Jayapura (ANTARA News) - Many progressive Austronesian cultures are to be found in several coastal areas in Papua, a researcher of the Jayapura Archaeology Center, Hari Suroto, said here Sunday.

Suroto said geographically, Papua is the westernmost part of the Pacific connecting Southeast Asia with the Pacific.

"The location is strategic for transitory migration from the west to the east," he said.
He said various archaeological objects and artefacts found in Papua`s coastal areas showed the existence of Austronesian cultures in Indonesia`s easternmost province.

Austronesian cultures were known and spread out by people who spoke Austronesian languages between Madagascar in the west and Easter Island (in the Pacific) in the east as well as Formosa in the north.

The evidence of these cultures found in Papua were the Melanesian language spoken by some people as a result of the influence of the Austronesian languages."This can be seen in the grammar and vocabularies," Suroto said.

According to the archaeological research, the Papuan areas where the Melanesian language is spoken are Yapen Island, Raja Ampat District, Biak, Waropen, Teluk Wandamen and an area along Teluk Cenderawasih Beach.

The others are those in the western point of Papua from Sorong District to the south along the beach of Sele Strait, areas around Bintuni Bay, Arguni Bay till the costal areas of Etna Bay.

In addition, Papuans who settle in the districts of Fak-fak, Raja Ampat, Yotefa Bay, Waena and Sentani in the north side of Jayapura, apply a community organization with an hierarchy system in which the leaders are hereditary raise.

"This is another evidence of the Austronesia cultures which are found in the coastal areas of Papua," Suroto said.

Such cultures are not found in the Middle Mountains (Pegunungan Tengah) community who tend to consider that they are of equal level and dignity.

Meanwhile, the tattoo tradition in the northern coast of Papua, Cenderawasih Bay and the area of Bird Head in Papua is also an evidence of the Austronesian cultures.

Among the tribes who make tattoos are the Meybrat Tribe that live in the Bird Head area are those belonging to the Waropen Tribe, the Biak-Numfor Tribe and Sentani people in Jayapura.

He hoped the great number of archaeological research discovering cultural progress in Papua could become assets for Papuans in the national dynamism and development activities.(*)