(SIC)The name Irian Jaya is today used instead of Dutch New Guinea. The name was given to this part of the Island after the Netherlands left New Guinea and it became a part of Indonesia.
The origin of the name IRIAN is not as clear as the name New Guinea.
Two known possibilities are:
1. The most likely one. After the 2nd world war in 1946, there was a conference in Malino. At this conference a lot of things were discussed about Indonesia. One of the topics was the name Dutch New Guinea. Although Dutch New Guinea did not join Indonesia before 1962/63, it was already a subject at this conference.
It was clear that if Dutch New Guinea were to join Indonesia (like the Indonesian Government wanted) the name of the island should be changed. It was clear because some people thought that Papua was an insulting name (see further on) and thus they wanted a different name.
A Papua representative from the Bestuursschool in Kota Nica near Hollandia (Jayapura) was sent to the conference in Malino. He mentioned an old name used in the text of a Manseren song. Manseren Manggoendi is the hero out of a myth from the Noemfoors-Biak area. He succeeded in convincing the members at the conference and it was decided that the new name would be Irian Jaya. Jaya in the indonesian language means Great.
A translation of Irian is not given in the Manseren song. But in the Biak area Irian is used for 'risen land' like 'Land that rises from the sea when you sail towards it'. A more commonly known expression for this is 'soep i biak'. It is suggested that the heroes Fakoki and Pasrefi came up with this name.
'Iria' (without 'n') in the local Biak language means thus, so and 'he or that is it'. eg: 'Iria kwar' which means 'So it is'.
In the area nearby Cendrawasih Bay (Sarera B or in the past Geelvinkbaai) and among the Yapen, Irian means 'Land without loosing blood'. More to the east it means 'Our property'. But towards the west of Irian Jaya Irian means 'Slave'. There they are not that happy with the name Irian. Thus the decision to change the name of Dutch New Guinea into Irian Jaya was made. Thus originally the name Irian Jaya was supported by the people in the Biak.
Now-a-days the word Papua has a better name. That is why Irian Jaya is sometimes referred as West-Papua.
2. An often heard version is that Irian is an the abbreviation of IRIAN. Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti Nederland and others come up with the following version, Indonesia Republik Itu Anti Nederland. Although it sounds good and works in favour of the sepratist movement it is patently false. People made this up after the name Irian Jaya was already known.