Papua PON Fire Carnival In Jayapura Begins October 1

Illustration of PON fire lighting, (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Coordinator of the Sub-PB PON XX Ceremony Cluster Jayapura Regency Eqberth C Kopeuw said the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) fire procession will begin on October 1, 2021.

The Papua PON fire is scheduled to arrive at Sentani Airport, Jayapura Regency on October 1, 2021 at around 08.00 WIT and then paraded around the Jayapura Regency area.

Eqberth explained that before the XX Papua PON fire was carried out at Lake Sentani, this fire torch would first be paraded to Jayapura City starting October 1, 2021, shortly after arriving at Sentani Airport.

"Then if there are no obstacles, the PON fire procession for the Jayapura Regency Cluster will start on October 2, 2021. The route to be followed starts from Patouw Beach, Waibu District and will be paraded until it arrives at the tourist area of Khalkote Beach, Nolokla Village, East Sentani District, through the Lake Sentani area, in the western part of the Waibu area, the central part of Sentani and the eastern part of Sentani," said Eqberth as quoted by Antara, Sunday.

"The PON torch fire arrived at Sentani Airport on October 1, at 8:00 am. We are here, the General Chairperson of the Jayapura Regency PON Sub-PB will receive it, then immediately paraded to Jayapura City. The PON torch fire in Jayapura City for six to seven hours, it will be accompanied by festival activities. On October 1, in the afternoon, it will be handed over to the Regional Government of Jayapura Regency, to be precise at the City Boundary of the Telaga Maya field, "he added.

The PON fire parade in the Jayapura Regency Sub-Cluster will be held on October 2, 2021, starting from Jalan Patouw Toware, Waibu District, then paraded through Lake Sentani.

"We will procession through the lake route in three areas, starting from the western part of Sentani in the Waibu District, the central part of Sentani and the eastern part of Sentani," explained Eqberth.

According to him, the XX PON torch fire procession through the lake route can be said to be special and very special, because this is the first time in history that the PON fire procession has been carried out through the lake route. From the previous 19 PON events, most of the PON fire parades were conducted by land route.

Furthermore, he revealed that this PON fire parade will be based on culture, so that later it will be colored with the Isosolo dance ceremony, which is a typical Papuan dance owned by local residents who live in the coastal area of Lake Sentani.

"Because this PON fire carnival is based on culture, this PON fire will be carried by using a small speedboat that has been designed by the committee. So it can be seen by the whole community," said Eqberth.

In addition, there are about 20 speedboats and other transport ships that have been prepared by the committee to take the group and also the community involved in the PON torch fire procession on Lake Sentani. However, the committee has not been able to confirm if the XX PON fire carnival will be attended directly by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.

Meanwhile, Jayapura Mayor Benhur Tomi Mano also said that the XX Papua PON XX fire cycle trip will be paraded around the city of Jayapura on October 1, 2021.

When the XX Papua PON fire arrives in Jayapura City, he continued, it will be greeted by "ondoafi" (tribal chiefs) from 14 villages and "sunatara" figures as well as religious leaders in Jayapura City.

"It is the hope that the Jayapura City Government and the Jayapura City Cluster PB PON sub-PB, the procession of the XX Papua PON fire carnival in Jayapura City will run smoothly according to the set agenda," said Benhur in his official statement in Jayapura.