- Section contents: Peoples of the Earth
- Read: Kuru-kuru or laughing death - a disease of cannibals
Papuans of New Guinea
The main tools used by Papuans for many centuries are an axe, dongan and a knife. The ax is usually made from agate, flint or tridacna shell. Dongan is a sharp sharpened bone that is constantly worn on the hand, tucked into a bracelet. Dongan is used for cutting and slicing fruits and other purposes. For the same purposes, as well as for cutting meat, Papuans use knives made from bamboo. A bamboo knife cuts much better than a dongan, and it is also stronger.
Weapons used by the Papuans for different purposes quite varied. So hagda is a two-meter throwing spear made of hard, heavy wood. Another, lighter servaru spear is made with a bamboo tip, and is decorated with feathers and fur. When it hits a victim, the tip breaks off and remains in the wound. Another throwing spear is yur, it has not one, but several sharp tips at the end.
Aral bows made by Papuans can be up to 2 m long. The Aral-ge arrow used with a bow is 1 m long and ends with a wooden tip. More dangerous is the palom arrow, with a wide bamboo tip. Saran arrows are used specifically when hunting fish. The Papuans also have various clubs and shields.
Previously, Papuans' clothing consisted of a belt, for men it was red, and for women it was red and black striped. Bracelets were worn on the arm (sagyu) and on the legs (samba-sagyu). In addition, the body was decorated with objects threaded through holes, keke (in the nose) and bul (in the mouth). The things used were bags, yambi and gun - small ones, for tobacco and small items, they were worn around the neck, and a large bag on the shoulder. Women had their own women's bags (nangeli-ge). Belts and bags are made from bast or fibers different trees, whose names are not in Russian (tauvi, mal-sel, yavan-sel). Ropes are made from the fibers of the nug-sel tree, and anchor ropes are made from the bu-sel tree. Gutur tree resin is used as glue.
The Papuans' food is primarily plant-based, but they also eat pork, dog meat, chicken, rats, lizards, beetles, shellfish, and fish. All fruits, as a rule, are baked or boiled, including bananas. Breadfruit is not held in high esteem, but is eaten.
Overall, the set plant products quite diverse: munki - coconuts, moga - bananas, dep - sugar cane, mogar - beans, kangar - nuts, baum - sago, kew - a drink like kava, and also use fruits such as ayan, bau, degarol, aus, which do not have Russian names.
The Papuans have widespread folklore, songs, dances, and there are myths and legends passed on from generation to generation. Almost all Papuan holidays are called ai, where only men are allowed. The biggest holiday among the Papuans is Sing Sing. The songs (singing is called mun) and dances of the Papuans are very simple, and the melody is different songs varies very little. Musical instruments are made by Papuans from various available materials.
The musical instrument ai-cabral is a hollow bamboo trunk, approximately 2 meters long, into which one blows, shouts, and howls. Munky-eye is made from coconut shells: two holes are made in the nut, one is blown into, and the other is plugged. The hal-ai pipe is also made from the root and is used similarly to the munkey-ai. Orlan-ai is a handle with laces with empty nut shells hanging on them, which make characteristic sounds when shaken. The Papuans also have an okam drum.
The Papuans have well-developed wood carving; they make very complex ornaments with which they decorate weapons and other objects.
The traditional beliefs of the Papuans are close to those of Australia and Melanesia. The Marind Anim have a cult similar to the Australian one, this is totemism. Dema is a totemic ancestor. Myths mainly tell about the exploits of half-animals, half-humans. They have a secret Mayo cult associated with initiations. Other Papuans already have different cults, mainly the belief in various magic, harmful, healing, economic. The term "onim" means witchcraft and poison, and any medicinal drug. It is considered the cause of all illness, misfortune and death. and they are afraid of him. Often the neighboring tribe is considered to be the culprit of troubles.
The cult of ancestors and skulls is important. Papuans make korvars - images of ancestors (stylized human figures); in the area of Astrolabe Bay, where Miklouho-Maclay visited, they are called telums.
Welcome to one of the most untouched corners of the earth. Papua - New Guinea. It is a state of impenetrable tropical forests, home to 38 species of birds of paradise. There are no cars or bicycles here, not even working horses or mules. There are no restaurants, bars, shops, electricity or roads. In these places, a newborn girl may be called Spade, and a boy - Axe.
There are about 2,000 tribes living in these places, including these weirdos - the Mud People of the Wagha Valley.
To find this unusual tribe, we will go to the center of the island of New Guinea at an altitude of 1677 meters, where the large fertile Wahgi Valley is located. Here, by the way, is the fifth largest city of Papua New Guinea with a population of 46,250 people - Mount Hagen. It is also the so-called “border of civilization”, because further on are the territories of mountain tribes.
The members of our Mud People tribe from the Wagha Valley look very colorful. Their bodies are painted and smeared with clay, and there are frightening masks on their heads. The enemies will definitely think 10 times before advancing further. 
Look how terrifying they are! 
Handsome men. 
There is a language problem in Papua New Guinea - more than 800 languages are spoken here. various languages, and very often members of one tribe do not understand what neighbors who are just a few kilometers away are saying. 
The state of Papua New Guinea is located in the western part Pacific Ocean, north of Australia and near the equator. 
The island of New Guinea and most of the country's other islands have mountainous terrain where they live hill tribes. The altitude of a significant part of the territory is more than 1000 m above sea level, and some peaks of New Guinea reach 4500 m, that is, the belt of eternal snow. Many of the mountain ranges are chains of volcanoes. There are 18 active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. Most of of which is located in the north of the country. Volcanic activity is also associated with strong, sometimes catastrophic earthquakes. 
Plant life here is expectedly rich - more than 20 thousand plant species grow here. Dense tropical rainforests, formed by hundreds of species of trees, rise up the slopes of the mountains. 
As the world's largest and largest tropical island, New Guinea occupies less than 0.5% of its land surface but supports a high percentage of global biodiversity. Approximately 4,642 vertebrate species inhabit the island of New Guinea and its surrounding waters, representing about 8% recognized species world vertebrates. 
The country's fauna is represented by reptiles, insects and especially numerous birds. There are many snakes in the forests and on the coast, including poisonous ones. U sea shores and in large rivers there are crocodiles and turtles. 
And the mud people of Papua New Guinea say it's time for us to go home. 
Every nation has its own cultural characteristics, historically established customs and national traditions, some or even many of which cannot be understood by representatives of other nations.
We present to your attention shocking facts about the customs and traditions of the Papuans, which, to put it mildly, not everyone will understand.
Papuans mummify their leaders
Papuans have their own way of showing respect for deceased leaders. They do not bury them, but store them in huts. Some of the creepy, distorted mummies are up to 200-300 years old.
In some Papuan tribes, the custom of dismembering the human body has been preserved.
The Khuli, the largest Papuan tribe in the east of New Guinea, had a bad reputation. In the past, they were known as bounty hunters and human meat eaters. Now it is believed that nothing like this is happening anymore. However, anecdotal evidence indicates that the dismemberment of a person occurs from time to time during magical rituals.
Many men in New Guinea tribes wear kotekas
Papuans living in the highlands of New Guinea wear koteki - cases worn on their manhood. Kotek is made from local varieties of calabash gourd. They replace panties for Papuans.
When women lost relatives, they cut off their fingers
The female part of the Papuan Dani tribe often walked without phalanges of fingers. They cut them off for themselves when they lost close relatives. Today you can still see fingerless old women in villages.
Papuans breastfeed not only children, but also animal cubs
The obligatory bride price is measured in pigs. At the same time, the bride's family is obliged to take care of these animals. Women even feed piglets with their breasts. However, other animals also feed on their breast milk.
Almost all the hard work in the tribe is done by women
IN Papuan tribes Women do all the main work. Very often you can see a picture when Papuans, being on recent months pregnant women, chop wood, and their husbands rest in huts.
Some Papuans live in tree houses
Another Papuan tribe, the Korowai, surprises with their place of residence. They build their houses right on the trees. Sometimes, to get to such a dwelling, you need to climb to a height of 15 to 50 meters. The Korowai's favorite delicacy is insect larvae.
Papua New Guinea is a country that evokes a lot of emotions, although not always pleasant ones. This destination is not particularly popular among ordinary tourists.
The territory of the state is small, the population has barely exceeded 5 million people. Locality, proudly called a city, consists of barracks and bungalows, among which five-story banks, hotels or other institutions stand lonely. Papuans live in small settlements. Houses, if you can call them that, serve only as protection from rain and scorching sun.
If the village suddenly grows, some of the inhabitants spontaneously separate. So you can’t even count more than a thousand people in the villages.
By the way, pay attention to the penis attachments. The longer the nozzle, the higher the status of its owner. The longest nozzle is, of course, owned by the tribal leader
In 2012, Papua New Guinea topped the list of the most dangerous countries for tourists. Before a tourist has time to set foot on this blessed land, the eyes of local thieves and scammers immediately turn to him. Therefore, you cannot carry a decent amount of money with you; someone’s nimble hands can quickly get rid of it.
Contacting the local police is not an easy task. With a high degree of probability, you can run into “werewolves” in uniform. If government officials start demanding payment from you for violating some law in Papua New Guinea, ask them to take you to the police station to draw up a report. This usually turns out to be more than enough for the law enforcement officer to retreat in search of more trusting prey.
The town of Mount Hagen and its surrounding area is a hot place. His reputation has left the country's capital, Port Moresby, far behind. Locals They will never smile or greet a tourist. Most of them follow a cargo cult, in which all items that can be possessed are sent by their ancestors, and evil white men take them away. So the stern Papuans pray that some of this goodness will fall to them. Some will make a car out of palm branches, and some will make an automatic machine.
Local residents do not abuse smoking, preferring to chew betel nut. Guides do not recommend tourists to try it. Although it is not officially considered a drug, it can deprive you of the ability to move normally for several hours and leads to loss of coordination. In addition, if you swallow this gum, you can cause serious harm to your stomach. To chew betel nut in public places a ban has been introduced. This is done due to the fact that when it reacts with saliva, it turns red, and traces of this paste cannot be washed off from clothes, tiles, or any other surface. In hotels and public places you can even see a sign with a betel nut crossed out.
The climate in the city is most suitable for white tourists - the temperature does not rise above 25C. But despite this, few people dare to visit these places. Every hotel, even the smallest one, and even more so a bank, is surrounded by a high fence with barbed wire - not every prison in Russia can boast of such security.
It is not recommended to even leave the hotel building and walk through the protected area at night - with a high degree of probability, some popuas can climb a palm tree and shoot, mistaking a tourist for game.
You won’t be able to walk around the city on foot during the day either - this is strictly prohibited by the local police. If you happen to drive past, it will only be in a car with the windows closed and under reliable security.
There are no road connections between cities and villages. There are no usual paved roads; at best, you can drive along a forest path. Due to heavy rains, it is impossible to even move on them for several days.
This is what the Wewak – Vanimo route looks like
Airplanes directly to Papua New Guinea don't fly. You can only get there with a transfer in Bali or Australia. You have to travel either by car or by water. And anyone who would like to see the beauty of a tropical paradise from a bird's eye view is unlikely to agree to pay $2,000 for a plane ticket - such prices for domestic flights were set by the only local air carrier, Air Niugini.
The local population, naturally, cannot afford anything like this, so people get to their destinations mainly on homemade boats - there is no centralized communication between the islands.
Cannibalism on the islands is gradually fading into oblivion. Previously, during intertribal wars, the victors ate the defeated tribe and kept their skulls as a souvenir.
However, in some settlements, a person suspected of witchcraft can still be eaten or burned alive. So in 2012, 29 people were arrested. They are charged with the premeditated murder of seven people and cannibalism. In February of this year, a woman died as a result of lynching - she was burned alive.
During excursions, guides show tourists with strong nerves mountains of skulls, preserved from the times when eating a neighbor was a matter of honor for the Papuans.
According to the tradition of the local population, the skulls of eaten neighbors were stored in the “men's” houses. Pay attention to the symbolic “hole” in the center of the skull
And how did Miklouho Maclay manage to live here for a whole year?!
The last cannibals are known to live in Papua New Guinea. People still live here according to the rules adopted 5 thousand years ago: men go naked, and women cut off their fingers. There are only three tribes that still engage in cannibalism, these are the Yali, Vanuatu and Karafai. Karafai (or tree people) are the most cruel tribe. They eat not only warriors of foreign tribes, lost locals or tourists, but also all their dead relatives. The name “tree people” came from their houses, which stand incredibly high (see the last 3 photos). The Vanuatu tribe is peaceful enough that the photographer is not eaten; several pigs are brought to the leader. Yali are formidable warriors (photos of Yali start with photo 9). The phalanges of the fingers of a woman of the Yali tribe are cut off with a hatchet as a sign of grief for the deceased or deceased relative.
Most main holiday Yali is the festival of death. Women and men paint their bodies in the form of a skeleton. On the holiday of death before, perhaps they still do it now, they killed a shaman and the leader of the tribe ate his warm brain. This was done in order to satisfy Death and absorb the knowledge of the shaman to the leader. Now Yali people are killed less often than usual, mainly if there was a crop failure or for some other “important” reasons.
Hungry cannibalism, which is preceded by murder, is regarded in psychiatry as a manifestation of the so-called hunger insanity.
Domestic cannibalism is also known, not dictated by the need for survival and not provoked by hunger insanity. IN judicial practice such cases are not classified as intentional murder with particular cruelty.
Apart from these not very common cases, the word "cannibalism" often brings to mind crazy ritual feasts, during which victorious tribes devour parts of the bodies of their enemies in order to gain their strength; or another well-known useful "application" of this phenomenon: the heirs treat the bodies of their fathers in this way in the pious hope that they will be reborn in the body of the eaters of their flesh.
The most "cannibalistic" strange modern world is Indonesia. This state has two famous centers of mass cannibalism - the Indonesian part of the island of New Guinea and the island of Kalimantan (Borneo). The jungles of Kalimantan are inhabited by 7-8 million Dayaks, famous skull hunters and cannibals.
The most delicious parts of their body are considered to be the head - the tongue, cheeks, skin from the chin, the brain removed through the nasal cavity or ear hole, meat from the thighs and calves, heart, palms. The initiators of crowded campaigns for skulls among the Dayaks are women.
The latest surge in cannibalism in Borneo occurred at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, when the Indonesian government tried to organize the colonization of the interior of the island by civilized immigrants from Java and Madura. The unfortunate peasant settlers and the soldiers accompanying them were mostly slaughtered and eaten. Until recently, cannibalism persisted on the island of Sumatra, where the Batak tribes ate criminals sentenced to death and incapacitated old people.
The activities of the “father of Indonesian independence” Sukarno and the military dictator Suharto played a major role in the almost complete elimination of cannibalism on Sumatra and some other islands. But even they could not improve the situation in Irian Jaya, Indonesian New Guinea, one iota. The Papuan ethnic groups living there, according to missionaries, are obsessed with a passion for human flesh and are characterized by unprecedented cruelty.
They especially prefer human liver with medicinal herbs, penises, noses, tongues, meat from thighs, feet, and mammary glands. In the eastern part of the island of New Guinea, in independent state In Papua New Guinea, much fewer cases of cannibalism are recorded.
