KBRN, Bintuni: Reported from indonesia.go.id, papeda is a traditional food made from sago. Its shape is similar to porridge, but its texture is thicker and stickier. This traditional food is widely found in Papua, Maluku, and several areas in Sulawesi.
Historically, papeda is widely known in indigenous communities in Papua such as the Sentani and Arso tribes in Jayapura and the tribes in Manokwari, West Papua. For the people of Papua and Maluku, papeda is not just food. In fact, papeda is respected and sacred because it is often served in traditional ceremonies, because sago mythology is considered a story of human incarnation.
In addition to death, papeda is also an important dish in the birth ceremony of the first child in Inanwatan, South Sorong, West Papua. In this ceremony, papeda is usually served with pork. Still from Inanwatan, papeda is often eaten by women as a pain reliever when making tattoos.
Not only in Papua, papeda is also an important food in the life cycle of the Nuaulu tribe on the island of Seram, Maluku. Papeda, which is called sonar monne, is a dish in a ritual to celebrate a girl’s puberty. However, the Nuaulu and Huaulu tribes prohibit women who are menstruating from cooking papeda because it is considered taboo.