Journal title : Pacific Performing Arts Review Initials : PPAR Editor-in-Chief : Darlane Litaay Frequency : 2 Issues every year (June and December) ISSN (online) : 3124-4777 Publisher : Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia Tanah Papua Journal Summary Pacific Performing Arts Review [ISSN 3124-4777] is an international, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the study and practice of performing arts in the Pacific. It focuses on embodied, live, and mediated forms of expression across the region, including Papua, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Independent State of Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga, New Caledonia, Niue, Republic of Fiji, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Republic of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Eastern Indonesia, and Pacifican diasporic communities worldwide. The journal understands performing arts broadly: from ritual and ceremony, dance, theatre, storytelling, and music to experimental, interdisciplinary, and digital performance practices.
Institut Seni Budaya Indonesia Tanah Papua
Rekonstruksi Pola Tonal Dalam Rim Desa Kilang
This study examines the tonal organization of rim, a vocal practice from Kilang Village, Maluku, which occupies a liminal space between speech and song. Although rim functions primarily within everyday conversation, preliminary observations suggest the presence of consistent melodic and intervallic structures. Using a descriptive tonal analysis approach, three rim utterances were transcribed and examined in terms of interval distribution, tonal center, pitch range, and melodic contour. The findings reveal a dominant use of prime intervals, followed by major thirds and perfect fifths, indicating a structurally repetitive yet moderately mobile tonal system. Notably, scale degree 7 emerges as a recurring tonal center, challenging Western diatonic assumptions in which the leading tone typically resolves to the tonic. Instead, rim demonstrates a locally constructed tonal gravity shaped by performative habit rather than formalized scale systems. The melodic contours consistently follow a rise–stabilization–fall pattern, suggesting a formulaic structure that supports both communicative and aesthetic functions. These results position rim as a tonally organized speech form, or a liminal vocal practice between language and music. The study contributes to ethnomusicological discussions on local tonal systems and expands the conceptual boundary between speech and musical organization in oral cultures.
Interpretasi Cerita Rakyat Saromani Masyarakat Biak Papua dalam Karya Komposisi Musik
This study aimed to interpret the Saromani folklore of the Biak community into a musical composition as a form of transforming local cultural values into the medium of sound art. The Saromani folklore represents one of the oral tradition heritages of the Biak community, containing moral, social, and cultural values that remain relevant in contemporary society. This research employed a qualitative research method with a practice-based research approach, encompassing the stages of exploration, interpretation, experimentation, and artistic realization. Data were obtained through literature review, observation, and narrative analysis of the Saromani folklore structure. The findings revealed that narrative elements in the story, such as characters, plot, conflict, atmosphere, and cultural values, could be transformed into musical elements including melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, tempo, and timbre. This interpretative process resulted in a musical composition that represented the Saromani narrative journey musically while serving as a medium for artistic expression and local cultural preservation. Through this artistic creation, the Saromani folklore was not only maintained as an oral tradition heritage but also re-presented in a more contextual and communicative form for contemporary society. This study demonstrated that musical interpretation could serve as a creative approach in cultural revitalization efforts and the development of music works based on local wisdom.
Suling Tambur: Musik Bambu sebagai Ruang Akulturasi dan Identitas Komunal Masyarakat Papua
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
Eyo Gitar sebagai Medium Ekspresi Lisan dan Identitas Komunal Masyarakat Pegunungan Papua
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.
Akulturasi Musik dan Identitas Komunal dalam Ansambel Bambu Kamen Berok di Biak Numfor
Kamen Berok is a bamboo music ensemble that thrives in the coastal regions of Papua, particularly in Biak Numfor. Rooted in traditional bamboo playing, it has evolved through prolonged encounters with church music and modern education, forming an acculturative hybrid between Western tonal systems and local Papuan rhythmic aesthetics. This study employed an applied ethnomusicology framework to understand the role of music as social action that impacts identity, knowledge transmission, and community strengthening. The methods used were music ethnography with participant observation, in-depth interviews, and audio-visual documentation in Biak Numfor. Analysis was conducted thematically and participatorily by involving community leaders, trainers, and young players as co-researchers. The results affirmed the function of Kamen Berok as a space for identity negotiation, a medium for cultural education, and a platform for ecological and cultural policy advocacy.
Pelangi di Papua: Integrasi Musik Barat dan Tradisi Lokal dalam Karya Musik Berbasis Budaya Papua
The musical work “Pelangi di Papua” was inspired by the cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity of Papua. This composition represented a collaboration between modern, Papuan, and Balinese instruments, expressed through a contemporary musical form. The work employed compositional techniques such as unison and harmony, while developing musical elements including melody, rhythm, tempo, and dynamics. The performance of “Pelangi di Papua” was presented on the proscenium stage of the ISBI Papua Auditorium, supported by five musicians with a total duration of 15 minutes. The structure of the composition consisted of four parts—Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4—realized through a creative process divided into three stages: exploration, improvisation, and formation. The values of unity and diversity were embodied through several aspects: (1) the use of traditional instruments from various regions (Bali, Java, and Papua) alongside modern instruments; (2) the harmonic interplay between diatonic and pentatonic scales in pelog tuning; and (3) the visual reinforcement of the work’s message through traditional costumes corresponding to the origin of each instrument. “Pelangi di Papua” aimed to explore the cultural values embedded in programmatic music that reflected the plurality of Papua’s ethnic, linguistic, and religious identities. The work sought to promote mutual respect and appreciation for cultural diversity, symbolizing the vision of building a harmonious and beautiful Papua through musical expression.
Analisis Aspek Musikal Lantunan Helaehili dalam Perspektif Masyarakat Sentani pada Ritual Kematian
The purpose of this research is to gain knowledge based on the traditions and behavior of the local community, regarding the musical aspects of the helaehili chanting in the death of the Sentani people. This research was conducted because of the opinion that helaehili itself is different from the view of western music. The chanting of helaehili itself is closely related to the death rituals of the Sentani people. The approach used in this study is qualitative in nature by focusing on musical aspects and the socio-cultural context of the Sentani people, within the community itself. It is this identity that describes the musical meaning to shape a society's behavior, in the death of the Sentani people. this behavior will be seen through the singer's vocals, thus creating a deep affection about sadness. Death in the Sentani community itself is identified with the chanting of helaehili which, in this chant, tells the kindness and respect for someone who has died.
Fungsi Lantunan Yasi dalam Upacara Bakar Batu Masyarakat Kampung Pipal Pegunungan Bintang Papua
Penelitian ini mengkaji fungsi lantunan Yasi dalam konteks upacara Bakar Batu yang dilaksanakan oleh masyarakat Pegunungan Bintang, khususnya suku Ketengban. Yasi merupakan nyanyian tradisional yang dilantunkan dalam berbagai ritus adat dan sosial, termasuk perang suku, pembayaran mas kawin, dan peresmian gedung. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menggali makna simbolik dan fungsi sosial dari Yasi serta hubungannya dengan ritual Bakar Batu sebagai ekspresi kelompok masyarakat. Melalui pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dan wawancara dengan informan lokal, ditemukan bahwa lantunan Yasi tidak sekadar nyanyian, tetapi menjadi sarana komunikasi emosional, pewarisan nilai budaya, dan penguat solidaritas. Tiga jenis nyanyian yang dianalisis menunjukkan berbagai ekspresi perasaan, seperti kekecewaan, harapan, dan kebersamaan. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa Yasi adalah bagian dari identitas budaya suku Ketengban dan memiliki nilai strategis dalam pelestarian budaya lisan Papua.
Peran Instrumen Tifa dan Kendang dalam Kolaborasi Musikal pada Sanggar Seni Reog Karya Budaya dan Sanggar Yongkua Kabupaten Keerom
This research aimed to examine the fundamental principles underlying the artists' response to sound stimuli as perceived by the community, specifically focusing on the role of Kendang and Tifa instruments in musical collaboration between Sanggar Seni Reog Karya Budaya and Sanggar Yongkua in Keerom Regency. The collaboration between these two art studios represented an effort to foster brotherhood and prevent social and cultural tensions during the transmigration era. This study employed a qualitative research method with a social and cultural context approach to the Skanto community. The findings revealed that the kendang produced rhythmic patterns that were unfamiliar to the local community. However, this phenomenon presented a significant area of investigation, as it did not represent contemporary music art but rather demonstrated the critical thinking process of the Skanto community in collaborating both instruments. Through this collaboration, harmonious sound stimuli were produced that, despite originating from different cultural backgrounds, could be appreciated by the community. The research concluded that improvisation had evolved into invention or new discovery, creating a unique musical fusion that bridged cultural differences.
Transformasi Khombow dalam Bahasa Gerak: Penciptaan Tari Kreasi Baru Berbasis Budaya Sentani
This study examined the creative process of the dance work "Khombow Bee," which transformed the cultural values of Khombow—Sentani bark cloth—into choreographic expression. Khombow was understood not merely as a craft material but as a representation of the relationship between humans and nature, embodying values of togetherness, communication, and environmental preservation in Sentani society. Through qualitative methods involving interviews, literature study, and audiovisual observation, this research explored how traditional Sentani movements were developed through contemporary approaches, particularly hip-hop/breaking techniques, to create a new dance creation that remained rooted in local values. The creative process followed Alma M. Hawkins' stages: exploration, improvisation, and forming. The resulting work was a group choreography performed by four male dancers, integrating movement, sound, and bark cloth properties as symbolic elements. The dance not only presented aesthetic aspects but also functioned as critical reflection on the declining availability of Khombow trees due to exploitation without conservation efforts. This study demonstrated that dance could serve as an effective medium for cultural preservation and environmental awareness, while enriching the discourse on contemporary dance development in Papua that dialogued between tradition and modernity.
Struktur Melodi, Ekspresi Musikal dan Variasi Dialek dalam Lantunan Wor Randan pada Ritual Fan Nanggi Biak Numfor
Wor randan merupakan bentuk ekspresi vokal tradisional masyarakat Biak yang memiliki peran penting dalam berbagai ritus adat, salah satunya adalah ritual Fan Nanggi. Sebagai bagian dari warisan budaya lisan, Wor Randan mengandung nilai-nilai spiritual, historis, dan sosial yang diwujudkan melalui struktur melodi, ekspresi musikal, serta penggunaan bahasa yang khas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan struktur melodi, bentuk ekspresi musikal, dan variasi dialek yang muncul dalam Wor Randan pada ritual Fan Nanggi di empat wilayah adat Kabupaten Biak Numfor: Oridek, Swandiwe, Barmani, dan Napa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif-analitis. Data diperoleh melalui observasi langsung, wawancara mendalam dengan tokoh adat dan pelantun Wor Randan, serta dokumentasi audio-visual. Analisis dilakukan terhadap aspek musikal (struktur melodi, ritme, tempo, dan dinamika), ekspresi musikal (intonasi, artikulasi, serta suasana emosional), dan unsur linguistik (interferensi serta variasi dialek lokal dalam teks Wor randan). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa struktur melodi Wor Randan memiliki pola repetitif dan melismatik yang berbeda-beda di tiap wilayah adat, mencerminkan karakter lokal masing-masing. Ekspresi musikal mengandung nuansa emosional yang kuat dan berfungsi sebagai sarana komunikasi spiritual dalam konteks ritual. Selain itu, ditemukan adanya interferensi dialek yang memperkaya keberagaman bentuk teks Wor randan, memperlihatkan dinamika linguistik antar wilayah adat Biak Numfor. Temuan ini memperkuat posisi Wor randan tidak hanya sebagai warisan musik vokal, tetapi juga sebagai representasi identitas kultural dan linguistik masyarakat Biak. Kajian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi terhadap dokumentasi, pelestarian, dan revitalisasi seni vokal tradisional yang mengandung nilai-nilai kearifan lokal Papua.
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Latar belakang penelitian ini berangkat dari keberadaan tradisi Bajo, yaitu kebiasaan melepas lelah masyarakat Skouw di Kota Jayapura setelah melakukan aktivitas berburu. Tradisi tersebut menggunakan lumpur sebagai medium utama dan mengandung nilai-nilai simbolik tentang relasi manusia dengan alam serta kesetaraan antarmanusia. Penelitian-penciptaan ini bertujuan untuk mentransformasikan tradisi Bajo ke dalam karya tari kontemporer berjudul Fi dengan tetap mempertahankan nilai filosofis dan kearifan lokalnya, sekaligus mengisi celah kajian penciptaan tari berbasis praktik budaya non-ritual masyarakat adat Papua. Metode yang digunakan adalah penelitian berbasis praktik (practice-based research) melalui tahapan eksplorasi, improvisasi, dan pembentukan koreografi. Hasil penciptaan menunjukkan bahwa tradisi Bajo dapat diolah menjadi karya tari kontemporer dengan mode penyajian simbolik, menggunakan lumpur (Fi) dan tas tradisional bae sebagai elemen utama koreografi. Simpulan penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa karya tari Fi berkontribusi pada pengembangan wacana tari kontemporer berbasis tradisi lokal serta menjadi medium pelestarian budaya masyarakat Skouw di Papua.
Ekspresi Musikal Black Brothers sebagai Resistensi Budaya Papua pada Masa Orde Baru
Penelitian ini mengkaji ekspresi musikal Black Brothers sebagai strategi resistensi kultural terhadap dominasi negara pada masa Orde Baru. Sebagai kelompok musik legendaris asal Papua, Black Brothers tidak hanya dikenal karena kontribusinya dalam musik populer Indonesia, tetapi juga melalui peran penting mereka dalam membangun kesadaran identitas, martabat, dan solidaritas kolektif masyarakat Papua. Pada masa Orde Baru, ketika kebebasan berekspresi dibatasi dan identitas nasional dihomogenkan, musik menjadi ruang artikulasi simbolik bagi kelompok terpinggirkan untuk menyampaikan kritik dan aspirasi tanpa konfrontasi langsung. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode analisis teks dan studi literatur. Sumber data mencakup syair lagu, dokumentasi pertunjukan, arsip media, serta kajian akademik terkait musik, resistensi budaya, dan diaspora Afro-Melanesia. Analisis dilakukan menggunakan kerangka teori resistensi kultural, performativitas, dan identitas rasial. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa Black Brothers mengartikulasikan perlawanan melalui penggunaan metafora dalam lirik, pengolahan genre reggae-rock yang identik dengan tradisi Afro-diaspora, serta performativitas panggung yang menegaskan kebanggaan rasial Melanesia. Musik Black Brothers tidak hanya berfungsi sebagai hiburan, tetapi menjadi medium politik kultural yang menyuarakan trauma kolonial, ingatan kolektif, dan harapan kebebasan Papua secara simbolis. Penelitian ini memperkuat pemahaman tentang peran musik sebagai ruang perlawanan non-kekerasan dalam konteks politik represif, sekaligus membuka ruang penelitian lanjutan mengenai praktik estetis Papua sebagai bentuk diplomasi budaya dan advokasi memori sejarah dalam komunitas pascakolonial. Kata kunci: Black Brothers, Papua, resistensi kultural, Orde Baru, Ekspresi Musikal
Politik Ekonomi Liberal dan Politik Etis dalam Masyarakat Malind Merauke: Membaca Ulang Karya Etnografi J. Van Baal melalui Lantunan Tutur
This article explores the intersections between colonial political policies and indigenous knowledge systems in Papua, focusing on the Malind society in Merauke. It examines the impact of Liberal Economic Policy (1870) and the Ethical Policy (1901) as colonial frameworks that shaped the representation of indigenous peoples in the Dutch East Indies. Van Baal’s writings, particularly his ethnographic descriptions of the Malind, are discussed as colonial narratives that documented mythologies, rituals, and kinship systems while simultaneously reproducing Eurocentric interpretations. Through a critical postcolonial reading, this study positions Van Baal’s works as part of a broader archive that legitimized colonial authority and economic exploitation. At the same time, the article highlights the oral traditions of the Malind narratives chant as a form of local epistemology that preserves ecological knowledge, social structures, and territorial rights. Unlike colonial archives, these oral traditions constitute living narratives that affirm Malind identity and their relationship with the natural environment. The comparison reveals a tension between colonial narratives that objectified indigenous societies and local narratives that assert autonomy and resilience. Methodologically, this research employs qualitative textual analysis, combining literature review of colonial archives with interpretative analysis of Malind oral traditions. The findings indicate that while Liberal Economic and Ethical Policies institutionalized exploitation and paternalism, Malind oral traditions provided counter-narratives of ecological balance and communal sovereignty. This study contributes to the discourse on decolonizing knowledge by showing how local narratives challenge colonial epistemologies and remain relevant for contemporary reflections on cultural identity and environmental justice. Keywords: Politics of Liberal Economy; Ethical Policy; Colonial Narrative; Oral Tradition; Malind Society
Politics of Liberal Economy; Ethical Policy; Colonial Narrative; Oral Tradition; Malind Society
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi dan merepresentasikan fenomena mabuk akibat konsumsi minuman keras (miras) melalui proses penciptaan karya seni tari kontemporer. Tujuan utama dari karya ini adalah menyampaikan pesan sosial dan edukatif mengenai bahaya miras terhadap kesehatan fisik, kondisi psikologis, dan hubungan sosial masyarakat. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif dengan pendekatan fenomenologi. Data diperoleh melalui wawancara mendalam dengan narasumber utama, yaitu Dominggus Langer, seorang peminum miras yang mengalami dampak langsung dalam kehidupan pribadi dan sosialnya. Data tersebut diolah melalui proses reflektif dan kreatif dalam penciptaan tari, yang mencakup tahap eksplorasi, improvisasi, simbolisasi, dan koreografi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa karya tari mampu menyampaikan narasi emosional dan simbolik yang efektif dalam menggambarkan transisi kondisi seseorang dari sadar ke mabuk, serta dampaknya terhadap interaksi sosial. Gerakan-gerakan yang tidak stabil, ekspresi wajah, serta penggunaan simbol gerak berhasil mewakili kehilangan kontrol diri, konflik sosial, dan kerusakan relasi dalam masyarakat akibat alkohol. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah bahwa seni tari kontemporer dapat menjadi media komunikasi yang kuat untuk mengangkat isu sosial, khususnya penyalahgunaan alkohol, melalui pendekatan yang estetis, empatik, dan edukatif. Karya ini diharapkan mampu menggugah kesadaran masyarakat dan mendorong perubahan perilaku sosial yang lebih sehat dan bertanggung jawab.
Musik Gesek Auwkwilka: Transformasi Dari Kotak Kapur Makan Pinang (Aukong) Menjadi Musik Gesek (Auwkwilka)
Kajian ini mengenai musik gesek auwkwilka yang hidup dalam seni budaya Suku Sentani di Timur Danau Sentani. Bagi Suku Sentani musik gesek auwkwilka merupakan hasil kreatif dan transformatif dari kotak kapur makan pinang (aukung) menjadi musik gesek (auwkwilka). Proses transformatif itu telah terjadi sejak masa Leluhur Suku Sentani. Proses pembuatan auwkwilka dan proses penggunaannya mendapat perhatian khusus dari peneliti, sebagaliknya aspek lain terkait musik gesek auwkwilka, seperti makna filosofis, ekologis, psikologis, kosmos. Musik gesek auwkwilka dimainkan sambil makan pinang dan dipergunakan dalam momentum budaya untuk penyambutan tamu-tamu terhormat untuk mengekspresikan kekayaan sang musik gesek auwkwilka. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam kajian ini adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif untuk meneliti kekayaan musik gesek auwkwilka pada Suku Sentani di Distrik Heram kota Jayapura Provinsi Papua.