People of Papua New Guinea |
(introduction to history, geography, politics, and people)
Background Note: Papua New Guinea (history, statistics, religions, etc)
(A good introduction)
(and Papua Province, or Irian Java)
Pidgin/English Dictionary (thorough but with no grammar) |
A family pig near Gomlongon Village, Umboi Island, Papua New Guinea. In spite of looking formidable, the pigs raised by villagers are safe with children. (Unsafe pigs would be quickly eaten.) |
Natives of Opai Village, Umboi Island, may be reserved at first, but they are naturally curious and friendly with visitors. |
Book (nonfiction) on apparent living pterosaurs in Papua New Guinea: “Searching for Ropens” (by Whitcomb)
Grammar of Tok Pisin (one of Papua New Guinea’s national languages)
Umboi Island eyewitnesses of the ropen (online video, free viewing), described like a living pterosaur
Umboi Island (Wikipedia), Papua New Guinea (basic facts on the island)
Umboi Island (with photos and maps and an introduction to the ropen) |
HISTORY
The islands now called Papua New Guinea may have been inhabited for thousands of years. There’s evidence of farming in ancient times and inhabitants of New Britain Island have been trading with other islanders for countless generations. The first European sailors to see the coast of the mainland may have been the Portuguese, early in the Sixteenth Century. |
LANGUAGES
In general, the languages of Papua New Guinea are divided into Austronesian (those mostly on the coasts) and non-Austronesian. There are hundreds of village languages but one of the national languages, Tok Pisin, has been increasing in popularity. |