TEMPO.CO, Merauke - Papua organized the first sago worm festival on September 27, dubbed the Sago Worms Festival in Bomakia District, Merauke. The sago worms (also know as yame) festival was organized by the customary community (MHA) of Kombay in Uni Village.
The festival involved hundreds of people from various communities; not only the indigenous people. The host of the festival, Yambumo Kwanimba, said the festival aimed to protect their forests from the company that entered the territory of Kombay indigenous community.
“So that our forests will not be destroyed, because our forests are small. Hopefully, this festival can continue in the following year," he said, hoping that the forests will still exist, as well as the sago plants.
The Sago Worms Festival was originally a ritual to protect the forest, to maintain peace and also as a form of gratitude to God, ancestors, the universe and fellow indigenous people.
Director of the Silva Papua Lestari Association (PSPL), Kristian Ari, said that yame had a moral message of solid cooperation and solidarity. The event was a routine ritual held by the Kombay community. “But this time, they hold a larger-scale festival that involves many indigenous people from various villages or clans,” said Kristian Ari.
Head of the Investment Office at the Papua One-Stop Service, John Way, said the Sago Worms Festival was listed as a tourism event which can be further developed as an ecotourism in Papua.
ANTARA