West Papua (region) - Culture

Culture

West Papuans have significant cultural affinities with the inhabitants of Papua New Guinea. As in Papua New Guinea the peoples of the highlands have distinct traditions and languages from peoples of the coast, though Papuan scholars and activists have recently detailed cultural links between coast and highlands as evidenced by close similarity of family names. In some parts of the highlands, the koteka (penis gourd) is worn by males in ceremonial contexts. The use of the koteka as everyday dress by Dani males in Western New Guinea is still common.

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