Social & Culture

Long before modern state boundaries divided the Pacific Ocean into separate countries, communities throughout the region were connected by migration routes, maritime traditions, languages, and cultural practices that spanned from …

For many young people in the highlands, coastal villages, and remote districts of Papua Tengah (Central Papua), gaining admission to one of Indonesia’s elite government academies often seems like an …

As visitors gathered around traditional cooking demonstrations, the smell of roasted fish wafted through the festival grounds in Sorong. Nearby, women from Indigenous communities laid out carefully local ingredients that …

The sky above Biak, on the northern coast of Papua, looks like it goes on forever on clear nights. For generations, the local communities have looked up at those skies …

For many college students, learning about public policy occurs between the walls of classrooms, lecture halls, or academic journals. This week, five Indonesian students learned in a very different setting. …

In many parts of Papua, attending school is not always as simple as walking a few blocks from home. For some children, living in remote highland villages or isolated coastal …

This month, a different conversation took center stage in a world where conversations often revolve around lectures, research projects, and student assignments. It had nothing to do with grades or …

In many cultures, a feast is simply a meal enjoyed with family or friends. But in Papua a Pesta Babi can be a lot more than that. The tradition, locally …

Education is a hope and a challenge for many families in Papua. In the remote villages, children often have to walk long distances to reach school. City parents work hard …

In a recent afternoon in Surabaya, dozens of Papuan students gathered to celebrate a milestone once far from their reach. Some had just found out that they had been accepted …