As a part of the eastern province in Indonesia, West Papua is known to have rich cultures and traditions that are represented by every tribe. One of them is the fascinating Korowai tribes that live in the very isolated territory in Mappi Regency. They live in a house called “Rumah Tinggi” that can reach up to as high as 50 meters from the ground.
There are beliefs that this tribe was founded in 1974 by a group of Western scientists who were lost in their territory. Then, this group of scientists decided to stay and learn more about the Korowai Tribe’s daily lives. After that, some more photographers or journalists did explorations to find the Korowai tribe’s territory and did some research about their lives.
If you are curious about this tribe, here are five interesting facts about Korowai tribes from West Papua:
They Live in High Treehouses
Korowai tribes live in small clans or groups where each group has a particular territory. For one settlement, usually, there are no more than five treehouses. They believe by making tree houses, they can protect themselves from endangered animals, attacks from rival clans, and evil spirits.
The treehouse itself is built from sturdy Banyan trees as the central pole, the bark of sago palm for the walls and floor, and sago leaves for the roof. They also used strong rattan ropes to string the house. To get into the treehouse, they have to climb a long ladder.
Use Bow and Arrow To Attack Animal and People
Like other West Papua tribes, hunting has also become a part of the Korowai tribe’s daily lives. They still hunt in a very primitive manner by using a bow and arrow. They use these two tools not only to hunt animals but also to hunt down other people, either intruders from rival clans or unwelcome strangers. The bow itself usually has a barb that they use to point at outsiders until they have established peace.
They Believed They Were the Only People In The World
Since they live in a very isolated territory, Korowai tribes believe that they are the only people in the world. They have no idea that there are other lives besides their tribes. Even if other people exist, Korowai tribes will consider them a threat. They believe strangers may carry evil spirits and demons.
This belief was broken when there was the first contact with the group of West scientists in 1974 that lost their territory. From this event, many people, especially reporters and journalists, recognized the Korowai tribes’ existence and did some reports about their lives.
They Believe in Witchcraft and Sorcery
Korowai tribes are one of many tribes in West Papua that still believe in witchcraft practice. They believe that demons are real, and if someone from their tribe got a fatal illness, they would blame the demons. They ignored modern medicine and chose to use herbal medicine from the forest to cure the illness. This is why the death rates of Korowai tribes are quite high.
Korowai tribes also believe in the existence of their ancestors’ spirit, reincarnation and have many magical rituals or traditions. Even though in the 1970s, some Christian missionaries have successfully converted some of the Korowai people into Christian, many of them still insist on their beliefs.
They Practice Cannibalism
As one of the most primitive tribes from West Papua, Korowai tribes are believed to have practiced cannibalism, and even they still did this up until quite recently. Since they believe in demons and any spirits’ existence, they believe there are Khakhua (magicians or demons) that disguise themselves as a male member of their tribes. They believe this evil spirit is the one who spreads dangerous diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and others. So, to get rid of this evil spirit, they must kill and eat a person they believe has been possessed by Khakua.
These are the five most interesting facts about Korowai tribes from West Papua. Korowai tribes are an important part of Indonesia’s tribes that should be treasured like other tribes. Their unique traditions and cultures are an important national asset that makes Indonesia widely known in the world.
