Jayapura City Identifies Four Suspected Cultural Heritage Sites in Port Numbay

The Jayapura City government is actively working to identify and designate cultural heritage sites within the Port Numbay region, aiming to unlock new avenues for cultural tourism. This effort is seen as a strategic move to enhance the city's appeal to visitors and stimulate local revenue.

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Four objects are the underwater area, the old building of Cenderawasih University, Pulang Metu Debi, and the Quonset hut or round house building, a relic of World War II in the Regional Equipment Area (Paldam) area.

Four primary locations have been pinpointed for initial assessment: a submerged area, the historic Universitas Cenderawasih building, Pulang Metu Debi, and a World War II-era Quonset hut, also known as a "round house," located in the Paldam area. These sites are considered crucial for developing a cultural tourism roadmap.

Local officials emphasize the importance of engaging indigenous communities in this process, given that the identified sites are on ancestral lands. Their input is deemed essential for both the identification and future management of these cultural assets, ensuring their preservation and proper utilization.

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The involvement of the indigenous people of Port Numbay is the most important part of the process of identifying and managing cultural heritage, both in maintaining and managing it.

The criteria for designating an object as cultural heritage include being at least 50 years old, in good structural condition, and possessing significant historical, educational, or scientific value. This systematic approach ensures that only sites of genuine importance are recognized and promoted as key tourist destinations.

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Then the object must meet criteria including being more than 50 years old and still having durability or good building condition and having important value for education, history, culture, and science.