Holiday Ayo - Cited from goodnewsfromindonesia.id, Papua is probably one of the regions with the most diverse cultures in Indonesia. There are many kinds of arts, customs, and traditions from different tribes, each with its own history, and all in one province.

For that reason, it can be hard to preserve and learn all of it. However, there is a place where you can learn the history and culture of Papua, and that is Loka Culture Museum.

Loka Culture Museum is located within the Cendrawasih University area in Jayapura City. This tourist destination has been known even outside of Indonesia, to the point that it is included in the Australian travel guide book, the Lonely Planet, as a tourism reference for Papua.

There are many foreign tourists who come here to learn about Papua Province.

Within the collection in Loka Culture Museum, there are around 2500 items and 900 of them are showcased in the glass display windows. Not all of the items in the collection can be displayed because the space in the museum is limited, especially because the number keeps increasing each year. Therefore, every 5 or 7 years, the displays are rotated so all of the items have a chance to be showcased.

Among the items that are showcased in Loka, Culture Museum are kitchen equipment, clothes, jewelry, musical instruments, vehicles, farming equipment, weapons, hunting and fishing tools, and even sacred items. There are also wood carvings, paintings, and accessories.

Generally, the items of Loka Culture Museum are divided into 5 Melanesian cultures. Most of the items are dominated by the colors red, black, and white. They use natural colorings like clay for red, camphor for white, and charcoal for black. Other than as colorings, these things also function as preservatives.

In this museum, visitors can also see the pillars made of sowang wood. Xanthostemon novaguineensis, or called sowang or suwang by locals, is a special plant that can only be found in the Cycloop Mountains of Papua. The wood of this plant is known for being water and fire-resistant. It is often used by the local people as materials for houses and weapons, and also for certain rituals.