Holiday Ayo - Not only its natural wealth, Indonesia is also known as a country rich in cultural diversity. One of the popular dances that characterizes the Papuan people is the Sajojo Dance. Sajojo is one of the famous dances as part of the arts of West Papua.

The name of the Sajojo dance is taken from a song called Sajojo which tells about a village girl who is coveted and loved by her family, as well as the men in her village. This dance, which is performed in groups, illustrates cohesiveness, the spirit of togetherness, and mutual cooperation in the life of the Papuan people.

Compared to other traditional dances, the Sajojo dance has its own uniqueness, namely as follows.

source: selasar

1. Free to be danced by anyone, both men and women, regardless of age. This dance that carries the theme of happiness and the spirit of togetherness is very flexible, free, and has no binding rules.

2. Can Be Performed on a Large Scale Due to the absence of binding regulations, this dance can be performed in large groups ranging from 5 to tens of people so that it is more lively.

Sajojo dance movements tend to be dynamic and energetic according to the rhythm of the song that describes the joy and spirit of the community. The priority of movement is on the legs and arms as the body swings in an alternating rhythm. Hands move and feet stomp.

source: urbanasia

This dance is accompanied by its own national anthem “Sajojo”. The song comes from the West Papuan language. Music is usually played by guitars, violins, keyboards and tifa (their traditional percussion drums covered with dried animal skin).

It is not clear when exactly this dance was invented and formed. However, Sajojo dance became famous in the 1990s. The Sajojo dancers apply white powder to the eyelids, cheeks and nose. Their bodies will be painted white, and they will also have to wear tassel skirts, headbands, necklaces, and bracelets. The male dancers usually carry weapons, such as arrows and bows.

At first, the Sajojo dance was only performed to complement traditional ceremonies among the Papuan people. However, along with the times, this dance began to be used to welcome distinguished guests who visited Papua and various other cultural events.