KORK (Komunitas Rasta Kribo), a reggae community in Papua held the 7th Papua Reggae Festival on October 19th in Holtecamp, Jayapura. This annual festival since 2010 was joined by 28 bands from various places in the two provinces (Papua & Papua Barat).
At its first years of formation, the festival got a lot of rejection due to the claim that reggae is not part of Papuan identity and culture. Luckily in the progress it began to gain more and more recognition and appreciation from the local government. The support can be seen as a legitimation toward reggae as part of Papuan contemporary cultural formation and expression that need to be accommodated. Besides being a medium to accommodate the potential of local musicians, the festival also can bring economic benefits to medium and small businesses around the location.
The festival started from 2 PM – 11 PM by performing a blended formation between new regenerations and the veterans in Papua music scene. Following are those powerful line up: Derako Band, Pikon Vibration, Woney Roots, LLB Band, Dave Solution, Ulagai Band, Tropiko Rasta, Melanesian Beets, OK Band feat Pace Santana, Anak Danau, Black United, Kindo Band, KND Band, de’Sagoo, Buselek Band, Tumbuna Tribes, Meyyom One, Mewodide Band, Dreadlock Rasta, Baliem Valley Roots, Barabib Band, Digoel Rasta, Rasmel Band, Sagoo Roots, Insos Ori feat Lebrusaji Rap, Bikon Roots dan LMB Band. Each band has to perform their own original music and song to stimulate spirit of creativity and professionality like what have been expected by the undertakers of the community Teddy Pekey, Erick Mandosir, and Ronny Imbiri.
Despite the fact that this 7th Reggae Festival was not as spectacular as in the previous one in 2018 due to the lack of budget it didn’t impede and lessen their enthusiasm. This live performance successfully became a magnet and dragged hundreds of spectators flooding to the arena. Hopefully in the future Papua Reggae Festival can be the most prestigious event not only in Papua but also in Indonesia and the world. Red, gold and green greetings from Papua.
(Yedi)