Papua is Indonesia’s easternmost province spanning an area of approximately 123,181 square miles with Jayapura as the capital city.  It comprises the western half of New Guinea and several other islands. The Sudirman and Jayawijaya mountain range, an extension of the cordillera composing the central highlands of Papua New Guinea, span about 400 miles (640 km) east-west across the central part of Papua and rise to an elevation of 16,024 feet (4,884 metres) at Jaya Peak. The peaks are heavily forested, except for the highest ones, which consist of glaciated rock. To the north is the east-west valley of the Tariku and Taritatu rivers, branches of the northwestward-flowing Mamberamo River. Extending south of the Sudirman and Jayawijaya mountain range is an extensive swampy area drained primarily by the Digul, Pulau, Brazza, Baliem, Lorentz, Momats, Cemara, and Mapi rivers.

Papua is an amazing place of cultural and biological diversity, its rainforests and mountains are inhabited by indigenous Melanesian people and diverse wildlife including tree kangaroos and birds of paradise. Whale sharks swim amid the hard coral gardens of Cenderawasih Bay National Park, a dive site off the north coast.

Papuan is an umbrella term for the various indigenous peoples of New Guinea and neighbouring islands, speakers of the Papuan languages. They are often distinguished ethnically and linguistically from Austronesians, speakers of a language family introduced into New Guinea about three thousand years ago. The Papuans have 700 local languages/dialects with distinct culture and materials arts.

The culture in Papua emerges as a response to its natural environment and therefore, it is very much influenced by its dynamics. The Papuans appreciate the magnitude of its beauty and use it as the source of their inspirations when creating their unique arts and crafts. Their distinctive arts and crafts take the forms of carvings, masks, costumes and adornments used in religious ceremonies, or more functional objects such as housewares, canoes, basket or weapons, such as bows and arrows.