island Korwars are carved wooden liked by the first Chiistian missio- furthest east, Padaido Island itself. naries among the Biak. Christianity figures representing specific was first brought to this area in the The people living in Padwa years preceding World War I by Biak missionaries who themselves were very hospitable. ThB survey ancestors. party stayed in the house of the had been brought up in Christian local schoolteacher, Mr Suabra, missions in eastern Indonesia. In sleeping on the floor of his main many areas the first missionaries room, and were accompanied by had their converts bring their kor- two officials from the Institute of wars to a large gathering where they were burned. Failing to Anthropology of Cenderawasih zontal grooves Several fissures and understand the<r own traditions, University at Abepura (near Jaya- the westward facing upper ledge they mistakenly considered these pura, the capital of Irian Jaya) who contained many burials. In the figures to be idols, when they were both natives of Biak, so there first cave were deposited human were mainly thought of as vehicles were no communication difficulties. bones and part of an old prao (a for the ancestor represented by Problems developed, however, with small to medium sized [ca 46 the figure. A figure was carved the neighbouring kampong of Urfu. metres] single outrigger canoe used soon after the death of a man or Disagreements between Urfu and by the local people)—the remains woman and kept by the family. Padwa over the ownership of the of the two men who founded In times of stress or anticipated two limestone formations east of Padwa Mnu, theii prao, and friends stress, the figure was brought out Padwa reached a climax when who moved there with them. In a and the spirit of the represented archaeological testpits were put small cave immediately above this ancestor was ceremonially called down there. News of this reached one were the skeletons of a 'big for consultation. The spirit then Urfu and a misunderstanding deve- man', a female, and baby. In both came and resided in the figure loped that came close to an open caves broken pottery, beads, and during the consultation, leaving fight. Happily, the elders of both other small artefacts were also the figure after giving advice. kampongs wished to solve the found. On the western ledge of argument peaceably, and after ra- the smaller tower, skeletons were ther heated discussions several Urfu found with artefacts and a few elders were invited to examine the unbroken ninteenth century Euro- excavation work. This arrangement pean porcelain bowls and plates, A primary burial is a burial of the body convinced them that the work fish spears, other badly rusted iron immediately after death. After tome yean being carried out was neither artefacts and even one polished the primary burial is opened, the bones illegal nor unfairly advantageous to stone axe. The dead, brought cleaned and then reburied. The opening the people of Padwa in their rival of the primary burial, cleansing the bones, here in a stretcher, were placed and the reburial (secondary burial) involves claims to this land. on top of earlier funeral remains. considerable ceremony. 26 Most of the korwars are made of pong Salio, a leper settlement run The third area surveyed was softwood but for famous people by the Indonesian government. On around Kaimana. The most interest- they were sometimes carved from Me Island, at the base of a limes- ing find was a tremendous number hardwood. Very rarely were they tone cliff, there was a small shrine of paintings in wave cuts in the cliffs made of stone; there used to be with a carved wooden image and at north and south of Kampong Mai three stone korwars in Padwa but its base a very large triton shell, a Mai, southeast of Kaimana.

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