Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Living with indigenous tribe in Papua New Guinea

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Papua New Guinea

Hello.
I want to live with a indigenous tribe in Papua New Guinea for a month to two months.
I want to break my concepts formed here in industrialized society, that's why.
If there is no infection issue, I want to live with the family, but it's really hard to find information through the internet.
If anyone can give me some advice, I'll really appreciate.
Otherwise, I think I will just go there and ask them directly after discussing with a doctor if I may give a disease to them.
Thank you :)

Not sure if the doctor would want you to give them a disease.

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Do a Google on homestays in Papua New Guinea, looks like there are quite a few of them.

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You could indeed just go and find a place and people you like.
Be sure to compensate them (with money!) for your keep.
Staying in a local-owned village guest house sounds fine to me - you are still right in a village, but both you and they have a bit more privacy which could matter if staying that long.

BTW, it sounds to me that you imagine PNG to be a bit more "untouched" than it actually is. In reality, expect people to speak English and to have been through more infections than yourself! You won't be staying with an "unreached" tribe in grass skirts and the like.

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@OP if your interested i'm going to west papua in Oct 2013 again. I know its not PNG but the Melanesian hospitality is the same! id prefer to speak on private email if thats ok message me if interested. (ps ask laszlo for a link to his site for more info its second to none).

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its not PNG but the Melanesian hospitality is the same!

Sadly, it is not.
In West Papua it has been thoroughly tainted with Asian commercial-mindedness.... :-(
Also, "connecting" with the locals can be trickier in West Papua unless you speak Indonesian - far, FAR less English is spoken there than in PNG.

The links to my site should be visible in my signo lines, unless you have turned those off specifically.

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I think the Dutch and the European sailors introduced all known infectious diseases centuries ago...

Unless you have something unique...?

More likely you should consider diseases you could get from mosquitoes and tropical jungle conditions...and food and water...

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Thank you very much for all comments :) They are really helpful.
And I'm looking forward to get more comments as well, I have more time to be there. Thanks! :)

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