Living with the Kombai
A friend of mine, Oliver Steeds, is giving a talk at the Royal Geographical Society (in London) on Wednesday evening about a recent expedition to West Papua where he lived with one of the last remaining tribes to practice cannibalism(!) I'll be there with a few friends and if you're in London, it sounds like a fascinating evening.
The traditional hunter-gatherer way of life of the Kombai has changed little for thousands of years – tools are made from stone, families live in tree houses, men wear penis gourds and women grass skirts. Tribal conflict is on-going. Spirits infuse the world of the Kombai. When sorcery and witchcraft were suspected, the accused would be killed, then eaten. Members of the Kombai family involved took part in such revenge killings. It is just 25 years since a Dutch Missionary made first contact, and today only 4000 Kombai survive. But for how long? Their traditional way of life is severely threatened.
There's more info and a link to buy tickets online (£12) at the iNomad website. I've been assured you can also pay on the door. The talk starts at 7pm.
— Filed under Other expeditions