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West Papua West Papua

Netherlands New Guinea. After schooling at church missions in of West Papuan culture was seen as potentially subversive
Biak, he studied geography at the Teacher Training School of by Indonesian authorities and a challenge to the unitary
Cenderawasih University in Abepura, Jayapura between 1967 Indonesian nation.
and 1973. That year, he was appointed as the curator of the Noted human rights activist Carmel Budiardjo wrote that
university’s museum, known as Loka Budaya, which became a immediately after the 1969 Act of Free Choice, “a huge
centre for West Papuan cultural revival. bonfire was organised in the main square of Jayapura,
Interviewed by The Jakarta Post in 2021, Papuan presided over by Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Rusiah
anthropologist Ibiroma Wamla said: “In those early days, Sardjono. Symbols of public life, cultural artefacts, school
Ap would depart to far-flung corners of Papua, sitting textbooks and Papuan flags were set ablaze. About 10,000
down with village elders and documenting each place’s Papuans were herded into the square to watch the ceremonial
traditional music, dance, sculpture and folklore. He would burning of what was described by Mrs Sardjono as ‘their
document everything: local words of wisdom, lyrics and colonial identity.’”
poetry, the process of building traditional houses and even After five years of activity from the late 1970s, Mambesak’s
how they make traditional boats….Through his work as an growing popularity triggered a viscous response from the
anthropologist, curator and bandleader in the highly popular Indonesian armed forces.
group Mambesak, Arnold Ap celebrated Papuan culture at a On 29 November 1983, Mambesak performed for the
time when such expressions of indigenous pride could lead to West Papuan governor. The following day, Arnold Ap was
arrest, intimidation and death.” detained by Kopassandha (an Indonesian special forces unit
In August 1978, Ap and Kapissa co-founded Mambesak later renamed Kopassus, which became notorious for human
(meaning ‘bird of paradise’ in their Biak language). They rights violations in Timor-Leste, West Papua and across
performed their own songs, such as “Orphan Child”, a lament Indonesia). Following his arrest over alleged sympathies with
in Biak that spoke of Dutch colonialism and the betrayal of the outlawed Organisasi Papua Merdeka, Ap was dismissed
Indonesian annexation. Beyond this, they began performing from his post at the university “on suspicion of subversive
songs in a variety of Papuan languages – music that still activities”.
unites the disparate peoples of a nation with a population For months, there were few details of his fate. By February
of more than two million. Ap collected songs that fuelled a 1984, however, family members fled into exile, after hearing
sense of West Papuan identity, from coastal and mountain rumours that Ap and other detainees were being tortured in
communities, from east and west, songs that celebrate a prison. In April, the Indonesian authorities then announced
connection with the land. He also drew on the spirit and that Ap and four other detainees had escaped from jail. Later
traditions of the Koreri movement, which flourished around investigations suggested there was no escape, but that a
Biak and Serui from the 1930s. military officer unlocked Ap’s cell door on 21 April 1984, and
For young musicians today like Ronny Kareni, this ordered that he and the other detainees should be driven to a
preservation of traditional songs, melded with contemporary military base camp on the coast. Just days later, on 26 April,
forms, is a vital contribution to the nationalist movement in Arnold Ap, Eddie Mofu and two other detainees were shot or
West Papua. stabbed to death.
“By collecting and archiving these songs, it brings together One Indonesian police officer, who later sought refuge in
tribal groups to sing songs that are not in their mother PNG, said the authorities feared Ap as “extremely dangerous
tongue,” Kareni said. “Even now, 40 years on, I can sing those because of the activities of his Mambesak players and wanted
songs even if I don’t know the language. I don’t necessarily him sentenced to death or given a life sentence, but could not
understand what the song says, but with the music I can chant find evidence for a charge in court.”
with it or sing along with it, whether from Merauke or the Fak Mambesak’s Sam Kapissa died in Jakarta in 2000 – many
Fak area or from Sorong. It’s a testament to what Mambesak West Papuans believe he was also murdered by the Indonesian
achieved, that generations like mine and the younger ones military, like other cultural leaders such as Chief Yafet
can carry on the spirit of nationalism.” Yelamaken, who also died of “food poisoning” in 2002.
From the late 1970s, Ap, Kapissa and other band members In subsequent decades, bands like Black Brothers and Black
understood the importance of using new technologies to share Paradise maintained the spirit of Mambesak, with audiences
this traditional music across the nation. Every Sunday, they in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and across Oceania. Today’s
broadcast a weekly radio show from Jayapura, called Pelangi cultural workers like Ronny Kareni draw on this same
Budaya dan Pancaran Sastra (Rainbow of Culture and Radiance tradition.
of Literature). From 1978, they recorded seven albums, with
the music widely distributed through cheap but accessible nicmaclellan@optusnet.com.au
cassette tapes. They also prepared four songbooks that
collated traditional songs and music from across West Papua,
published with the assistance of Cenderawasih University.

Murder most foul
From the early 1960s, the preservation and celebration

Islands Business, April 2024 29