The Papuan Government is planning to build a cultural laboratory this year as a means to preserve its diverse culture, Antara state news agency reported.

Masmur Asso from the Papuan Culture and Tourism Agency said the province, which lies in the farthest east of Indonesia, is slowly losing the many different cultures it has due to infiltrations of foreign cultures.

“If no measures are taken to find the solution to the problem, the future generations will not be able to get to know Papuan culture,” he said.

One way to preserve Papuan culture, Masmur said, was to build a cultural laboratory, which will provide and keep all the data and information on the many cultures of Papua.

“[The laboratory] will serve as a center for research as well as a recreation spot for anyone wanting to know more of Papuan culture,” he added.

Masmur said it was important for future generation to know vastly varying languages and folklores in the Papuan culture.

“If the young generations are contaminated by foreign cultures, it is not impossible that someday the local languages and the folklores are forgotten and extinct,” he said.

Masmur hopes with the laboratory, the young Papuans will have more appreciation of their culture.

“Foreigners have been coming here to research our culture; it’s high time for the Papuans themselves to have more respect on their own culture,” he said.