Teluk Wondama Festival 2025, Celebrating 100 Years Of Papuan Civilization In The Capital City Center

JAKARTA - Cultural festivals are not only about celebrating ancestral heritage, but also a bridge between tradition and progress.

This is the spirit carried out at the 2025 Wondama Bay Festival, a cultural arts and creative economy event held by the Wondama Bay Regency Government to raise regional potential and strengthen West Papua's identity in the eyes of the national community.

The Regent of Teluk Wondama, Elysa Auri, in his official statement in Jakarta, explained that this festival was designed not only as an art performance event such as traditional dances and regional music, but also includes handicraft exhibitions, UMKM bazaars, as well as investment forums that open up opportunities for business collaboration.

Jakarta's selection as the location of the 2025 Wondama Bay Festival is very strategic because it is the center of economic activity, policy making, and the national investment network. We want to make Wondama Bay one of the leading destinations for West Papua tourism," said Elysa.

The event is scheduled to take place at Plaza Sarinah, Jakarta on July 23, 2025, and will present a variety of activities ranging from cultural arts performances, local product galleries, to business dialogue and investment.

This festival also carries an important mission: introducing Wondama Bay as one of the starting points of Papuan civilization, which is still rarely known to the public.

Furthermore, Elysa said that the 2025 Wondama Bay Festival is part of a regional strategy to create a more competitive business climate in key sectors such as agriculture, mining, and tourism.

The implementation of this year feels more special because it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Papuan Civilization, which is marked by a historic milestone in Atumiri.

"The celebration of a century of civilization is an important momentum to reflect on past achievements and look to a brighter future for the Papuan generation," added Elysa.

Atumieri, a historic hill in Wondama Bay, has symbolic value as the place where the first zending school in Papua was founded by Dutch preacher Izaak Samuel Kijne, in 1925. This school became the entry point for literacy and modern education for the people of Papua at that time.

The education introduced by Kijne also changed the face of the Papuan people introducing letters, numbers, and new values combined harmoniously with local culture.

Now, the Batu Civilization Site Atumiri has been inaugurated as a historic and religious site, marking a century of strong-rooted changes in the identity of the Papuan people.

Wondama Bay is not only a witness to history, but also a symbol of the revival of Papuan civilization. We want to build an inclusive, cultured and highly competitive future," concluded Elysa.