An tribe in Papua New Guinea is close to being wiped out by Christian missionaries and Indonesia government

News24xx.com - Tragic, an ancient tribe in southeastern Papua New Guinea  is close to being wiped out by Christian missionaries. The tribe named Korowai people and that tribe only knows little of the world outside their forest home.

As information as quoted from Metro.uk on Saturday, Oct. 20 2018, there are only around 3,000 Korowai remaining and their way of life is being changed by Christian missionaries and the Indonesian government who wish to force their culture upon them.

It's known from the statement of amateur photographer, Maxim Russkikh, 36, from Moscow, Russia who has spent 15 days trying to find the Korowai people of south eastern Papua New Guinea. 

As he trekked more than 75 miles into the forest they came across many abandoned Korowai settlements, and could only find two in the massive expanse of jungle.

Maxim said, "Korowai also known as Kolufo – is the mysterious tribe of south eastern Papua who lives in the least explored jungles in the world and has had little contact with the outside world. But, the Christian missionaries, who have been making contact with tribes for five hundred years, are still trying to do so today. "

Nowadays, Korowai have managed to survive in the harsh environment of the rainforest over thousands of years keeping its traditional culture alive. And it seems like right now they are disappearing day by day.

"They are surrounded by the dozens of missionary villages supported by the Indonesian government with the only purpose to introduce the western culture and spiritual values. Hundreds of Korowai have moved already from the jungles to newly constructed missionary settlements and more are coming." he said.

"The missionaries think that the tribes are primitive and living pitiful lives in the dark and their ultimate aim is to convert them to Christianity."

Maxim added: ‘There are less than a hundred uncontacted small tribes around the world and they need to be protected by international law.

‘Uncontacted tribes are the most vulnerable people on earth, especially in West Papua, and they need to survive."

The first documented contact by scientists took place in 1974. Korowai people live in clans that usually consist of two to three tree houses in one forest cleared site, securing the territory of up-to 50 sq km. Usually from five to eight people live in the tree house at one time. 

Korowai are skilled hunters and are sometimes away from their homes for days, hunting for rats, pigs, birds and fish. Their staple is sago and bananas. 

 

 

 

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