| It all
began in 1959 with a visit to the cinema. Eugen Schumacher’s film ‘Stone Age Men
and Birds of Paradise’ aroused our curiosity and awakened our interest in Melanesia.
In December of 1962, a zoological expedition brought us to Papua New Guinea for fourteen
months. The purpose of our visits to the then still quite isolated regions of the Papua
Gulf, the central mountain range and the upper Sepik river was a search for rare birds of
paradise. The encounter with unspoiled rain forests and people of primal cultures became
an unforgettable experience for us. In 1971, in cooperation
with the L.I.P.I. (Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia / Institute for Science and
Research), the ‘Brazza Expedition’ brought us to Asmat in Irian Jaya on the
Indonesian western half of New Guinea for eleven months. It was the first approval granted
for a scientific research expedition to Asmat since the assumption of power in Dutch New
Guinea by the Indonesian government in 1963. Our expedition made contact with the Bras, a
people living at the Brazza river with no previous contacts to the outside world. Their
magnificently ornamented war shields which were exclusively carved with stone axes and
bone chisels captured our interest and provided the foundation of our Asmat collection.
We received assistance from the missonary community (Crosier) in Agats and enjoyed their
friendship and an atmosphere of generosity. Our scientific interest has been supported in
all these years by bishop Alphonse Sowada, the many members of the mission, and the
curators Yufentius Biakai and Eric Sarkol of the Agats Museum.
The Indonesian authorities, Mrs. Samsiah Achmat from the L.I.P.I., Professor
Dr.-Ing.
Wardiman Djojonegoro, Jakarta, Mr. Kharis Suhud, the Asmat spokesperson and president
emeritus of the YKPA (Yayasan-Kebudayaan-Pendidikan-Asmat; Society for Development,
Culture and Education), Mr. Raden Soekadjo, the Regent (Bupati) of Merauke and many others
have always offered help and understanding.
Despite numerous other commitments, the considerate and highly productive involvement of
P.T. Freeport Indonesia on behalf of the people of Asmat produced benefits felt not only
in the immediately affected areas of Timika, Tembagapura and Amamapare/Mimika but in Asmat
as well.
Since our first stay in Asmat in 1971 we have been supporting bishop
Sowada in his endeavor to reanimate and keep alive the art of woodcarving
in Asmat. We are members of the organization committee and of the
jury of the art competition in Agats, which has taken place annually
since 1981 and by now has an international reputation. We initiated
the reorganization of the museum in Agats in 1994 and newly arranged
the exhibition. |
Inland Asmat at the
Brazza river 
Inland Asmat at the
Beo river
Inland Asmat at the
Beo river
Garden house at the
Brazza river
Asmat of the coastal region
|
