Agats, Indonesia

History

Though Agats had been populated by the Asmat people for some time, as a largely waterfront settlement, the first non-native settlement originated in the late 1930s when a Catholic mission was established in the area, and later in 1938 the Dutch East Indies government established an outpost there. Due to the Second World War, however, the Dutch abandoned the Agats post in 1942 due to the Japanese presence.

In 1953, the Catholic mission was made permanent and the following year the Dutch government of Netherlands New Guinea established a permanent post in Agats, banning headhunting practices. During this period, Asmat woodcarving became popular, with collectors, museum representatives, ethnographers and scientists visiting the area. One such visitor, Michael Rockefeller, disappeared after departing Agats for Southern Asmat in 1961, and was presumed dead.

On 29 May 1969, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Agats was established, with American Alphonse Sowada becoming its first bishop. The Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress (Museum Kebudayaan dan Kemajuan Asmat) was opened in Agats in 1973. The Asmat Cultural Festival, held annually in the town, began in 1981.

From the History section of Agats on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.