Blood Feuds and Gun Runners: Papua New Guinea's Tribal Battles

Tribal Fights (2007): How the tribal conflict in Papua New Guinea has spawned a burgeoning arms trade in which politicians may be complicit
For downloads and more information visit journeyman.tv/57480/short-film...
Steve Marshall reports on the changing face of tribal warfare in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Highland tribes have traditionally used violence to solve disputes - over everything from land control to wives and livestock.
Now, the disputes continue, but the weaponry has changed.
These days many illegal guns have made their way into the hands of tribal fighters.
From bows and arrows to illegal semi-automatic weapons -- the fallout is devastating.
"When he was killed I was left with three kids to look after and it's hard for me", a widow in the Western Highlands tells Marshall.
Tribal fighters confirmed that the drugs for guns trade between PNG and the top end of Australia is also alive and well.
"Some of our businessman who are out there in Australia they buy the guns and send it up to us here", said tribal fighter Moses Kauga.
At a time when PNG voters are going to the polls for the 2007 national elections, Steve Marshall also reveals claims that PNG politicians themselves might be involved in the trade.
ABC Australia - Ref. 3568
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[@jingwuman]

I remember watching that black and white footage in anthropology class. Huge battle. Interesting stuff, thanks!

[@TheHulihornbill]

Tribal fighting in new Guinea Highlands is active when there is lack of Government presence and law and order authorities has less power to solve the problems. Vast majority of highlands leaders are so corrupted and they are not putting heads together to lead people in peace process and restoring government services. Therefore, local natives resort to tribal law as to protect their interest. PNG Government and NG highlands leaders has role to deliver Government services and actively enforce law and order to all entire Highlands region..

[@Andreazor]

War never changes, nor the reasons behind them. We ain't better. Atleast these guys are honest about it and admit they just want revenge.

[@JWWhiteTX]

I worked in PNG for a year. Tribal war is a way of life for these folks, and the government just lets them get it out of their systems. A lot of these people haven't made it all the way out of the trees yet. I know that is real un-PC to put it that way, but the best I can come up with. The further back in the Highlands you go, the worse it gets. People outside of the place don't realize how far behind the power curve a lot of these people are It's a shame, it's a beautiful country

[@tokome]

i love the highlands.. and PS: they only fight when they have REALLY SERIOUS issues. besides that i love my culture; i love my highlands and I love my country

[@justinhasuma3643]

Very useful document.

[@xredb]

may i ask a question why do ppl in PNG kill each other like this? its very sad to me.....i hope one day all the ppl in PNG will all come together peacefully and live in happiness Fijians lived like this in the olden days....but we put aside our differences and thats why its a peaceful nation today i hope all can do the same

[@miriam.uwakerua8344]

Oh Emmanuel my brother.I like your English.And good translate.

[@GB3770]

You speak an unpopular truth - but truth none the less - well done.

[@danmeadowsmusic]

@Vanessa901 How the hell did you afford a flight when you have not graduated high school?

[@KVIKFALD]

who are the tribe at the beginning of the video?

[@hyropath]

Wise words. Thank you for knowing.

[@leanright6870]

I'm a yank - grew up in the highlands of Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea; don't have specific information re: this particular matter, but I know things are much worse than when I was there. I still love the country. I don't think we can understand the rational or culture from the outside, just as they don't understand ours. Some of the nicest people I've ever known are the nationals of PNG and I'd love to get back there with my kids and wife.

[@thvtsydneylyf3th077]

u been back since?

[@maiholiaw4927]

In almost every tribal conflict everywhere in the world, drugs is always the main financier of illegal guns. Being a tribal myself who came from a region in India that had witness insurgencies and inter-tribal conflicts which had stopped only about 20 years ago, I can see and feel how destructive this is all. For 75 years from 1947-48 till about 2000-2003. The NE region had witness such internecine warfare. Armed tribal groups are fighting with everybody and everybody was fighting with India. Thousands of innocent lives were lost accompanied by social and economic destruction that was perpetrated by illegal trade on drugs and guns. No, the fightings were not caused because of lack of education or because of religion; North East Indian states literacy rate is higher than most Indian states, yet fighting occur because of centuries old tribal feuds or because of economics where the control of resources and power over others override religious and education lines. Ethnic and racial flames were ignited, where divisions were made between the "sons of the soil" and the "refugees" Age old land disputes were revived and established boundary lines were ignored. Fights occured on tribal and ethnic lines even though rather than on religious beliefs; Christians of one tribe or community against Christians of another tribe or community Hindus of one community vs Hindus of another community , Animists of one tribe vs Animist of another tribe. Thankfully today there is not much of such things, except very sparse or sporadic incidents at times. And I do hope that good sense will prevail on the people of PNG and will learn to coexists in peace.

[@aotoby1]

This tribal fights only happen in the Highlands areas, but the coastal areas are well civilized and live in modern lifestyle, dont comment negetive thoughts about the whole of Papua New Guinea if you dont have any idea wat u talking about, i live in PNG on the coastal area where there's alot of tourist and they regard PNG as a wonderful place. PEACE OWT TO ALL.

[@gatheringleaves]

i don't get it what do you mean?

[@jozsefkacsa]

Freeze it at 5:43 !! Aaaaahhhhhhhh That is sooooo sweet Daddy taking his yrs old boy to Battle with him on "Fight Day".Now that's how a Father should spend quality time with his boy!!!

[@kennylondon123]

I don't understand how these people could fight and fight over decades ( if I'm correct) Here we are in the 21st century yet I feel that these of our brothers still couldn't find it in their hearts to forgive and work together as one whole community!! THIS IS VERY SAD !! I blame their tradition, culture and ways of living, all these have really currupted them!! I.M.O I feel that western culture needs to intervene and deliberate them !!

[@TedH71]

That country has over 800 languages and deep valleys/mountains which isolates people and that's what causes them to fight each other because of the tribal distrust of each other.

[@fludblud]

People need to remember that this is tribal warfare, not industrialised warfare. Here they pick a place and time to fight and agree upon the rules if the battle is won or lost. Its basically their equivalent to a football game, except the injuries are far more severe. The problem with PNG right now is that warriors are basically 'cheating' by buying M16s to give them an unfair advantage, thus the death toll from these small conflicts is soaring far beyond what it would be with bows and arrows.

[@nassauguy48]

Why are they showing scenes from the Los Angeles riots here?

[@Andreazor]

The sound is very out of sync.

[@MariusThePaladin]

Although it sounds fun to have a traditional annual war orsomething liek that, this is fucked up. They should've turned it in to traditional cultural fighting sport competition or something like that.

[@Rasmusorum]

@htia075 What are you talking about? This video was shot in 2007.

[@jeffbrak]

The audio and video is out of sync.

[@rwr3134]

You make it sound like ALL of them there don't know God coz most of them there are soo passionate about their relationship and love for God - its great sharing that with them:) peace.

[@Tavoous]

I lived in PNG during 1 year (June 2007 to June 2008). Still visiting PNG every month. Very interesting place despite its less favorable reputation and to certain extent its violent traditions and culture. My colleagues and I never faced any major incident, though.

[@mangincmaki92]

@kaptenlemper What?? Prove it??

[@Johnson3182]

This video is no exception, people (media) always focus on the negative impression to paint a bad image which is not a reality in the daily lives of the many Papua New Guineans. While I do agree tribal fights do exist in some localities, this is always one of event...If there was any place I would prefer to live, thats Papua New Guinea, where true love is evident among the innocent majority pacific islanders!

[@sethaus75]

@hatloverxxx From wiki: The largest genetic distance between any two continents is between Africa and Oceania at 0.2470. Based on physical appearance this may be counterintuitive, since Indigenous Australians and New Guineans resemble Africans with dark skin and sometimes frizzy hair. I think you bought that degree you claim you have.

[@zippybomb]

Yes, guns are an extremely destructive force compared to spears and do much more damage. Do think wars would kill this many people today if people used hunting spears and arrows?

[@jcBurton2094]

Guns and bush knives

[@twikiriwhi]

The savage at 10 38 is wearing a trendy Kiwi shirt!

[@1000gohead]

@TiminPhoenix When you say "before", you're talking about before western contact? Before contact you and I both can't give a proximate status on their lifespan What does having a computer, electricity, a full belly, and not suffering from Malaria have to do with Western culture? And you ask why should others have that? Why does America send millions of dollars to Israel, but don't lend a helping hand to it's own American citizens, Haiti, or Brazil?

[@joshmc6]

i have no clue what you mean...

[@fmishaan1]

i will go there with everything from glass 2 mobile phones and declare myself their lord XD

[@marlonaugwi1111]

All the best lord dude 😂

[@deceiver123m]

@owlandtree yeah well... im too scared to face things i dont yet understand...

[@momok35]

@aldomovielovers jika yang kamu katakan malaysia juga bagia dari mereka...sudah tentu indonesia juga bagian dari malaysia dan sebaliknya...betul?jika betul sosio budaya juga dari rumpun sama..betul?jadi mengapa masih ada pertikaian?

[@mramirez5194]

Scary!!!...

[@tariqziyad8062]

the government dosen't want too stop it

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

No such thing as "illegal" rifles in PNG. If you want a SLR, M16, G3 you just go ask a cop or someone who knows one in Mt Hagen. It is stupidly easy.

[@Salvus967]

yeah whats the story there? i am just curious but i have no idea why people in papua new guinea look like people from africa. when did they migrate over there, and why to that eastern part of the island?

[@digitalgear]

The M16 there probably cheaper than iphone4 (without contract). :P

[@mangincmaki92]

@kaptenlemper Lol man i would be so happy to play in my own country on xbox360.. But yea i guess ur right

[@islandwarrior16]

Im Torres Strait Islander and i know the illeagal trade very well...Ganja comes down from the highlands, then taken by boat down to Torres Strait. in Torres Strait, it's exchanged for weapons. It's nothing new. What is new is the increasing amount of people smuggling going on across the border. Papuans who live along this southern coastline have long had traditional links with the people of Torres Strait in Australia, and those across the border in Papua.

[@ashraf26100]

@diablojorgen any time u can come to penang n call me.

[@gatheringleaves]

Cool, I heard Papua New Guinea is very wild, even today, is that true?

[@takarabox6971]

Yeah wild and free!!

[@eazydee415]

yea right

[@mangincmaki92]

@SamoaMoSamoa537 Real talk bro!!!!! Thats what ive always wished we'd do

[@SEECH7cornishgrimemovement]

i would have smoked all that weed

[@reddog5031]

Probably a gut stone not a cruisy head stone.

[@takarabox6971]

Bows are kept in Museums nower days in PNG 😜😜

[@gailzawacki]

no that's wrong. archeological studies have shown that a higher percentage of young men die in tribal warfare than in industrialized warfare.

[@poo_8857]

Badass

[@timothykamberan7601]

Countries who were born some hundred years ago still facing problems of all kinds, we are new born country, no matter what the foreign media and foreign people say don't give a dam on them. This our country yumi go PNG.

[@jarrodsewell7658]

I LOVE PNG

[@sethaus75]

It's amazing that these people are the most genetically distant from black Africans. They are genetically closer to a Japanese or a blonde Swede than they are to a black Nigerian. As such, race is a social construct.

[@macchexx1007]

Wagawagawaga

[@kettlebabii]

I love my country :) Even though its abit crazy hahah!

[@samuelbousfield4342]

Just a bit lmao

[@fukraadmi]

paradise lost

[@caloymadregallus1476]

galing ako doon noong 2010 dilikado taga doon lalo na kong gabi ka lomabas sabayan nila.

[@dominicmark1337]

Bad Days in Nebilyer llg..

[@bigmac7077]

It’s like watching a bunch of kids with Adhd play Nerf

[@cipslim]

. I think it is in their best interest to carry war trough some type of aggressive sport like rugby.

[@islandwarrior16]

wtf!? little boys in the battlefields with the men

[@chayoart]

they have m-16 cool !

[@johnram2870]

I don't know where you got your information from. What is now Papua New Guinea was armed because of the Japanese invasion, not Christion missionaries. Even most of the (small number) of Australian defense forces there were did not have guns when the Japanese first invaded. Widespread armament happened because of the arms left behind as a result of thousands of dead soldiers from the invasion, not Christian missionaries. Also Indonesia is a major supplier of PNG arms.

[@aldomovielovers]

@momok35 yes and we proud :D orang2 ini moyang kami

[@crypter27]

It depends on the bow!

[@takarabox6971]

Bows are kept in Museums nower days in PNG

[@crypter27]

@@takarabox6971 cool

[@thoarupa273]

trainim all gut

[@calebbai1733]

Hey i am from png and now the trible war is still going

[@teddybruscie]

Is it really all over a woman. I find it really hard to believe all of this over a woman. Ok it might have started that way but the continuation of it has to be more than just the origins of it and revenge. The drug trade has to be the main reason now.

[@sekaijin7299]

teddybruscie I wouldn't be so sure. Family means absolutely everything to Papua New Guineans. They will bleed for their family and friends no matter the reason. This causes these stupidly long conflicts. They don't forgive, and they don't forget, unfortunately.

[@teddybruscie]

SekaiJin They don't need to do either. Just stop fighting.

[@giovannimannelli2158]

and now?

[@Ht845-w8c]

Any updates brother

[@DJ53151]

im from PNG :D but im not living in PNG :(

[@meeker128]

I wonder if it isn't mostly for show, and that killing each other is not the true goal, because then the deaths would have to be avenged. I think they fight and then give women and pigs to the ones they have wronged. I think actually killing your enemy would be a mistake in this culture and they take precautions to avoid warranting true revenge. I'm basing this only on having seen Ongka's Big Moka, and this video... it's just a theory.

[@southcanada6002]

okay

[@NovaGypsy]

.. at the moment.. they only say that because they're not familiar with the technology that's involved in making guns.. if they had their own I'm sure they would be more than happy.

[@unoe_mas]

but that means its coming! oooo

[@ResolvedGrayness]

he also says straight after that he buys them for the young men

[@zippybomb]

They're not wasting time with old weapons, they still have to track and hunt the animals just as long they just have a better shot at it when they find it.

[@deceiver123m]

Seems like a ripe market for arms and munitions. Think PROFIT :)

[@MrDooodl]

utube: George Nooks - Tribal War - War Is Over Dub

[@MariusThePaladin]

And can words really settled anything ? If I took something from you that you need for living and refused to give you back that thing, no matter what, what will you do ? Call a police ? And what does the police going to do if I refused to give in ? They're going to use force, and they going to fight me. In the end, it's violence. Moreover, what if it's not me taking things from you, but my country taking things from your contry ? What police can settle this ? Humans are animal,my friend.

[@ScopedOUT2]

Fix the God damned sound, its way out of sync.

[@MrAndrum11]

@1000gohead how can you hate all Europeans? Some nations never ever enter wars or nothing like that

[@knowthetruth1492]

So who here was able to choose where they were born? Anyone? I rest my case.

[@Mrgruntastic]

lmfao

[@hmartinspliff]

The police don't fight anymore. I asked one of them if they wanted to fight me but I ended up getting tasered and convulsing on the floor, so I don't bother now.

[@zippybomb]

I wish there was a facepalm icon.

[@SEECH7cornishgrimemovement]

and you should fire your video editor hes terrible at lip syncing

[@17dumitru]

scary guys

[@jyothiprakashhk]

whole world is running behind, fight for 3 things... WEALTH, WOMEN, LAND....if people stop this we will have very peaceful and beautiful world....

[@MariusThePaladin]

lol

[@Ithil-00]

The second part of your post contradicts the first part. If the contractual terms of their conflicts were purely based on morality, then no one would be trying to cheat. BTW, Industrialized warfare also has rules.

[@heyheybp]

putting aside the fact that they're fighting for a very stupid reason, they've been fighting for so many years. It has never occurred to anyone of them to fight in a more organized way?

[@Shodanski1980]

I love these people mentality !!! Bring this to the west

[@AG-xc9yh]

Okay good idea lol 😂

[@fmishaan1]

sure i am, but i will be in their nayional museum as soon as they r in their 80s era XD

[@kaptenlemper]

Infinity Ward to release Pre-Modern Warfare, based on PNG tribal warfare.

[@Salvus967]

man, don't get mad... i just have no idea, i'm sorry if my questions are insulting to people, but i don't REALLY care that much cus people should get over it. if someone from the otherside of the world asked me a question about my skin or something i wouldn't get all offended by it. and yeah i do see the differences, i still have no idea why there are are so many different groups of different looking people on one island, i'm curious why... there is nothing wrong with asking.

[@zealotifier]

guy with the red cap, Lebron James.. Like if you see it :)

[@ResolvedGrayness]

they look like a bunch of kids playing in the grass

[@lauridspman]

@serzh123aaa This is one video....dude..i come from papua new guinea i go there every year. i think i would know if it is civilised or not.

[@bloodynachos]

@Juggernautishere its not the religion, its the people who interpret it the wrong way

[@79pensacola]

Let's face it, these people aren't exactly considered that bright.

[@zippybomb]

When have guns helped them at all? There are almost no large or medium game animals and shooting a tree kangaroo with an AK-47 is going to take of most of its meat.