Ethnotechnology Noken-Papua as carrying capacity for enhancing local economic development

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to determine the extent to which the strategy of Noken-Papuan products, known as intangible culture recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), can increase local economic empowerment. The main strategy is to strengthen the regulation of the use of Noken in every activity of daily life while promoting it, this has not been explained much from previous research.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the method of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats– analytic hierarchy process (SWOT-AHP) with analysing several pairs of instruments’ predetermined group and finally decision-making strategy recommendations. Data distribution to five districts of Jayapura using simple random sampling based on consideration type product and industrial areas with a number of elements in each sub-population are different.FindingsThe development of local products with cultural values is one of the important points included in the regional development strategy model.Social implicationsThe traditional handmade products that have a high cultural philosophical value can be beneficial to the local community empowerment.Originality/valueEthnotechnology can be well-developed and implemented if policy actors identify the values of external and internal factors to be formulated in enhancing local economic development. This work is a simple attempt to collect research findings separately on Noken product development as a conceptual basis for comparative analysis.