Noken is a multifunctional handmade knotted net or woven bag from wood fiber or leaves made by native communities in Papua.
This traditional craft is commonly practiced in the Papua and West Papua Provinces of Indonesia.
This bag is also known as bilum in Papua New Guinea and su among Dani tribe. Noken takes months to make and is usually made by women. Due to their belief, that men are not allowed to make this bag as noken is considered related to female fertility.
Papuan culture views noken as more than just a bag, but as an integral part of daily life. As noted by West Papuan cultural activist Titus Pekei, "noken is one aspect that binds all the people of West Papua together. There are 250 ethnic groups in Papua that use noken."
Pieter Ell and colleagues studied the concept of noken in terms of relationships, kinship, identity, protection, economy, life, aesthetics, as well as spontaneity, honesty, openness, and transparency. Noken is considered a symbol of a good life, peace, and fertility by researcher Cahyo Pamungkas of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
In addition to carrying plantation produce, catch from the sea or lake, firewood, babies, and small animals, both men and women also use it to store things in the home and for shopping. Wearing noken at traditional celebrations or making peace offerings is also a common practice.
Noken is made in a variety of ways. In general, small branches, stems, or bark of certain small trees or shrubs are cut and heated over a fire until the fibers are soft enough to soak in water. The remaining fiber is then dried, which is then spun into a strong thread or string, sometimes colored using natural dyes. These strings are knotted, forming net bags with various patterns and sizes.
In order to make Noken, one needs great manual skill, care, and artistic sense, and it takes several months to master. However, the number of people making and using Noken is decreasing.
Some of the factors that threaten its survival include: inadequate awareness, weakening of traditional transmission, diminished numbers of artisans, competition from factory-made bags, obtaining raw materials is difficult and time-consuming, and cultural values in Noken have changed.
As a way to preserve this cultural identity, Papua province will promote its traditional bag, the noken, as an alternative to plastic bags in light of a government policy requiring stores to charge customers for plastic bags. Hopefully, replacing plastics with nokens will boost the noken industry in Papua.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/USL/noken-multifunctional-knotted-or-woven-bag-handcraft-of-the-people-of-papua-00619) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noken) (https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistem_noken) (https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/03/11/papua-promotes-noken-plastic-bag-replacement.html)