Stone axes

Until the middle of last century, the natives of New Guinea have used stone axes in their gardens, hunting and war. They lived in a primitive and backward in its development at the Millennium from the rest of the world. Do not come to them Europeans, Papuans so would have existed in the Stone Age to the present day. When civilization reached the most remote regions of the island, axes Aboriginal become history, and the iron came to replace the stone. So a new era, a new era. But, according to some travelers, stayed back in New Guinea villages where the natives used stone tools.

The following is a report about the "tribe" of stone axes.

- Welcome! I'm the leader of this valley, - a man who appears to the leader, the leader on this tribe is not quite something similar. He stands before us in torn shorts, dirty purple T-shirt, a cap, from under which protrude curly unwashed hair, and rubber boots. So he could look like a homeless person somewhere in a big city. He smiles slyly and says his name - Enius Morip. On his right hand modestly holds the second Papuan, who is also the leader, but someone - is unclear. The most important thing - it does not have rubber boots. So it probably is not such authority, his kinsman. Both leaders are unarmed, are absolutely harmless and fairly friendly, from which it can be concluded that in the village Mbombang wild cannibals do not live.

Villager Mbombang

The village itself, too, is unlike that ability to draw the imagination. Along the main streets, which is marked by stones, standing in two rows of ten wooden houses Belov color with metal roofs. They are not even remotely resemble the traditional Papuan huts. Get rid of illusions, it is the usual modern house and really there is nothing to be surprised, because as it turns out, Mbombang - a government project. Therefore, the village was not built anyhow, and on a clear plan. Here held water, each house stands on concrete footings, a radio, and even gasoline generator, which really are not every day - fuel is in short supply. Yet building materials were imported here once helicopters. Aborigine on the background of a modern home

This parody of modern looks absolutely ridiculous to completely dull area. Mbombang surrounded by mountains: it is and hills covered with forests and cliffs, from which rush down the giant waterfalls. Another run near the stormy river, which after heavy rains become impassable.

Whatever it was, Mbombang is not the main goal of our campaign. Further down the path is the legendary village of stone axes. There, next to the cave people live Vano, who use primitive tools. In the language of the people Lani (they live in the region of Puncak Jaya, the administrative center - Mulia) village called Elome, the local dialect it is known as Edome. Discovered this village in the last century, Heinrich Harrer, who in the film "Seven Years in Tibet" was played by Brad Pitt. Harrer was an outstanding Austrian mountaineer, traveler and writer. Among his achievements of the first conquest of the peak Puncak Jaya (approx. The highest point in Oceania). It was during this expedition he was in the Stone Age village I-Do-ME.

Cockatoo's beak. It was shown to us in one of the huts

In the 80s, the journey to the village follows the German Werner Veygleyn, which today has made over a hundred expeditions to all corners of New Guinea! He is engaged in the organization of extreme tours. In particular, Werner offers a journey to the stone age of six thousand euros. So "I-Do-ME Harrer" became "I-Do-ME Werner". But he was not the only one who "okuchit" this area. There are others, such as the Czech Petr Yahoda. Both argue that Vano live like primitive people.

But the way in Elome known and without Veygleyna with Yahodoy. Therefore, after half a century with the opening of Heinrich Harrer part of our team plans to travel in his footsteps alone. However, the first day we are waiting for a significant surprise. As it turns out, people went from Vano Elome long ago, leaving his cave. Today there is no one else lives and place abandoned completely. Morning. In Mbombang village is music with a simple motif and local musicians who barely fit on a dry log, until just warmed up. Four of them and there is among them a child who plays the flute. The right hand of him sitting Tetius - low Papuan bare-chested, thick beard and braids. He was strumming a six-string guitar, and self-made sounds that it makes remind me ukulele. Beside him, a second guitarist. He rests his instrument in the timber and tries to keep up with Tetiusom. Completes four young guy Valo. He has no guitar or flute. Therefore, in his hands he holds a bow and arrow. Valo knocks on them, getting into a rhythm. Here Tetius sings a song in the local language, which perfectly falls on music with a simple motive, and her words picked up by the rest of the speech.

I would say that this mini-ensemble perfectly played

In the background there are wooden huts on stilts. This is a traditional home with a bonfire in which were built by the Papuans. They are someone else lives, while houses built by the government - are empty. Empty and the village itself. In it there are no women, and men can be counted on the fingers.

This is an explanation. Where a woman was killed two weeks ago.

- It is in the forest to death with a club beat, - he said it Enius giggles like a child. It seems that what happened just a small prank for him.

The result of this "prank" has become a place, as a result of which a man was killed. Papuans in the course of a custom tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye ... a life for a life. Thus, one murder can turn into a series of others. The situation is difficult enough, because the two victims were members of the tribe. It's one thing when there is a war with a neighboring tribe, the other, when the feud takes place between your tribe. Therefore, many have decided to go to the forest and to the mountains to ride out the dark times. There are scattered along the valley of the traditional huts, which stand apart from each other. The settlements of the Papuans had never had any center. The fact that the village in which the whole family is too vulnerable focused. When attacked by enemies, the tribe will either slain or be a great sacrifice. When the houses stand apart, you can conduct guerrilla warfare with small losses. The young native with a bow and arrow

But many things in life Papuans changed with the arrival of missionaries who began to pay Aborigines to Christianity. They built churches and around them gathered the natives. Thus it appeared the first village centers.

There is a church in the village Mbombang. Therefore…

- ... they still come back - sure leader Enius.

Noon. The village began to smoke hut. It Valo and his friends are fried bananas on bonfire. The smoke rises to the ceiling and out through the gap in the roof. I walk closer look inside. Valo Kotek shows me that he found somewhere in the trash. The boys look at her and giggling. Kotek is short, with the severed end. Valo's eyes light up when he is visited by a brilliant, he probably thinks the idea.

The guy goes outside, pulls and tries to wear shorts Kotek ...

The result is not right. Valo just worried for our views. When koteka is in place, he ties her rope to the waist, and gets rid of the shorts. Now we golozhopy native with a bow and arrow. Sure step he goes to church, around which the neat bushes grow. With them Valo pluck leaves, which he puts under the bracelets on his biceps. Then he finds a bonfire, where most recently prepared on hot stones pig. He squats and fingers t embers. Blacken the tips of his fingers. They Papuan paints stripes on his face, his tongue out at the same time.

Valo returned to the cabin to prepare a yellow ink. He squeezes the juice of the plant, which is called imbot. In fact, it leaves kasavy. The muscles in the hands of Valo strain, changes facial expressions and exposed red from betel-nata teeth. Color juice - dark dark green. It adds Kapoor Valo powder, which is on the coast made of seashells. The resulting mass stir it with a stick like an alchemist who is preparing a miracle potion. Behind him is a fire, the shadows playing on the walls. The reaction takes place and the mass becomes yellow. The same twig he puts it on the face. Black stripes complement the yellow patterns. Valo does the patterns on the face of Amy

Light was with us until the very end

Now Valo jumps out of the hut as if stung and runs into the woods. There he is making the final touches on his costume. His head appears rim of grass and twigs, dry nose, although it is usually used Papuans pig tusks. So there was reincarnation. Golozhopy Valo with his face painted and kotekas worn around the village, makes a wild cries and archery, and entertaining themselves and guests. Not every day, he has to wear a nozzle on a frank place that natives no longer used!

Papuan shows, where they take the red paint

dark. Stars in the sky is not visible. His overcast clouds. It will rain soon. We were taken into the tent leader Enius. He needed malaria pills. In the village Mbombang he performs the duties of a doctor. Once Enius attended church Emanuel Hospital, which is located in Mulie. He even knows a few English words, which it inserts into the conversation at every opportunity. Unfortunately, his medical knowledge is too limited. The leader believes that the pills can cure all of Papuans.

Enius receives the necessary medicines for malaria, but is in no hurry to leave. He still needed antibiotics and tonikum.

Son of the leader - the boy of school age - very sick. This is obvious, just look at his face and eyes that give yellowness. The belly of the child is inflated like a balloon, and hard as stone. He needs a doctor. And as soon as possible.

- Help us, please - begging the leader.

We offer to take him and his son in the village Faovi, where there is a medical center and a doctor. The village is located in the bottom of the way down the river. - But no Faovi tonikuma - refuses Enius. Tonikum - this medicine, which he treated his son all the time. The leader shows us an empty bottle.

Tonikuma there with us, so we try to reason with Eniusa. But our argument that the child needs a doctor, not a tablet, do not act on his father. He is sure he is right, and in his knowledge. So it is not surprising that another proposal to bring his son to the hospital in the town of Nabire, he also refuses.

- How do we then go back? We have no money to pay for the treatment ...

Vano people five years ago left the Elome, because there, far away from civilization, is too difficult to survive. There are no drugs, no essential goods, no food, no runway, which can take a plane and there is no communication with the outside world. There, people are doomed to extinction. So they migrated. Migrated here in the village Mbombang. Migrated in order to save his race. It is their voices sound now in the dark of the night.

These are the voices of the people who once lived in the legendary Elome. These are the people Vano. What are they singing now? Probably about its former home, which they had to leave.