REVEALING THE LEADERSHIP CHARACTERS OF WOMEN OF ARFAK TRIBE, WEST PAPUA, THROUGH ORAL LITERATURE

Abstract

Papua holds tight patrilineal or lineage on the part of men as a strong holder of leadership, and has the right to inheritance, while women have rights to use the inheritance. Regarding leadership rights, the oral literature of the Arfak Mountains of West Papua (PEGAF), reveals a unique fact about the role of women as strong and wise leaders. This study uses an ethnographic approach with the aim of (1) describing the female character of Arfak transmitted through oral literature, (2) describing the leadership role of Arfak women transmitted through oral literature and its relevance to daily life, and (3) describing social values culture transmitted through oral literature as the identity of the Hattam tribe, Meyah tribe, Sough tribe, and Mulei tribe in Arfak mountains (Pegaf). The findings of this study provide the fact, that since the presence of the ancestors of Arfak on the land of Cenderawasih, there have been women who acted as leaders of society in the traditions and culture of Arfak.