Gebruiker:Bertux/Mimika Expedition (Machine-english)

Introduction

The Mimika Expedition (1935 - 1936) was a Dutch anthropological expedition to the western mountains of Central Dutch New Guinea to the peoples who live there dwarf groups thoroughly.

[Edit] Purpose of the expedition

The specific aim of the expedition was to extend into contact with the Tapiro, primitive "pygmies" by a British ornithological expedition in 1910 were discovered in 1931 and which also touches were made during a fleeting trip in this area by the Dutch Public health and physical anthropologist HJT Bijlmer. Bijlmer went on the road, but now as the leader of the expedition which was undertaken on behalf of the Society for the Promotion of Physical Research of the Dutch colonies.

[Edit] Participants

Ax Mers only two Dutch companions were S. van der Goot, a civil ruler who had extensive experience in New Guinea, and Father H. Tillmans, priest and only European in the southern coastal town Kaukenau at the mouth of the Mimika. Tillmans was the host of the expedition, said the local language, had information about the location of villages and Tapiro went as interpreter and expert along the inland region. Also were among the few pet Moluccan soldiers (members of the "police box") and Kamoro, Papuans of the Mimikakust, who knew the territory and could act as guides and interpreters. Twenty-five 'punished' Moluccans went along as porters and handymen.

[Edit] Proceedings of the first part of the expedition

The expedition members arrived from Ambon on October 15, 1935 at Kaukenau aboard the gouvernementsstomer Fomalhaut, which maintained a regular service to the more easterly board seats on the south coast. In Kaukenau we got the decision on the Gryphon, a large motorboat that native dugout canoes dragged behind by Indonesian expedition members. On October 26 carry the 40 participants in 9 native canoes, which were propelled by 65 oarsmen standing Papua, in the Arafura Sea mouth, wide in Mimika. It was a trip of several days before they had to continue on foot from a newly built camp that was guarded by two policemen Moluccan left. The canoes were towed there on the dry. The way forward from October 29 which was followed was essentially that of the British expedition in 1910. The trip through the jungle was not easy but fairly short. Beginning in November we have reached a place where one of the new bivouac Tapiro saved. It is not that a "tribe unknown" discovered, Tillmans Father was greeted by old acquaintances and Bijlmer recognized people short of its previous tour in 1931. Well we stayed, after one days long, difficult journey further inland in the east, the first one never visited the settlement of Tapiro where, despite the fact that there are already plenty of introduced iron ax blades were used, the daily life in the "stone era could be studied. The men were photographed and measured to determine their racial characteristics, and new metal axes, knives, mirrors and beads were exchanged for indigenous artifacts. On November 26 it was back in Kaukenau, the small expedition to the Tapiro had only lasted one months.

[Edit] Proceedings of the second part of the expedition

After a brief delay at Mimikakust where Bijlmer as part of his anthropological research in several large villages of the Kamoro the blood groups of residents could determine, they departed on December 7 with the Gryphon westward to Jera to sail, which would lead to new, unexplored mountain dwellers. They wanted to contact the residents of the Pania-chains, in the wider area known as a barter numerous people that extensive contacts with other groups maintained, perhaps even with groups on the northern side of the central mountain massif lived. They went rowing back upstream. The first village of Mountain Papuans were built from the camp after three Jera River march again reached a new camp which was built: the view Jera-camp, so named because this was the height overlooking the distant southern coastline located. From the village led a path to Pania, it was a severe climb of five days on mountain ridges of 2500-3000 meters. After a long descent was finally in a 1500 meter altitude riverdal settlements and gardens found. Pania-camp was built and the expedition stayed there from December 26, 1935 to 9 January 1936 amidst a numerous peaceful population. The village head sent to nearby villages ijlbodes even the people from there on to drum for the expedition members to visit. Bijlmer was no less than 300 adult men among the anthropological ruler to convert to the conclusion that these mountain dwellers or small piece of goods, but certainly not called pygmies could be (for which a length of 1.50 m. as gold standard). Particular, the arrival of a dozen men from a northern group, which all Mountain Papuans now they had met, was regarded as people of different breed. Their visit to the camp did the hundreds gathered on the ground and crouch districts dalbewoners respectfully differ. The men of this group, which Mannekoe were called, had sharper features, were more robust stature and spoke an unintelligible dialect. She refused any gift with the argument that people came to visit to greet the strangers, not to trade. On January 9, the retreat and accepted on January 17 they reached back Jera-camp. The Kamoro-rowers, that the expedition back downstream to the mouth of the river could carry, were not present. The next day we tried it on their own, but the media was less than experienced rowers Papuans. A canoe around and hit some of the footage and photographs hit the water and was lost. Shortly afterwards came the Kamoro that everything and everyone without any accidents brought to the coast. On February 6 could be embarking on his journey from Fomalhaut along the south coast to the Moluccas returned.

[Edit] Scientific results

The expedition was successful. The Tapiro, not systematically studied since the British expedition of 1910, could be confirmed in their "dwarf state", although their average height slightly higher-than those established by the British. In other groups of Papuans Berg was first made contact, and especially the discovery and study of the Pania groups was considered the crowning glory. The Mannekoe regarded as being different from the noorderlijker areas, confirmed the suspicion that there were contacts between the business branched isolated mountain communities stretching over the central mountain massif of New Guinea before. In short: after the Mimika Expedition had been an almost complete picture of the inhabitants of the mountainous country southwest of the then Dutch New Guinea. The acquired anthropological and ethnographic collections of the expedition were filed shortly after the tour with some Dutch ethnological museums, including the Tropical Museum in Amsterdam.

[Edit] References

• Bijlmer, HJT,In the back corner of the earth: the Mimika Expedition to Dutch New Guinea. Amsterdam, Scheltens & Giltay, 1938. * Bijlmer, HJT, "Tapiro Pygmies and Pania Mountain-Papuan: Results of the Anthropological Mimika Expedition in New Guinea, 1935-36", in:Nova Guinea (ns), vol. 3, 1939, pp. 113-184.

[[Category: History of New Guinea | Mimika Expedition]] [[Category: Exploration | Mimika Expedition]] [[en: Mimika Expedition]]