The Stone Burning Tradition in Papua, Indonesia, the Only One in the World

INDONESIA, RBTVDISWAY.ID - Have you ever heard of the Stone Burning Tradition? This ritual originates from Papua and is generally held during important events, such as births, deaths, weddings, and even thanksgiving for the harvest.

This unique tradition is practiced by the Dani tribe of the Baliem Valley, Papua.

The name "Bakar Batu" comes from the Papuan people who cook using stones that are first burned.

After burning, the stones are placed in a small hole. Then, food ingredients such as meat, tubers, and vegetables are arranged directly on top and left to cook.

History of the Stone Burning Tradition

Besides being unique, the Stone Burning Tradition has actually been around for hundreds of years. According to the book "70 Unique Traditions of Ethnic Groups in Indonesia" by Fitri Haryani Nasution, the history of this ritual began when a married couple was confused about how to process their garden produce because they didn't have a pot to cook with.

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Finally, they came up with the idea of cooking using stones. Afterward, it turned out the cooking on the stone was more delicious, so they decided to cook meat, tubers, and various other dishes on the stone.

The names for the Stone Burning Tradition also vary. In Wamen, this ritual is known as kit oba isago, while in Paniai, it's called mogo apil.

Stages of the Stone Burning Tradition

The Stone Burning Tradition involves three stages: preparation, roasting the pig, and eating together. These are explained below.

1. Preparation Stage

In this stage, Papuans gather firewood and stones for cooking. At the bottom, large stones are arranged and covered with firewood.

The pile is burned until the stones are completely heated. Afterward, the community prepares a pit, the size of which depends on the amount of food being cooked.

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