Social & Culture

In the highlands of Papua, mornings often begin with fog hanging low above dense forest valleys. Rivers cut through untouched green terrain. Birds of paradise move across giant trees that, …

In the afternoons this week, trucks carrying sacrificial cattle slowly entered mosque courtyards across several parts of Papua. Children gathered near the roadside to watch. Mosque volunteers checked distribution lists …

Indonesia’s Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin delivered an unusually personal message to Indonesian soldiers serving in Papua this week. He did not begin by talking about weapons, military operations, or combat …

Early in the morning along the coast near Jayapura, the tide slowly retreats between thick mangrove roots while small fish and crabs move through muddy channels beneath the trees. For …

When trays of rice, vegetables, fish, eggs, and fruit began arriving at schools across Jayapura earlier this year, many parents initially saw the government’s Free Nutritious Meal program as simple …

Officials from across Papua filled the meeting hall at Hotel Suni in Abepura, Jayapura, on May 21 carrying demographic reports, laptops, and regional data records that many admitted still do …

When Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana arrived in Raja Ampat on May 11-12, 2026, the visit was deliberately kept relatively low profile. There were meetings with regional officials, inspections of …

Inside a classroom in Sorong earlier this year, a teacher stood in front of a group of elementary school students and slowly repeated a sentence in the Moi language. Some …

The ceremony on May 9, 2026, in Raja Ampat was supposed to focus mainly on the regency’s 23rd anniversary. There were cultural performances, government speeches, and rows of invited guests …

Before sunrise each morning in Merauke, a group of young Papuan students begins another long day inside a temporary quarantine dormitory prepared by the provincial government. Some start with physical …