The Highland Papua Province made history, entering the Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) on Thursday (March 20). The record was achieved through a massive wisisi dance performance, which involved 1,140 students from various schools in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency.
This grand event took place at the Wamena Education Field, attended by the Acting Governor of Highland Papua, Dr. Velix Vernando Wanggai. Also present were the Acting Chairperson of the PKK Highland Papua and Chairperson of the Indonesian Women’s Sports Association (Perwosi) Highland Papua, Mrs. Herwin M Wanggai, as well as the Marketing Director of MURI, Ignasius Awan Rahargo. Thousands of spectators crowded the event location to watch the performance.
This record is the result of collaboration between the Provincial Government of Highland Papua, Perwosi Highland Papua, and various other parties. The wisisi dance, which is part of the cultural tradition of Highland Papua, was performed with great enthusiasm and harmony by the students.
With energetic and harmonious movements, this performance successfully captivated the audience and achieved an impressive accomplishment on both the national and even international stages. Velix stated that this event is not only a means of cultural preservation but also a symbol of pride and unity for the people of Highland Papua.
“The wisisi dance is an inseparable part of the Papuan community’s culture.” “With modifications of local and modern movements, this dance has become part of the development of the society in Highland Papua,” he stated in a statement to Kompas.com on Thursday night.
Velix also expressed gratitude to the four schools that participated, namely SD Inpres Kulotarek, SD Negeri Wamena, SMP 2 Wamena, and SD YPPK Santo Yusuf. In addition to being a cultural event, the wisisi dance is also part of the series of events leading up to the PSSI National League 4, which will be held in Highland Papua from March 22-31, 2025.
“Through this achievement, we show that Highland Papua excels not only in sports but also in culture that must be preserved,” he said.
The Marketing Director of MURI, Ignasius Awan Rahargo, appreciated the achievement.
“Today we recorded a superlative event where the wisisi dance involved the most participants, namely 1,140 students.” “This dance has become a world record because it is a traditional dance from Highland Papua that does not exist in any other country,” he said.
Ignasius explained that the recording was done manually, resulting in 1,000 more participants than the initial target.
This record reflects the timeless spirit of cultural preservation, while also becoming a source of pride for the people of Highland Papua in the eyes of the world. “With the spirit of collaboration and hard work, the Wisisi Dance not only becomes a cultural symbol but also a significant step in introducing the uniqueness of Highland Papua to the world,” he stated.
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