Veronika Kanem, far right, with her West Papua students from Palmerston North. Photo: Lagi Maama Academy & Consultancy
A PhD candidate from West Papua has launched an exhibition at the University of Auckland based on her research into 'noken', or finely woven string bags.
Veronika Kanem has spent the past four years researching the traditional craft, particularly within the Muyu Tribe of Southern West Papua.
The noken bag is often used in cultural ceremonies, bridewealth payment, or a child's initiation into adulthood.
The bags are painstakingly created from various natural fibres of plants and tree bark.
Kanem told Pacific Waves people should not view it as a knick-knack as it represents identity and carries cultural significance for the people of West Papua.
"This is how I just try to spread awareness and also let people know that noken is not just a souvenir," she said.
"It connects us to our land, to our forest, where the materials are gathered from our forest.
"The noken [are] usually [used] as a gift to strengthen and maintain our relationship with our family, with friends, with trading partners, or also establish a new connection to new people or visitors."
West Papua students from Palmerston North. Photo: Lagi Maama Academy & Consultancy
Kanem said the feedback on her exhibition has been really positive.
"People are so excited and so impressed with the work.
"It is not me, but this is my community, the Muyu tribe, from my father's side. I'm so proud to introduce this work.
"It is not only my PhD thesis, actually, but this is my people's works, especially the women, and this is also part of like - I reciprocate what they have given to me, their knowledge, their time. So this is actually for my community."
Kanem is concerned at the Indonesian government's proposed deforestation project, saying it is a "threat" to her community.
Last year the Indonesian government proposed its plan to establish 2 millon hectares of sugarcane plantations in the Merauke district in the southern area of Papua.
She said if the deforestation project goes ahead, her people's traditions will cease to exist.
"There are a lot of government projects and emissiaries that want to take over our land and our forest, which will threaten our noken weaving, because the material for making these bags, it is from the forest."
