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Manokwari Cultural Carnival
Every year, thousands of people took to the streets of Manokwari town to participate in an event which they call "cultural carnival." This carnival is organized and conducted by GKI di tanah Papua (The Evangelical Christian Church in Papua land) to celebrate the Gospel Preaching Day (Hari Pekabaran Injil) on 5 February. Usually, the carnival is carried out before and after that date, i.e. between 3 and 4 February and on 6 February.
The participants of the cultural carnival come from various towns and villages in Papua island, as well as some delegations from several province in Indonesia. During the celebration, we can see the participants perform traditional dances, sing gospel and traditional songs. This cultural carnival is an annual event which has been celebrated for years.
Besides conducting the cultural carnival, the committee of the Gospel Preaching Day conduct traditional wooden house construction competition that the local Papua usually call Rumah Kaki Seribu (a-thousand feet house). When going around the town, tourists can see various traditional Papuan house which is made by the town dwellers at parks and at the front yard of their houses. Where there is empty land in town, artists will create artworks there in the form of boat, wooden house, statues, and paintings. The cultural carnival of Manokwari can be considered as the largest street event that attracts thousands of visitors from outside the town. Manokwari is a beautiful town situated in a Dorey bay. It is now the capital of Papua Barat Province of the Republic of Indonesia.
The cultural carnival of Manokwari is considered important for the preservation of the culture of the indigenous Papuan people that is facing pressures due to rapid development and modernization and the introduction of new cultures and values brought by migrants from other parts of the Indonesian islands. by Charles Roring
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