Hot stone feast highlights Papua Independence Day celebrations<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post\/Jayapura<\/p>\n
Arso community in Keerom regency here cooked a meal using hot
\nstones on Thursday, which they shared together in celebration of
\nIndependence Day on August 17.<\/p>\n
The community prayed to God at the event for safety and
\nprosperity.<\/p>\n
\"The communal meal also creates an opportunity for us to come
\ntogether. We rarely meet one another, in this way we can share
\nlight moments and trade stories about our families,\" said Rev.
\nEdi Togoti, who is from Wamena regency.<\/p>\n
The function was attended by some 60 people originally from
\neight regencies Papua-wide outside Keerom, including Wamena,
\nJayawijaya, Mimika, Puncak Jaya. They had been living for years
\nin Arso area, Keerom regency, some 60 kilometers east of
\nJayapura, the capital of Papua.<\/p>\n
\"The event is also aimed at strengthening ties among people
\nfrom the eight regencies, who hail from different religious and
\ncultural backgrounds,\" said Edi.<\/p>\n
The 60 people, who are all leading figures from the eight
\nregencies located in the central mountainous area of Papua, are
\nbut a few among thousands of people from the eight regencies who
\nhave for years been living in Keerom regency. The people held
\nsimilar events in their respective hometowns before they departed
\nfor Arso, Keerom and Thursday's communal meal brought back
\nmemories for them.<\/p>\n
\"When I lived in Wamena, various foods were served at these
\n'hot stone' events, which were one of the main attractions for
\nthose in attendance,\" said Edi.<\/p>\n
Various kinds of food were served during the function on
\nThursday. As witnessed by The Jakarta Post, the participants
\nheated the stones before placing them in a 30-centimeter-deep
\nhole and covering them with banana leaves and grass.<\/p>\n
The food -- including pork, bananas, cassava, corn and
\nvegetables -- was covered with more banana leafs and on top of
\nthe banana leafs, other foods were placed and so forth.<\/p>\n
\"The food is cooked with steam from the hot stones. We call
\nthe event burning the stones,\" said a participant, Rutin Murib.<\/p>\n
In order to check whether the food is well-cooked, the steam
\nfrom the stones is carefully observed. If the smoke and steam is
\ndecreasing in volume, this means the food is ready to be
\nconsumed. \"It usually takes one or two hours,\" said Murib.<\/p>\n
After the food is ready, the men pulled out the stones with a
\nwooden staff, the tip of which had been cut in half to pinch the
\nstones. The women then served the food, including cutting into
\npieces the meat.<\/p>\n
\"The food is not served with sauces, however it tastes good.
\nPeople often call it dry food as it is not cooked with water or
\nfire,\" said Murib.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hot-stone-feast-highlights-papua-independence-day-celebrations-1447893297",
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