Tapurarang Archaeological Site

Tapurarang Archaeological Site is an archaeological site found in Kokas, Fakfak, West Papua. In this place, various red handprints were found painted on rock walls in cliffs and caves located on the seafront. This archaeological tourism is known as the ancient site of Kokas or by the local community it is commonly referred to as Tapurarang.

Tapurarang Archaeological Site, Fakfak was found on a cliff by the sea. The site is in painting objects of palms, eyes, soles of the feet, dolphins, lizards, plants, leaves, human faces, and boomerangs. The paintings look ordinary, but they adequately describe humans and their daily lives. The painting techniques are also unique. The objects made like sprayed. The ink is red and yellow. Paint spots are on the edges of each object. The painting material is confirmed to come from natural dyes. Despite this, the color has been preserved today. Because the red color in the handprints on the cliffs resembles the color of human blood, local people also often refer to Tapurarang as blood handprints. The handprints found in Kokas are similar to some wall paintings such as in Sangkulirang (East Kutai, East Kalimantan) or in Leangleang Cave (Maros, South Sulawesi). In Kokas District, Tapurarang, which is a wealth of prehistoric heritage, can be found in several places including Andamata, Fior, Forir, Darembang, and Goras.

At the location of this cliff painting you can also see human bone skeletons. This framework is believed to be the framework of the ancestors of Kokas community. In ancient times the people here had habit of placing the bodies of their dead ancestors on cliffs, inlets, headlands, large trees and caves in places they considered sacred. During the Dutch era, they suggested that the skulls and bones on the cliffs be properly buried. However, the surrounding community refused because they obeyed the message from their predecessors: prohibiting touching and changing the structure of the bones.

Here too, you can find hundreds of bird species such as herons, cockatoos, parrots, birds of paradise, all live in the wild and are not afraid to fly over your head.

How to get there:
To reach this area, you have to travel by land and water. Because access to this place is quite difficult. The first is that you have to take a road trip from Fak Fak city to Ubadari pier. The journey takes about 2 hours. When you arrive at Ubadari pier, you can take a boat or longboat. This water journey will last for two hours. If the water is high, you can go up to the cliff and watch this painting up close. However, at low tide, the beauty of this cliff painting can only be enjoyed from the longboat. After arriving here you have to spend to pay the guide, while the entrance fee to this tourist spot is free at all.