Noken, Papua’s Special Gift from Tree Bark

Noken Papua here is translated from Trubus.id – It’s incomplete to visit an area without buying souvenirs. Now, if Trubus Mania has the opportunity to come to Papua, don’t forget to buy noken.

Noken, a traditional Papuan bag made from wood fiber or tree bark. Noken is commonly used by Papuans to carry daily necessities, for example tubers and vegetables. Sometimes, women carry noken on their heads to carry babies.

“We made this noken in just two days. It can take up to three months, “said Andriana Yogi, a Papuan woman who made noken when Trubus.id met at the Sorong Mayor’s office.

Andriana admitted, the noken was made of twisted bark and then sewn.

“The wood is cut down and the skin is scraped off. After that, it is dried in the sun for two days, pounded one week, and spun, “he said.

The spinning process is done traditionally using hands and knees for one week.

“Then weaving it by hand. So indeed, the process of making noken is traditional, not using a machine at all,” he said.

One Noken bag is sold for IDR 300 to IDR 500 thousand.

“That’s because the process is difficult. Trees are cut down by men and then spun with women. The manufacturing process is half dead, so the price is not cheap, “explained Andriana from Paniai, near Wamena.

He continued, “It’s been a long time since I made noken. Hereditary from ancestors. ” [DF]