Papuan Students Wear Traditional Clothes "Koteka" In Lecture Classrooms

By: Victor Yeimo

Wearing koteka, students began to participate in the process of studying in Uncen Campus, USTJ, also Umel Mandiri. The lecturer scolds. Some Students see it disgusted. Others feel inferior / embarrassed. Perhaps others think this man is mad, unethical, or just looking for a sensation.

Then they answered. I am actually amazed at their answer, which shows they have a strong argument base, in the face of diverse views on campus:

First, they declare it as a fashion self. Second, they then acknowledge as an action against the exploitation of clothing koteka. Third, functionally, they feel comfortable learning by wearing clothes koteka. Fourth, of course as an effort to preserve the ancestral culture.

I see them depart from deep contemplation, with great love for their identity as Papuans. Meanwhile, the party that mandangnya "unethical" comes with the cooptation of modern ethics: dress.

Ethics right and wrong come from the human mind. Formed by the ruling civilization. So if the dress of the western culture (europe) is ethical, then we want to say that the koteka clothing that developed in the perabadan people of Papua is not ethical.

Then, perhaps we would say koteka let be just a symbol (stereotypes). Can only be the show material in events. Or just a fashion in the art of photography. And more mad, koteka is an ancient fashion, which is seen as a symbol of backwardness, ignorance, uncivilized.

This Student Movement (I say movement for vision), wants to reject and restore a bad view of their clothing identity. The question is, does it have an impact in restoring (preserving) the ancestral culture?

From the bottom of their argument, it certainly has an impact. They have a vision to stop clothing with all sorts of modes that gradually alter the awareness (self-worth) of Papuans. Changed the paradigm of the Papuans who continue to be the slave of fashion (fashion) from the outside.

When young millionths of the millennium are immersed in a hedonist culture, a riot, which measures the humanity of modern appearance products. What is clear, not only fashion (fashion), but followed by makeup, skin, and hair. Criticism is forced straight, Black is forced to white. Then from yospan to rocking Patola, etc.

That's where Papua lost self-awareness as a Papuan man. Not only does it lose its identity, but its values, which make us human beings of robot who are in behavior to be controlled by the ideology of the colonial and capitalist (imperialist) rulers.


I admire the students of Devio Tekege, Adewereknak Arebo, Hoseri Edoway and Albertus in the sense of resistance against dichotomies, stigmas, even hegemonic theories built and flourish in and out of campuses in Papua.

The author is Chairman of West Papua National Committee [KNPB]