goodmorningpapua.com – Participants of the Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (KMAN VI) from Toraja and North Toraja Regencies arrived, on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Sentani Jayapura Airport, Papua. The group was greeted by bamboo music performed by the Toraja people in Jayapura.
The group of 33 participants took a long journey from Toraja to Makassar by bus and then flew by Sriwijaya plane to Jayapura.
The bamboo music team accompanied the participants as they left the arrival hall of Sentani Airport to the bus that would take them to the inn.
The group led by AMAN Toraya Chairman Romba’ Marannu Sombolinggi was welcomed by Jayapura Regency IKT Chair Johni Lumbaa, Tallu Lembangna Harmony Chairperson AKBP Zeth Salino which was marked by the installation of a crown in front of the arrival gate of Sentani Airport.
The group then received a luncheon at the residence of the Daud Appulembang Family in Dunlop Sentani which was also the place where the participants stayed during KMAN VI.
Romba’ Marannu is grateful for the welcoming Toraja people in Jayapura Regency who happily and provide support for the implementation of KMAN VI.
KMAN VI will take place from 24-30 October 2022 in the Tabi customary area covering Jayapura Regency and Jayapura City.
“We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago from Toraya, thank our brothers and sisters, the Tabi indigenous peoples who accepted us all of the indigenous peoples of the archipelago to hold a congress for the advancement of the indigenous peoples of the archipelago and what has been planned to be achieved in this congress,” explained Romba.
Jack Subroto Rindu, one of the participants from the Mappa’ customary area, Bonggakaradeng District, Tana Toraja, admitted that he was amazed and delighted when he landed at Sentani Airport. The long journey of about 4 hours paid off with a cool view from the sky because all you could see was a green forest.
Jack is also grateful that with this meeting, indigenous peoples from other parts of Indonesia can be present in Papua, especially the Tabi customary area, to interact with each other and get to know each other’s customs and culture.
”By understanding each other’s customs and culture, indigenous peoples throughout the archipelago can support each other to develop customs and preserve their respective customs and cultures as identities so that they are not eroded by the progress of the times, especially technology,” he explained.
Romba’ Somalinggi’ hopes that the KMAN-VI meeting in the Tabi Customary area can take place well according to a predetermined schedule so that later the aims and objectives of this congress will be achieved for the advancement of the indigenous peoples of the archipelago.