Eyo Gitar sebagai Medium Ekspresi Lisan dan Identitas Komunal Masyarakat Pegunungan Papua
Keywords:
cultural preservation, Eyo Gitar, oral expression, communal identity, highland Papua, sound ecology, applied ethnomusicologyAbstract
This study examined Eyo Gitar as a medium of oral expression and communal identity
representation in highland Papuan society, specifically in the Lanny Jaya region of
Papua Pegunungan. The research employed qualitative ethnographic methods,
including participant observation, in-depth interviews, and audio-visual
documentation conducted over five months (August–December 2025) with
instrument makers, senior players, traditional leaders, and youth learners. The
findings revealed that the production of Eyo Gitar involved collective work with clear
role divisions, reflecting the solidarity system and communal values fundamental to
Papuan social life. The selection of wood materials such as lem eyo or wuyu eyo was
based not only on physical and acoustic properties but also on spiritual
considerations, demonstrating a sacred ecological relationship between humans and
nature. Eyo Gitar was performed in various social contexts including welcoming
guests, accompanying wedding processions, and bakar batu ceremonies, with songs
containing personal narratives, family histories, and emotional reflections that
functioned as embodied memory connecting present generations with ancestors and
traditional values. The performativity of Eyo Gitar—through the combination of
guitar plucking, foot stomping, and emotional singing—created participatory and
communal musical experiences that strengthened solidarity and collective identity.
However, the preservation of Eyo Gitar faced several challenges including limited
regeneration of players and makers, minimal documentation, external cultural
influences, and environmental degradation threatening material availability.
Despite these challenges, significant potential existed through community initiatives,
educational institution involvement, and researcher interest in documenting and
promoting Eyo Gitar as Papuan cultural heritage. This study confirmed that Eyo
Gitar was not merely a musical instrument but a living system of knowledge
integrating aesthetic, social, spiritual, and ecological dimensions in a distinctive
musical practice. The research recommended collaborative and community-based
approaches to support the sustainability of Eyo Gitar through local curriculum
integration, participatory documentation, and ecological conservation programs.
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