Fitting the ‘missing puzzle pieces’ – research sheds light on the deep history of social change in West Papua

Fitting the ‘missing puzzle pieces’ – research sheds light on the deep history of social change in West Papua

Tristan Russell, CC BY-SAOwing to its violent political history, West Papua’s vibrant human past has long been ignored. Unlike its neighbour, the independent country of Papua New Guinea, West Papua’s cultural history is poorly understood. But now, for the first time, we have recorded this history in detail, shedding light on 50 millennia of untold stories of social change. By examining the territory’s archaeology, anthropology and linguistics, o…

In the west of Papua New Guinea the Indonesian colonial power prevails. It has opened the door to the big corporations. Lakshmi Thevasagayam knows the background.