PAPUA NEW GUINEA (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister recently criticized United States President for suggesting that his uncle was consumed by cannibals in New Guinea during World War II.

Papua New Guinea

• About: In the southwestern Pacific, encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea and its offshore islands.
• Capital: Port Moresby                                                              
• Bordering country: It shares its only land border with Indonesia to the west and it is directly adjacent to Australia to the south and the Solomon Islands to the east.
• Terrain: The terrain is predominantly mountainous, but there are low-lying plains in southern New Guinea.
• Torres Strait: It is also known as Zenadh Kes, is a strait between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea.
• Economy: Copper and gold are the main mineral resources of the island.

Korowai Tribe

• About: It resides in the Indonesian province of Papua on the western side of the island, with a population ranging from 2,000 to 4,000.
• Treehouses: Their notable feature is the construction of remarkable treehouses, which are significant aspects of their culture and lifestyle.
• Limited Commodities: The Korowai have minimal possession of modern commodities like cotton clothing, contributing to their distinctiveness from Western culture.
• Practice of Cannibalism: Historically, the Korowai gained global attention due to allegations of cannibalistic practices, although the extent of this practice remains debated among anthropologists.
• Perception and Stereotypes: Anthropologist noted that aspects like their treehouses and alleged cannibalism often reinforce Western stereotypes of "primitive" societies.