1. 1. Last of the Cave People: TheMeakambut of Papua New Guinea Die letzten der Hhlenmenschen: Die Meakambut von Papua Neuguinea Fotos: Amy Toensing Pictures: Amy Toensing
2. 2. Aiyo,a memberoftheMeakambuttribe,decorateshisbeardwithflowers
3. 3. AyoungMeakambutboystandsathisfamily'scamp at thePundimbungCaveinPapuaNewGuinea.
4. 4. AbandofMeakambut headoutfromtheircamp onMarch 12, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.Theyalwayscarry theirbowsandarrowsinsearchoffood
5. 5. CavehandstencilinggoesbackforgenerationsinthisregionofPapuaNewGuinea.Theseprintsweremadewithclay-basedpaint.
6. 6. Mencuta trailwithmachetesinsearchoftheMeakambuttribeintheSepikRegionofPapuaNewGuinea.
7. 7. JohnAiyo(right)andhisMeakambut tribeattheircamp inPapuaNewGuinea.
8. 8. LifeintheArafundiRiverandthelocalteaminsearchofmembersoftheMeakambuttribeintheSepikRegionofPapuaNewGuinea.
9. 9. HenryKongaofImboinVillageworksona dugoutcanoeat theArafundiriverfrontinPapuaNewGuinea.Kongahasbeenworkingonmaking thecanoefora weekandthinkshehasaboutaweekmoretogo beforeit's finished.
10. 10. ImboinchildrenswimandplayintheArafundiRiverinPapuaNewGuinea.
11. 11. FidelisTapainApotstandsinan AmboinforestinPapuaNewGuinea.Apotislocallyreferredtoas a sorcerer,oranindividualwithhighertraditionalpowers.
12. 12. ThesurroundinglandscapeoftheMeakambutarea inPapuaNewGuinea.
13. 13. LocalmenchewKhatandteasea dogwhiletaking a breakfromsearchingformembersoftheMeakambuttribeintheSepikRegionofPapuaNewGuinea.
14. 14. Aman bangsa largetreelimbona jungletree,likea drum,tocall theMeakambutclandownfromthemountainsinPapuaNewGuinea
15. 15. JohnAiyo,oftheMeakambuttribe,representshisleadershipthroughhistribaljewelryinPapuaNewGuinea.
16. 16. JohnAiyotravelswithhissonalongwithhandmadespearsandarrowsusedforhuntingonMarch 12, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.
17. 17. Mark Aiyohas hismacheteinhandforpeelingthebarkfroma Sago palmtreeinPapuaNewGuinea.Gettingan edibleproductfromthistreeisa longandarduousprocess.Themenpeelthebarkawayfromthetree,revealingthepith insidewhichisgatheredbythewomen,thenwashedandstrained,so thatthestarchrunsoutandcollectsina pastetypeflourwhichtheywillcookintoaflat bread.Thisis theirprimarysourceoffood.
18. 18. Meakambutman gripsa pieceofwoodwithhisfeetandusesabamboostrandtocreatefrictionforfireonMarch 10, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.This"firesaw"methodiscommonthroughoutthisregion.
19. 19. Aiyotakesa breakfromcuttinga sago palmtreeandsmokesa cigaretterolledwithwildtobaccohepickedonMarch 11, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.
20. 20. JelinPapiyarambreastfeedshersonYukunat thetribescamp inPapuaNewGuinea.
21. 21. JelinPapiyaramtravelswithherMeakambutfamilytothesiteofa fallenSage palmwheretheywillworktoextract itsediblepartsinPapuaNewGuinea.
22. 22. Mark Aiyo(left)andhisMeakambuttribecrossestheArafundiRiverinPapuaNewGuinea.
23. 23. JelinPapiyaram,oftheMeakambut tribe,travelswithhersonYukunonhisshouldersinPapuaNewGuinea.
24. 24. MembersoftheMeakambut tribegathersforsago pancakesonMarch 11, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.Making an edibleproductfromsagopalm isa arduousprocess.Menpeelthebarkawayfromthetree,revealingthe pithinsidewhichisgatheredbythewomen,thenwashedandstrained,so thatthestarchrunsoutandcollectsina pastetypeflourwhichtheywillcookintoaflat bread.Thisis theirprimarysourceoffood.
25. 25. MembersoftheMeakambut tribegatheraroundthecampfireforsago pancakesinPapuaNewGuinea.Making anedibleproductfromsagopalm isa arduous process.Menpeelthebarkawayfromthetree,revealingthepith insidewhichisgatheredbythewomen,thenwashedandstrained,so thatthestarchrunsoutandcollectsina pastetypeflourwhichtheywillcookintoaflat bread.Thisis theirprimarysourceoffood.
26. 26. PasuAiyoandhissickwife,LidiaMaiou,take a breakfromtravelingtodrinkwaterinPapuaNewGuinea.
27. 27. Maiou(center)struggleswithpneumoniawitha104 degreefeveronMarch 10, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.Herhusbandand Meakambut familypreparetobeginhikingtowardsmedicalassistance.Thenearestclinicisin Amboin, whichis atleastonedayswalkawayandonedaybycanoein AmboinVillage.
28. 28. PasuAiyowrapshiswife,LidiaMaiou,ina bilum(netbag)tocarryheronhisbackduringthelongtriptowardsmedicalassistanceonMarch 10, 2009 inPapuaNewGuinea.LidiaMaioustruggleswithpneumoniawitha 104 degree fever.ThenearestclinicisinAmboin,whichisat leastonedayswalkawayandonedaybycanoeinAmboinVillage.
29. 29. PasuAiyo,a memberoftheMeakambuttribe,standsintheArafundiRiverinPapuaNewGuinea.
30. 30. Fotos: AmyToensing