Are They Man-eaters
by Korowai tribe that lives on trees and has been adopting the centuries old life style
In south east of Papua, there is Korowai tribe, which was unknown before 1970. This area is the south east part of the western New Guinea and it is doubted that their inhabitants still eat human flesh.
In the autumn of 2003 a small team of Bible Translators reached in Yaniruma and started their work.
In May 2006 a tour guide Paul Riffle led the crew team of Australian T.V. Show “60 Minutes” in order to prepare a special report on this tribe and their people. After few days of filming a man reached the crew team and claimed that his six year nephew “Wa-Wa” had been accused of becoming a sorcerer (Kakua). He was in great danger, since he could be killed and eaten. But the crew team of “60 Minutes” refused to help that person. But afterward Paul Riffle contacted his opponent “Seven Network”, who agreed to send a “Today Tonight” crew in order to take “Wa-Wa” out of this area.
But, before these people could reach this area, the Indonesian higher authorities deported all the officials from “Jayapura” on the issue of Visa.
MAN-EATING
One of the reports about Korowai people was received that they still eat human flesh. But human experts say that it does not happen now, since these people are in constant coordination with outer people and it is also revealed in the latest reports that false stories has been spread in order to proliferate tourism.
In 2006 a T.V. show “60 Minutes” claimed that when anybody is accused of becoming a sorcerer “Khakhua” in the Korowai society and on proving the crime he was beaten harshly, hanged and afterwards eaten. In this regard many uncertified claims were also made that the brain of a person is eaten immediately while the corpse is still hot and that pregnant women and children are not involved in this eating.
WAY OF CONTSTRUCTION
Korowai houses are made on height, for which higher wood pillars are fixed on the land initially. This way has been going on since past, in order to keep the houses safe from water and flood. Secondly these houses remain away from the reach of the invaders. This step is specifically taken for the safety of children and women; otherwise the conqueror tribe either makes women and children their slave or kills and eats them.
The thick, high and strong pillars of iron wood in one way keep the houses safe from fire too, otherwise the strategy of invader is to fire the houses made of wood, grass and straw, which compels the residents to come out of their houses due to smoke and suffocation and thus invaders arrest them. Iron wood is that hard and solid wood, which does not catch fire easily.
These people are living in the ancient past in spite of living in the present and are not ready to change themselves. But efforts are going on and it is hopeful that soon these people will change their present state by entering in the present.
By Muhammad Irfan Zafar
Content Writer
Liked it
