The jee, or longhouse, of the Asmat people, renowned for their woodcarving and former headhunting traditions, stands at the heart of Asmat cultural life. The longhouse functions as a vital ritual centre, symbolising the cosmic axis that links the earthly world with the upperworld where ancestors dwell beyond time. Since the 1950s, the longhouse tradition has been disrupted by Catholic missionisation, Dutch colonial governance, and successive Indonesian state policies. However, beginning in the 1970s, cultural initiatives supported by the Catholic Church encouraged the revitalisation of Asmat cultural expressions, leading many communities to rebuild their longhouses. Today, this resurgence reflects broader aspirations for cultural autonomy in the face of ongoing Indonesianisation. Yet, the long interruption of practice and the effects of generational change have produced significant gaps in knowledge, particularly concerning ritual sequences, songs, and construction techniques. This project, led by prominent cultural leader David Jimanipits in collaboration with the regional Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress, and grounded in a strong gender perspective led by Rosa Dahlia, seeks to document the construction and ritual life of the jee through film, photography, exhibition, and scholarly publication. The resulting archive will support Asmat communities in safeguarding rituals, reviving endangered practices, and ensuring that the longhouse continues to endure as a symbol of resilience and cultural sovereignty.
PI: Jaap Timmer
Collaborators: David Jimanipits, John Ohoiwirin, and Rosa Dahlia
Location of Research: Asmat region, West Papua, Indonesia
Host Institution: Macquarie University
Top banner image: Inauguration of the new longhouse in Yeni, view from the river, 14 August 2014. Photo credit: Jaap Timmer.