The Meaning Behind “People Can!” or “Torang Bisa” and the Mascot of National Sport Games (PON) Papua

PON XX Papua raises a number of symbols that have deep meaning and significance.

The XX Papua PON Grand Committee introduced the two words “Torang Bisa!” as taglines. The phrase “People Can!” is a typical Papuan word spoken to give the athletes fighting spirit. Torang itself is an abbreviation of “we people”.

On the word “can”, the red nicks symbolize the existence of energy, strength, desire, courage, a symbol of fire, and the achievement of goals. Meanwhile, black is pinned on the word “torang” to symbolize self-respect and to emphasize the word.

In addition, the host, Papua has prepared the mascots “Kangpho” and “Drawa” which are used in the XX PON event. “Kangpho” is an abbreviation of the golden mantle tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus), an endemic animal belonging to Papua.

The tree kangaroo is a typical forest animal in Papua. Although they are both marsupials or mammals that have a pouch in their stomach, tree kangaroos are different from kangaroos in Australia.

Tree kangaroos live in trees and feed on seeds and young leaves from large trees. The body is also smaller than the Australian kangaroo.

Physically, tree kangaroos tend to be light brown in color with fine hair all over their bodies. This animal also has a long tail and on the tail there is a circular motif like a ring with a brighter color. On the neck, cheeks, and legs of tree kangaroos, there are golden yellow decorations. Because of these physical characteristics, the tree kangaroo has been nicknamed the golden coat.

The tree kangaroo was discovered in 1990 by Pavel German on Mount Sapapu, Torricelli Mountains, Papua New Guinea, at an altitude of 680–1,700 meters above sea level. Another population is found in remote areas in the Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia.

Body length ranges from 41-77 cm, with a tail length of 40–80 cm, and weighs 7-15 kilograms. He mostly does activities in the trees, although occasionally he goes down to the ground to find a source of drinking water.

In the PON XX mascot, Kangpho is depicted carrying a PON torch with a headband and tassels on the head and waist. Ties with tassels on the head are a symbol of greatness for men. While the tassels on the waist are usually worn by women, which symbolizes a warm and friendly welcome in Papua.

On the belt and sleeves of the Kangpho Mascot, there are Papuan carvings that are famous throughout the world. This carving is related to the spirituality of life and respect for the ancestors who always live in the minds and hearts of the Papuan people.

The mascot Kangpho also wears a crown of snow peaks as a characteristic of the Jayawijaya mountains, Papua, which has eternal snow. Puncak Jayawijaya, with the highest peak in the Sudirman Mountains (Sudirman Range), has a height of 4,884 meters above sea level. Mount Jayawijaya is one of the seven highest peaks in the world.

Meanwhile, the Mascot Drawa at PON XX Papua is a mascot in the form of a bird of paradise or the Latin name Paradisaea raggiana. Cenderawasih is a medium-sized chirping bird with a length of about 34 cm (genus Paradisaea).

In this world there are 30 types of paradise and 28 types of them are in Papua. One of them is a type of apoda or also known as the golden-tailed paradise. This type of paradise is what we often encounter because it is used as a crown.

But at PON XX, a group of Papuan youths appealed to the committee and the public not to take the crown of paradise as a souvenir. The reason is, it can result in hunting for the bird of paradise.

The red and white medal strap worn as Drawa’s necklace symbolizes togetherness in fighting for medals within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). While the three circles in it indicate the classification of gold medals, silver medals, and bronze medals.

Then the yellow color on the head and tail is the true color of paradise which symbolizes the spirit of warmth and joy. This color also shows Papua as a rich land. Meanwhile, the torch held by each mascot shows a strong spirit and blazes like a fire to compete for achievements by upholding sportsmanship.

Similar to Kangpho, Drawa also has a crown and wears a Papuan tassel. Although the two mascots use different types, the meaning they have is the same.

PON XX Papua is a means to unite the Indonesian people from Sabang to Merauke as the embodiment of a solid NKRI and the spirit of unity of the Indonesian people. The organizers of PON XX Papua 2-15 October 2021 will compete in 37 sports and will be held in four clusters, namely in Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Merauke, and Mimika Regency.

Author: Eri Sutrisno
Editor: Ratna Nuraini/Elvira Inda Sari

Source: Portal Informasi Indonesia