Sorong, Jubi – Indigenous youth from the Domberay customary region have launched a cultural camp aimed at strengthening, preserving and revitalising Papuan cultural identity, which organisers say is gradually fading among younger generations.
The 2026 Domberay Indigenous Youth Jamboree, organised by Creative Project in partnership with Indonesia's Ministry of Culture, is being held at Rumah Etnik in Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua Province, from 5-10 August 2026.
The event brings together 30 young Indigenous Papuans from across the Domberay customary region to learn about traditional knowledge, ancestral rituals, Indigenous languages, cultural values and philosophies that have been passed down through generations.
Organising committee chair Andrey Maryen said the jamboree was designed to bridge the transfer of cultural knowledge, traditions and customary practices from Indigenous elders to the next generation of Papuans.
"We hope this gathering will help revive cultural values that may have been forgotten or are at risk of disappearing as younger generations lose touch with their identity," Maryen said on Wednesday. Maryen said the event was planned and organised entirely by Indigenous Papuan youth, demonstrating their ability to take the lead in preserving and promoting their own cultural heritage.
The week-long program will conclude on 11 August with a closing ceremony at Lambert Jitmau Hall in the Sorong mayoral office complex. Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Culture is expected to attend.
Throughout the week, participants will take part in cultural workshops, storytelling sessions with Indigenous elders, documentary photography and filmmaking training, and collaborative discussions involving different Indigenous sub-groups from across the Domberay region.
The jamboree opened with the Mansorandak traditional welcoming ceremony, a ceremonial sash presentation, performances by traditional music group Belantara, and guided tours of Rumah Etnik Papua and the Papuan Cultural Museum.
The event was officially inaugurated with a tifa drum ceremony led by Winarto, head of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Centre for Southwest Papua, together with regional government representatives.
Julianus Limbeng, Director for Belief Systems and Indigenous Communities at Indonesia's Ministry of Culture, praised the initiative, saying cultural preservation in Papua cannot rely solely on government institutions.
He said meaningful progress requires collaboration among all stakeholders, particularly young people.
"Without young people to carry the torch, Papua's extraordinary cultural heritage will struggle to survive," Limbeng said.
He added that the jamboree not only provides participants with valuable experience but also helps them identify cultural assets that can strengthen Indigenous identity while creating future economic opportunities for local communities.
Representing the Sorong Regency administration, senior adviser Marthen Nebore said partnerships between Indigenous youth and local government are essential to uncover and promote forms of local wisdom that have yet to receive wider recognition.
"Through our culture and customary values, we express who we are. There is still enormous cultural potential that remains untapped, and together we can develop it into something our region can be proud of," Nebore said.
Source: https://en.jubi.id/domberay-indigenous-youth-hold-cultural-camp-to-preserve-papuan-identity