Manokwari, W Papua (ANTARA) – The West Papua provincial government extended its emergency status over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak by another month, as the region prepares to later enact a new normal policy.

This was one of the several points approved during a meeting of regional stakeholders, including the governor, police and military commanders, government institutions, as well as academics and community leaders.

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Sorong, W Papua (ANTARA) – Michael Manufandu, a senior official of Papua, opined that the special autonomy status granted to Papua and West Papua has heralded significant progress for the development of infrastructure and human resources in Indonesia’s easternmost island.

The special autonomy policy has been instrumental in bringing about major progress in the development of education and health infrastructure in Papua, Manufandu stated during a webinar themed “Predicting the future of Papua” on Sunday (June 14).

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Yan Mandenas | AKURAT.CO/Sudjarwo

Free translation from AKURAT.CO

Akurat.co, Papuan young leader, Yan Mandenas, hopes that the racism case against George Floyd in the United States (US) is not associated with the racial case that has happened to Papuan students in Surabaya, East Java, some time ago.

“I hope that the racism case in Surabaya is not associated with the case of George Floyd in the USA, because the context is different from the aspects of political, socio-cultural and economic interests in developed countries like the USA compared to Indonesia, which is building our nation together from Sabang to Merauke,” he said in an official statement received by AKURAT.CO, Jakarta, Friday (6/12/2020).

Freddy Numberi source: beritasatu.com

Free translation from Beritasatu

Lately a view that links cases of violence against citizens of the United States (US) George Floyd  with the problems that occur in Papua has emerged. According to Papuan leader Freddy Numberi, the violence against Floyd that triggered the demonstration was different from the current  problems in Papua.

“The two cases are actually different. However, there is an intersection when it associated with injustice, welfare, and the rights of the Papuan people compared to other regions, “Freddy said in a written statement in Jakarta, Friday (12/06/2020).

Three Indonesian national newspapers publish an interview with Papua expert, Dr. Adriana Elisabeth about the case of George Floyd in the US and the incident of Papuan students in Surabaya.

Please check these links for accuracy:

• Pengamat Beberkan Perbedaan Kasus Rasialis Flyod di Amerika dan Papua
• Efek Global Kasus George Flyod dan Kasus Papua
• Ada Perbedaan Akar Masalah antara Kasus George Flyod dan Papua

Dr. Adriana Elisabeth

The death of George Floyd in police custody galvanized a massive movement of peaceful protest and unrest in the United States (US). Papua Expert, Dr. Adriana Elisabeth in Jakarta, Tuesday (06/09/2020) said the case can not be equated with the problems that exist in Papua. The Floyd case and acts of racism against Papuan students in Surabaya some time ago had different perspectives and backgrounds.

Source: Bloomberg

The following article was written by Gisela Williams who travel in the footsteps of her great grandmother, Constance Ripley. It is so fascinating, I almost feel like watching an adventure movie of her journey in West Papua Indonesia.

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Dillon and Constance Ripley at the Dutch officer‘s home in Sorong, in what is now West Papua. Courtesy of Gisela Williams @Bloomberg

In 1937, my great-grandmother, Constance Ripley, who was in her mid-60s at the time, took a weeks-long voyage by passenger ship, most likely changing vessels several times, across the globe. Her destination was, and still is, an incredibly remote place in the minds of most people: the far corner of an archipelago then known as the Dutch East Indies and now the Indonesian province of West Papua.

Bird of Paradise also known as Cenderawasih – Photographer- yusnizam/iStockphoto. @Bloomberg

She eventually arrived by mail boat in the small port city of Sorong, where she would meet up with her adult son, an ornithologist collecting bird specimens and their skins for the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. There were no hotels, so my great-uncle Dillon had arranged for her to stay with the local Dutch officer in charge of the region, in his family’s complex of thatched houses. While her son conducted his work in the jungle, my great-grandmother went on day trips with her hosts to visit neighboring islands, picnicking in empty coves and hiking to remote waterfalls.

I only put the opening of her story here and you can read the complete article here …..

Sorong is known for its famous myths and legends that have been passed down for years. Among Tehit, Imian, Salmeit, and Klabra tribes in Sorong, West Papua, the story of Batu Payung (Umbrella Stone) features magical person named Na-mle, with the Batu Payung being subject to one of Sorong’s famous pieces of folklore. According to a legend, Batu Payung was a palm leaf used by Na-mle to protect himself from heavy rain. After the rain stooped, Na-mle planted the palm leaf to the ground, miraculously the whole palm leaf including its stem turned to a large and rounded stone like umbrella (Source: Kumpulan Cerita Rakyat Sorong Selatan by Dr. Luciana, M.Ed.). 

Batu Payung by @Dr. Adriana Elisabeth

 

 

Beautiful Beach Batu Payung by @Dr. Adriana Elisabeth

 

 

Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata), Southern Crowned Pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri), Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria) are three common types of Mambruk Bird. Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata) is also known as Dara mahkota, Mambruk biasa, or Mambruk Ubiaat in bahasa Indonesia (see picture below). The geographic range of Goura cristata: northwestern New Guinea (Bird’s Head and Bird’s Neck) and adjacent islands (Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool) according to  Clements checklist.

Western Crowned Pigeon (Goura cristata) photo ©Alexandra Rudge

Mambruk Biasa photo ©Fábio N. Manfredini

 

Southern Crowned Pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri) which also known as Mambruk Selatan live in the geographic range of Coastal se New Guinea (Hall Sound to Orangerie Bay).

Scheepmaker’s Crowned-pigeon (Goura scheepmakeri) photo ©fotolulu2012

Mambruk Selatan photo ©notjes1966

 

Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria) or Mambruk Victoria is a large, bluish-grey pigeon with elegant blue lace-like crests, maroon breast and red iris. It is part of a genus of three unique very large, ground-dwelling pigeons native to the New Guinea region. The bird may be easily recognized by the unique white tips on its crests and by its deep ‘whooping’ sounds made while calling. Its name commemorates the British monarch Queen Victoria. Source: Wikipedia  The geographic range of Mambruk Victoria:

• Goura victoria victoria: Yapen I. and Biak I. (New Guinea)
• Goura victoria beccarii: N New Guinea

The Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria) photo ©P. Stubbs photo

Mambruk Victoria photo ©Greg Miles

To be honest I can’t easily differentiate between the three types of Mambuk Bird, but as we can see, they are so beautiful. The most obvious different perhaps the crown. Please visit https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/avibase.jsp. Avibase is an extensive database information system about all birds of the world, containing over 27 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information for 20,000 regions, taxonomy, synonyms in several languages and more.

Snow Mountain Tiger-parrot is member of parrots (Psittacidae) family.  Quoted from Birdlife Datazone:

Although this species may have a restricted range, it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

This bird generally is rather quite, colourful with dominant green with indistinct yellowish collar and varies from bird to bird. Sides of Snow Mountain Tiger-parrot’s head and throat more dark brownish-grey. The size of these parrots around 5.5 inches or 14 cm in length from beak to tip of tail.

The distribution of area of habitat is spread on the southern slopes of Snow Mountains, Papua province of Indonesia. According to Encyclopedia Britannica the Snow Mountains is now called Maoke Mountains. Maoke Mountains, Indonesian Pegunungan Maoke, formerly Snow Mountains, westernmost segment of the central highlands of New Guinea. It is located in the Indonesian province of Papua. The range extends for 430 miles (692 km), and much of it lies above 12,000 feet (3,660 metres), with a number of peaks rising above the 14,500-foot (4,400-metre) snow line. It is composed of the Sudirman (west) and Jayawijaya (east) ranges, the former containing the island’s highest point, 16,024-foot (4,884-metre) Jaya Peak (formerly called Puntjak Sukarno or Mount Carstensz). These rugged mountains have their tree line at about 12,000 feet.

Species Names:

Scientific: Psittacella Lorentzi

English: Snow Mountains Tiger-parrot

Dutch: Snow Mountains Tijger parkiet

French: Perruche de Lorentz

German: Schneebergpapagei

Spanish: Lorito tigre montañés

 

Snow Mountain Tiger-parrot photo by @Carlos N. G. Bocos Location: Lake Habbema, Papua province of Indonesia

Snow Mountain Tiger-parrot photo by @Nigel Voaden

Biak Island is a region in West Papua that affected by the abomination of World War II. This little heaven island facing the Pacific Ocean was the witness of Biak battle. The muddled battle between the Japanese royal armed forces and American ground powers wound up with inescapable agony. The air assault happened in 1944 drastically had murdered a huge number of individuals from the two sides. Moreover, it caused the variety of serious pulverization unforgotten along the historical backdrop of individual on the planet.

Here are several remaining parts in the fallout of World War II you can follow up while getting lost on the island of Biak:

The World War II Landmark

The Biak World War II Monument @pinterest.com

 

 

 

The World War II Monument @tripadvisor.com