Suanggi Dance, Traditional Dance From West Papua

Suanggi Dance is a traditional dance originating from West Papua. This dance tells of a husband who was left behind by his wife who became victims of magical science. If we see from the description, this suanggi dance is a form of expression from the people of West Papua about the viscosity of the magical nuances that exist in the area.



Some dances that exist in Papua, tend to be impressed from ritual movements and religious ceremonies. As with the suanggi dance. This kind of dance usually starts with a ritual, like a war dance, a shaman dance used to heal or repel disease. Karl Jaspers calls these experiences that can bring about this crisis of existence as a boundary situation, and among them, the most important are the experience of dealing with the event of death.



In the West Papuan people's magical beliefs, Suanggi is an evil spirit (kapes) because it has not been redeemed yet and has not gained comfort in the afterlife. These spirits will usually enter the woman's body. Women who die in childbirth are feared to be transformed into fane capes. Meanwhile, in the Aifat community, it often calls it kapes mapo. These spirits often infiltrate the living women, who then magically can harm others. Women who are possessed by these spirits are referred to as kapo mapo, sometimes also called suanggi women.



It is said that these evil spirits can be used to harm others who are unpopular. Sometimes they are also jealous of seeing people eating themselves in the forest. If they see people eating around their dwellings and they throw out scraps of food at will, they will be a means for them to penetrate, causing sick people, emaciated, and eventually, they die.



When it comes to this kind of sacrifice, the elders will do Mawi to find out who the women of Suanggi (kapes mapo) it. After the elders find out, the woman will be killed, whether beaten or forced to drink the root of the tube. Furthermore, his stomach will be dissected, to see the peculiarities of the contents of his stomach. It is said if a true woman is kapes mapo, bile there will be two. Even to this day, the belief in Suanggi is still very thick



From some data from the results of research and information above, we can see how strong the belief of the people of Papua against magical things. Then summarized and recorded in the art form of dance performances. Maintained, preserved and preserved for generations for the belief, as well as the balance of life that we can then recognize as a cultural identity.