Torang Bisa! The Spirit that Helps Break the National Records at Papua’s Peparnas
Annalia Bahar — December 2021
“Torang Bisa” could be heard and felt fervorous and loud through the last PON XX Papua 2021. The PON slogan has indeed sent a great message and shone a bright spirit throughout the sporting event.
Quoted from indonesia.go.id, “Torang Bisa” is a characteristic word of Papua people usually spoken to encourage someone. Torang is an abbreviation from “Kita Orang” and “Bisa” is an incision by the red color that symbolizes power, bravery, energy until an achievement.
“Torang bisa” isn’t only a slogan but is a principle and also a value for the Papuan people. This is reflected by one of the Papuan athletes whose success or achievement broke the record of Rekornas Papernas or Pekan Paralimpik Nasional (Peparnas) XVI in Papua last November on the sport field of high jump.
The charms of “Torang Bisa” played an important role on the success of a para-athlete named Dapiel Bayage. Dapiel who is friendly and always smiles, successfully gave an achievement in Peparnas as a representative for the host contingent, Papua. Dapiel frequently smiled when his name was called to receive a gold medal at Lukas Enembe stadion.
Dapiel is a para-athlete who won the high jump on T42 in Papua’s Peparnas. Dapiel was born with a left leg shorter than the right leg in medical terms, called focal femoral dislocation (PFFD).
As a disabled athlete, his achievement indeed can’t be underestimated. He has plenty of medals from many sporting events. His limitations never reduce his spirit of life.
He was born in Kampung Silakma, Gigma District, Yahukimo regency, Papua, on January 14, 1993. Dapiel represented Indonesia in ASEAN Para Games 2017 in Malaysia and brought home one gold medal.
The great news is that Dapiel, after Peparnas Papua, Dapiel has been called to train in the national training center or Pelatnas to prepare for ASEAN Para Games 2022 in Vietnam.
Dapiel spirit can be shown in this quote “Don’t count what you’ve lost but use what’s left of you to achieve.” Indeed, Torang Bisa is beyond just a slogan. It is the spirit of Indonesian people, especially those of Papuan ethnicity, to strive and succeed.
*This piece fully represents the writer’s idea. It does not express any ideas or stances of specific institutions or organizations she works at or is affiliated with.
