Hollandia Centenary (Jayapura) in 2010 Hollandia Centenary (Jayapura) in 2010

On 7 March 2010 it is a 100 years since the Dutch flag is hoisted up by Captain F.J.P. Sachse on the north coast of New Guinea.  Sache is the commander of the Northern Detachment, one of three military exploration detachments that set out to explore New Guinea in the early part of the 20th century.  The Northern Detachment consists of Captain Sache and three other…lees meer

Similarities and differences among Mountain Papuans Similarities and differences among Mountain PapuansA comparison between  lifestyle of Papuans living in mountain areas has shown that there are many similarities. One such similarity is that they lived in groups consisting of patrilineal clans. Their leaders were men who needed to prove themselves time and again. Fights and wars between groups of Mountain Papuans were frequent. These usually took place between people who belonged to the same ethnic group.
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Following veteran footsteps: a brief history Following veteran footsteps: a brief history

Veterans increasingly start up humanitarian initiatives in countries where they were deployed. This was shown in research commissioned by the  National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development (NCDO) and the Veteran Institute in the Netherlands. Ever since their deployment these veterans have felt concerned about the fate of the Papuans in former Dutch New Guinea. They tend…lees meer

Franciscans in Papua for 70 years Franciscans in Papua for 70 years

In 1937 the first missionaries of the Order of Franciscan Friars Minor arrived in New Guinea. They started work in the region that fell under the responsibility of the Sacred Heart, MSC ( Missionarii Sacratissimi Cordis, Netherlands). Their centre was in Merauke along the south coast. However, the missionaries also started work in the Bird’s Head Area along the north coast. Before World War II, the missionaries…lees meer

Local Papua languages disappear Local Papua languages disappearThe local languages in Papua are under threat. This is the disturbing message of the United Nations Organisation UNESCO. The United Nations Cultural Heritage Fund   reported that 2498 languages of the World’s existing 6900 languages are in danger of disappearing. This fact is clear from the third edition of the digital ‘Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing’ presented on 19 February 2009.…lees meer
Life up in a Korowai tree house Life up in a Korowai tree house

The Korowai people live in the inaccessible jungle in the southeast of the Indonesian province of Papua, about 150 kilometres  inland from the Arafura Sea. They are hunter-gatherers in a small society of traditional family ties  who need to share all they have in order to survive. Like the Kombai, the Korowai are known for being great architects of tree houses high up in…lees meer

The First Dutch Expedition The First Dutch Expedition The North New Guinea Expedition in 1903 was the first official Dutch expedition into New Guinea and its goal was to explore the North Coast of the Dutch part of the island and explore whether exploitable coal beds were present. The exploration concentrated on the Geelvink Bay and Humboldt Bay areas, and also included Lake Sentani. The leader of the expedition was the German Geologist Arthur Wichmann, founder of…lees meer
Collaborators sent to New Guinea after World War II Collaborators sent to New Guinea after World War II

At the beginning of WWII, Queen Wilhelmina in London and the illegal news paper ‘Het Parool’ argued that all NSB members ( Nationalistic Socialist Bond)  should be deported to Borneo, Suriname or New Guinea.   Once in the colonies, these collaborators were to be sentenced to forced labour. This perception changed towards the end of the war.  On 29 January 1944, Minister Jaap Burger from Internal Affairs called…lees meer

The disappearance of Michael Rockefeller The disappearance of Michael Rockefeller

On November 18, 1961 the wooden catamaran of recently graduated American student Michael Clark Rockefeller capsized on a journey between the coastal villages of Agats and Atsj in south New Guinea due to huge waves on the Arafura Sea. Michael took the decision to swim ashore in order to fetch help. However, in Papua the swampy shore line is infested with alligators.  After rescuing the anthropologist and fellow…lees meer

Military Expeditions in New Guinea Military Expeditions in New GuineaIn the early 20th Century, Dutch authority in the western half of New Guinea is negligible and superficially established in areas located along the coast. The government consultant for overseas areas in the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Colijn, who  became Prime Minister of the Netherlands in August 1925, presents a plan in 1906 for military detachments to start exploring the  interior of Dutch New Guinea.

These…lees meer