West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, is part of the island of Papua New Guinea and is also the easternmost part of Indonesia. The territory of Papua includes several small islands in the vicinity including the island of Biak. Much of the area is covered with dense forests that are the habitat of some endemic Indonesian animals such as paradise, tapir, and cassowary. There are rural tribes still living in the forest like the Dani tribe living in the Baliem valley, although most Papuan populations live around the coast.
According to the research, there are about 700 local languages in Papua and there are approximately 200 traditional languages still actively used including Dani, Yali, Ekari, and Biak although the most widely used to communicate by the people of Papua is Indonesian.
There are many distinctive Papuan cultures that are interesting to discuss. Besides the different traditions and languages between tribes living in mountainous areas and those living in the coastal areas, Papuans have traditional ceremonies, clothing, and traditional houses that are hereditary heritage from the ancestors for thousands of years that have been preserved to this day.