Maneuver 150 Boats at the Asmat Pokman Festival, This is the Symbol and Philosophy

The Asmat Tribe boat maneuver parade will be held at the 2022 Asmat Pokman Festival in Esuwet River. This parade was attended by 150 typical Asmat boats on Saturday, October 8, 2022.

Each village sent 10 boats and rowers. In the culture of the Asmat Tribe, boat maneuvers are a symbol of humans in Asmat Regency, South Papua.
 
The boat that is parachuted is a long, slender boat. About 5 to 6 rowers with traditional attributes rowing while standing in a boat measuring 6 to 10 meters.

Armed with oars resembling spears, the male rowers competed for speed and agility across the waves while maneuvering in Muara Esuwet, Agats City.
 
The Tradition of Living Side by side with the River
 
Boat maneuvers during the 2022 Asmat Pokman Festival in Esuwet River, Agats City. (KabarPapua.co/Abdel Syah)
The curator of the Asmat Culture and Progress Museum, Emerikus Sarkol, explained that this parade was held as a form of preserving the traditions of the Asmat people who live side by side with the river.

Moreover, the selection of motorized boats cannot be avoided in the context of modernization. The acceleration of development and the fulfillment of the necessities of life have forced the Asmat people to use motorized boats for their activities.

The Identity of Asmat People

Therefore, said Emerikus, although there are shifting habits, the philosophy of rowing a boat must be embedded in the identity of the Asmat people.
 
“If you use an engined boat, people have to buy gasoline and other things. Meanwhile, if they use rowing boats, it is enough for them to give their relatives food and drink and join the rowing together to reach their destination. So it is this social philosophy that must be maintained,” said Emerikus.

It is known that the 35th Asmat Pokman Festival will take place from 6 to 12 October 2022, in Agats, the capital of Asmat Regency. The Asmat Pokman Festival was attended by 590 artists and female artists, consisting of 200 carvers, 60 weavers, 180 dancers and 150 boat maneuvers.

SOURCE: https://kabarpapua.co/manuver-150-perahu-di-festival-asmat-pokman-ini-symbol-dan-filosofinya/