Inisiasi Adat Papua di Persimpangan Jalan

Abstract

Human beings face expected and unexpected events. They beg particular questions to do reflection of the meaning of life. The answer of these questions lead human beings toward happiness and unhappiness. Those who live around Jayapura faced two incidents which were worth notice. They were the murder of a minibus driver at Skyline area and then the death of a drunk at Entrop (cf Cenderawasih Pos, July 7th and 11th, 2011). On July 9th, 2011, Metro TV launched a talk show entitled anomaly. It was said that Indonesian people live this situation which forces them to angry backlash, vandalism, many group fightings and even terrorism. These struck me why they happened. What is wrong with Indonesian people? Why do these problems take place in our surroundings?
One of the answers is that Indonesian people have lost their basic values that used to teach them in traditional modes of school or that are traceble in our modern modes of school. This article will explore two traditional modes of education which is called the period of initiation. They are Seset’s initiation and Fenia Meroh’s initiation. These initiations are process of transferring many kinds of knowledge, skills, values and norms so that people are well prepared as mature people who can take their own responsibility and that of community. Unfortunately, these kinds of initiation have been fading away. Hopefully by expressing the value of it, the initiation will be held again so the society might harvest its fruit.