After the Dutch supervised election of a regional parliament, the Nieuw Guinea Raad, a group was formed on 19 October 1961 to elect a national committee. The committee drafted a Manifesto for Independence & Self-government, a national flag (the Morning Star Flag), state seal, selected "Hai Tanahku Papua" as a national anthem, and called for the people to be known as Papuans. The New Guinea Council voted unanimously in favour of these proposals on 30 October 1961, and on 31 October 1961 presented the Morning Star flag and Manifesto to Governor Platteel. The Dutch recognized the flag and anthem on 18 November 1961 (Government Gazettes of Dutch New Guinea No. 68 & 69), and these ordinances came into effect on 1 December 1961. The anthem went out of public use after the military occupation of West Papua by the Indonesian Armed Forces in 1963.[1][2]
Current status
The anthem is currently a prominent symbol of independence activists, including Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Movement), and use of the anthem within the province is prohibited. The song has also been proposed as a symbol of the province of Papua.[2]
Lyrics
Lyrics to "Hai Tanahku Papua" in several languages
Old Indonesian Spelling
New Indonesian Spelling
Dutch translation
English translation
Hai tanahku Papoea,
Kau tanah lahirku,
Ku kasih akan dikau
sehingga adjalku.
Kukasih pasir putih
Di pantaimu senang
Di mana lautan biru
Berkilat dalam trang.
Kukasih gunung-gunung
Besar mulialah
Dan awan jang melajang
Keliling puntjaknja.
Kukasih dikau tanah
Jang dengan buahmu
Membajar keradjinan
Dan pekerdjaanku.
Kukasih bunji ombak
Jang pukul pantaimu
Njanjian jang selalu
Senangkan hatiku.
Kukasih hutan-hutan
Selimut tanahku
Kusuka mengembara
Di bawah naungmu.