Asmat Ethnic Group

Introduction
Asmat Ethnic Group is one of many ethnic groups in Papua Island. Asmat
Ethnic Group is famous with its unique craft. Asmat Ethnic Group population is
divided into two groups. Some of them live in beach and the other live in
hinterland. Both of them are really different each other in dialect, survival, social
structure, and tradition. The beach population group also divided in two groups,
Bisman Ethnic Group that live between Sinesty river and Nin river, and Simai
ethnic group.

About
Asmat Ethnic Group is the biggest and the most famous than the other ethnic
groups in Papua. One thing that make this ethnic group famous is its traditional
craft. Some craft themes that often used as main theme in statue making process
called mbis. However, there is another theme that often found like a boat or
called wuramon that they realize as the symbol of soul boat that bring their
ancestor into the death. For the indigenous, the meant of making a craft is to
remember their ancestor.

Natural Condition
A region that they lived is very unique. It is a brown flaccid plain that
covered river web. This region has become a regency that consist of 7 sub-
districts. Everyday almost rain with the rainfall 3000-4000 milimeter per year.
Everyday also the rise and fall of sea come in here, so the land in this region is
flaccid and covered by mud. The street is only made from stacked wood plain
board on flaccid land. So that not all of vehicle can use this road. People also must
be careful when use this street.

Conflict
There are many conflicts in the villages of Asmat. The most terribel things
that the way they kill their enemies. They bring the corpse to their village and it
was mutilated, then they split it to all of people and eat it together. They sing a
death song and cut off their enemies head. The brain is wrapped with sagos leaf
then they burnt and eat it.

Survival
Habitual Activity for their survive to life between one ethnic group similarly
like another ethnic group habitual in Citak-Mitak district. Asmat Darat, Citak, and
Mitak ethnic group usually get their food by hunt smoe animal like snake and
Cassowary in the forest. They also eat sago for their food.
Asmatese work everyday not far from their home, like to get food by hunt or
farming that still traditional method.

Mythology
The faith that asmatese realize is they are the descent of god in the accros the
ocean where the sunset. They realize that long time ago, God was on the earth in
far place in the highlands. In his trip, he go down to the downstream where
Asmatese lived now.

Traditions
Asmat ethnic group is ethnic group who relaize animism, until when the
missionary came bought a new theory, so they start to know other religion beside
ancestor religion. And now, this ethnic group people already followed many kinds
of religion, like Christian, Catholic, even Moslem. Like an ordinary people, in the
way of life, Asmatese through a variety of processes like :
1. Pregnancy, during this process, the baby will be well protected so
that could be born safely with mom or
2. Born, not long after the baby born, there was a little thanksgiving
party which they cut the babys umbilical cord use with a sembilu,
a tool that made from sharpened bamboo. Then the baby was feed
with mothers milk in 2 until 3 years.
3. Marriage, this process is obtain for all people, man or woman,
which already 17 year and done by mans parent after they have a
deal with womans parent and do the courage examination to buy
the woman with a ancient plate as the dowry based to the deal of
Johnsons boat money value, then the man have to pay it. During
the paid, man cant doing persecution to the woman although
already lived together.
4. Death, if sagamore died, the body will be saved in mummy and be
shown in front of their hall, but if ordinary people is died, the body
will be buried. During this process, the family of people who died
sing a song use Asmat language and cut their finger themselves.