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Biak festival closes with 'snap mor' thanksgiving feast
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A white sandy beach on the island of Biak in Cenderawasih Bay, off the northern coast of Papua, offers an enticing destination for tourists. The four-day Biak Munara Wampasi (BMW) 2017 festival in Biak, Papua, closed on Tuesday with a spearfishing and thanksgiving feast. (Shutterstock/File)
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he four-day Biak Munara Wampasi (BMW) 2017 festival in Biak, Papua, closed with the snap mor traditional spearfishing feast at low tide on Tuesday.
Everyone was invited to take part in the spearfishing, which is part of a traditional thanksgiving feast, with thousands of local people arriving as early as 5:30 a.m. with their fishing equipment, such as the handmade jubi spear, at Karnindi Beach, West Biak.
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Earlier, local fishermen had cast their nets into the sea ahead of the event to mark the snap mor fishing area.
Snap mor is typically held during the seasonal low tides between July and August. The tradition, in which the fishing is followed by sharing their catch in a communal thanksgiving feast, highlights the local people's ability as seafarers in determining the best time and are to catch fish.
Before closing with the snap mor, the BMW 2017 also featured other Papuan traditions, such as an attraction displaying 1,000 tifa (traditional Papuan musical instruments), a parade featuring the wor and pancar Biak traditional dances and the apen byaren (walking on hot stones) ritual ceremony. (kes)
