Southern Highlands Province Research Articles

A Holocene sequence from Walufeni Cave, Southern Highlands Province, and its implications for the settlement of the Great Papuan Plateau, Papua New Guinea

This paper presents preliminary results from the 2019 excavations at Walufeni Cave, at the eastern end of the Great Papuan Plateau (GPP) in western Papua New Guinea. Preliminary dating and analysis of the unfinished excavations at Walufeni Cave span the Holocene and probably continue into the Late Pleistocene, confirming the presence of people on the Plateau from at least the Early Holocene and potentially much earlier. The data presented here offer a site-specific model of early intensive site use from at least 10,000 years ago, then ephemeral use, followed by a sustained Late Holocene occupation. Although there are significant changes in the quantity of material discard over time, there is little evidence for significant change in the subsistence base or technology, reflecting a degree of relative homogeneity until the Late Holocene, when we see the introduction of pig, a change of focus in the plant economy and the presence of marine shell from the southern coast.

Lukautim Yu Yet Gut (Take Good Care of Yourself): Moka Gomo Women Pursuing Health in Papua New Guinea

Drawing on ethnographic research and interviews with women in Imbonggu (Southern Highlands Province), this article explores contemporary cultural beliefs and health practices, including health-seeking experiences. We show that contrary to some expectations, women do believe in biomedicine and their cultural beliefs do not generally seem to prevent them from seeking medical care. We find that women aspire to ‘take good care’ of themselves, and repeatedly pursue medical treatment, even when a cure is elusive. Contemporary cultural values such as comfort, strength and freedom encourage women to use medical services and they rarely engage with healers categorised as traditional. Reproductive abandonment in Papua New Guinea includes failing to provide medical infrastructure, failing to recognise the structural and social origins of ill health, and making assumptions or generalisations about women’s health beliefs and behaviours. These conditions limit women’s ability to have healthy (re)productive lives.

Pigs in rites, rights in pigs: porcine values in the Papua New Guinea Highlands

This paper discusses the place of pigs in the mountains of Papua New Guinea, particularly in the Was valley of the Southern Highlands Province. After a brief introduction to the pigs of the region and their herding arrangements, it gives an ethnographic account of their use in various rites, notably those that feature curing, sorcery and cult activities. They prompt consideration of the relevance of concepts used to understand these ritual activities, whether they are offerings or sacrifices or something else particular to pigs in rites. The cults also include large pig kill festivals that have notable socio-political implications. These relate to rights in pigs and their ownership, which are complex issues that impinge on all of the foregoing activities.

Sensing the Acoustics of a New Guinea Rainforest

It was Edward Schieffelin who initiated very productive anthropological research among the Kaluli of Bosavi in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) between 1966 and 1968. In th...

Two New Frog Species of the Genus <i>Copiula</i> Mehely, 1901 (Anura, Microhylidae, Asterophryinae) from Southern Papua New Guinea

We describe two new species in the microhylid frog genus Copiula from Western Province, Southern Highlands Province, and Gulf Province in southern Papua New Guinea based on morphological and acoustic data. Both species are medium-sized (between 27 – 30 mm SVL), terrestrial frogs with a predominantly beige-colored dorsum and a yellow ventrum. They can be distinguished from each other and from all congeners by their distinct advertisement calls. In the first species calls are short bursts of 3 – 7 rapidly repeated yapping notes lasting 30 – 44 msec at a repetition rate of 11.6 – 16.5 notes/sec, and in the second species calls consist almost exclusively of two notes (occasionally one or three notes) lasting 50 – 91 msec and produced at a repetition rate of 7.1 – 11.3 notes/sec. Calls of the second species are usually uttered in long call series that may start with one or more, one-note calls before increasing to two notes, and occasionally to three notes/call late in the series. Descriptions of these two species brings the number of Copiula known from the New Guinea region to at least 12.

A public health program and others for about 10,000 villagers in the Kutubu area of Papua New Guinea (PNG)

The paper describes the health conditions in villages of the Kutubu area in the Southern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea from 1993 to 1995. A set of actions were planned aiming at improving the health status of people living in these villages as well as the efficiency of medical services provided to these communities through a public health program, which did not exist earlier. After two years, it was shown that the combination of an adequate action plan, appropriate human and financial resources can produce significant results and marked improvement health wise for a population in dire needs.

A mortality review of adult inpatients with tuberculosis in Mendi, Papua New Guinea.

Mendi Provincial Hospital, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG is a high burden country for tuberculosis (TB) and TB-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). TB is the second most common cause of death in PNG. To identify the number of adult inpatients with TB who died between 1 January 2015 and 30 August 2017; describe these patients' characteristics and identify contributing factors that could be modified. This was a retrospective case series review. Among 905 inpatients with TB during the study period, there were 90 deaths. The patients who died were older than those who survived (median age 40 years vs. 32 years, P = 0.011). The majority of patients who died lived less than 3 hours from the hospital (71%), were diagnosed after admission (79%) and were clinically diagnosed (77%). HIV status was not known in 50% of the deaths. Of patients with a known status, 27% (12/45) were HIV-positive. The median symptom duration prior to presentation was 28 days, with females presenting later than males (84 vs. 28 days, P = 0.008). This study highlights areas where community and hospital-based management of TB could be improved to potentially reduce TB mortality, including earlier detection and treatment, improved bacteriological diagnosis and increased HIV testing.

A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from central New Guinea.

We describe a new species of bent-toed gecko in the genus Cyrtodactylus from hill forest in Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. Cyrtodactylus manos sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners in New Guinea by its small size in combination with aspects of colouration and body and tail scalation. The new species adds to the growing number of vertebrate species known only from karstic mountains along the southern edge of New Guinea's Central Cordillera, suggesting that this region holds previously overlooked endemic karst-associated biota.

Stratigraphy, age and correlation of two widespread Late Holocene tephras preserved within Lake Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACTSediment cores were retrieved from Lake Kutubu, the largest upland lake in Papua New Guinea, to assess palaeoenvironmental baselines. Two prominent tephra layers were encountered within the cores. Using a combination of core stratigraphy, sediment properties and geochemical characterization (electron microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled‐plasma mass spectrometry techniques) we were able to correlate these tephras with Tibito and Olgaboli tephras, both previously described at adjacent distal localities. Glass shard compositional data of Tibito tephra from Lake Kutubu, Kuk swamp and from proximal volcaniclastic successions from Long Island are indistinguishable and this similarity strongly supports Long Island as the eruptive source. For Olgaboli tephra, the location of its eruptive source is less certain but the glass shard compositional data indicate a Karkar Island source. The occurrence of Tibito and Olgaboli tephras in Lake Kubutu sediments extends their known distributions further south‐west into the southern Highlands region and affirms their importance as inter‐regional stratigraphic markers, of late Holocene age, that have considerable potential for use in future palaeoenvironmental, archaeological and volcanic hazard and/or impact studies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

‘Good culture, bad culture’: polygyny, cultural change and structural drivers of HIV in Papua New Guinea

Culture is often problematised as a key structural driver of HIV transmission in Papua New Guinea. Official HIV programmes, as well as church teachings, tend to focus on customary marital practices of polygyny and bride price payments as ‘harmful traditions’. This focus can oversimplify the effects of current and historical nuances of cultural, political and economic change on sexual concurrency and gender inequality. Community-based healthcare workers in Southern Highlands Province explain that customary marital practices are now highly reconfigured from their traditional forms. A recent mining boom has financially advantaged local and travelling men, who are driving an increase of sexual concurrency, transactional sex and inflation of bride price payments. Healthcare workers suggest that the erosion of important social relationships and kinship obligations by the expanding cash economy has caused an intensification of individual male power while enhancing the vulnerability of women. Yet without the means to challenge the effects of uneven economic development, healthcare workers are left to target ‘culture’ as the central influence on individual behaviours. A commitment to address structural inequality by political leadership and in HIV prevention programmes and a careful contextualisation of cultural change is needed.

The Epidemiology of Malaria in Kutubu, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, before and during a Private Sector Initiative for Malaria Control.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a significant malaria burden, is resource constrained, and has isolated populations with limited access to health services. Home-based management is a key element of the national program that supports strategies of early detection, diagnosis and treatment. We describe the epidemiology of malaria near Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands Province through reported data on suspected and confirmed malaria in patients accessing public health facilities or using a novel, incentivised, social marketing approach for malaria treatment at the village level. Monthly case data reported by nine health facilities and 14 village-based providers, known as Marasin Stoa Kipas (MSK), were extracted from outpatient registers and MSK malaria case forms. Descriptive statistics of diagnostic use, monthly incidence, test positivity rate and species distribution were estimated. Summary statistics of service delivery demonstrate patient access and diagnostic coverage in program areas. From May 2005 to September 2013, 15,726 individuals were tested with either rapid diagnostic test and/or microscopy at health facilities, and 42% had a positive result for malaria (n = 6604); of these 67.1% (n = 4431) were positive for P. falciparum (alone or mixed) and 32.9% were positive for non-P. falciparum species (alone or mixed). From October 2007 to September 2013, 9687 individuals were tested with either RDT and/or microscopy at MSK sites and 44.2% (n = 4283) tested positive for malaria; of these, 65.3% (n = 2796) were positive for P. falciparum, while 34.7% (n = 1487) were positive for non-P. falciparum species. Up to April 2010 there was an intermittent and upward trend in the reported incidence of all species of confirmed malaria, reaching 50 per 1000 population per month for both sites combined, followed by a steady decline to four per 1000 population per month in 2013, with P. vivax the most common infection. This study is the most recent longitudinal overview of malaria in the Southern Highlands since 2003. It outlines patient access to a community-based model of care. The analysis shows changes in health facility versus MSK use, a strongly decreasing trend in incidence of confirmed malaria from 2010 to 2013, and a shift from predominantly P. falciparum to P. vivax infection.

Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pygiopsyllomorpha) of Papua New Guinea and Papua Province (Indonesia). Part IV.Rectidigitus(Stivaliidae: Stivaliinae), Description of Four New Species

ABSTRACT The flea genus Rectidigitus Holland, 1969, endemic to Papua New Guinea and Papua Province, Indonesia is reviewed as a continuation of the study of fleas in the Robert Traub flea collection deposited in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This paper (Part IV) is an extension of previous studies by Hastriter (2012), Hastriter and Easton (2013, Part I, Striopsylla), Hastriter (2014, Part II, Nestivalius, Orthopsylloides, and Parastivalius), and Hastriter (2015, Part III, Traubia). Rectidigitus currently contains four valid species (Mardon 1981): R. ancisus (Jordan, 1937), R. spooneri (M. Rothschild, 1934), R. szentivanyi Holland, 1969, and R. traubi Holland, 1969. The male of R. ancisus is described for the first time and the previously known distribution of this species is expanded from Morobe Province to Southern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces. An additional four new species of Rectidigitus are described herein (R. angularis, R. claviculatus, R. dittmarae, ...

Women, mobile phones, and M16s: Contemporary New Guinea highlands warfare

This paper reports upon a series of recent developments in New Guinea highlands warfare. Building upon existing literature highlighting the deep influence of modernity within this context, we draw attention to two particular developments yet to be reported in the literature and which appear to be of special significance. Through an analysis of Aiya warfare, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, we document the direct and increasing involvement of women within warfare, as well as the important role played by mobile phones used by warriors to communicate before and during fighting. These two developments are situated in relation to broader shifts currently reshaping Melanesian sociality, namely, the ambivalent and fraught position of women within an emergent PNG society, as well as the rapid diffusion of mobile phone technology throughout the region.

A new species of Choerophryne (Anura, Microhylidae) from the central cordillera of Papua New Guinea.

We describe a new species of very small microhylid frog in the genus Choerophryne from the upper Strickland River area, Western and Southern Highlands Provinces, Papua New Guinea. Choerophryne gracilirostris sp. nov. can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: small size (SUL 13.5-14.7 mm), moderately long and narrow snout, first finger without expanded disk and advertisement call consisting of 3-5 distinctly pulsed notes repeated in long sequences. Males in the type series were calling from within leaf litter in primary hill rainforest (213-1368 m a.s.l.). The new species is the third Choerophryne known from the southern side of New Guinea's central cordillera. Measurements of a juvenile specimen (rare because most Choerophryne collected are calling males) demonstrate that the distinctive rostral projection of this genus exhibits pronounced positive allometry.

Udział Kościoła katolickiego we wprowadzaniu pokoju pomiędzy plemionami prowincji Southern Highlands w diecezji Mendi w Papui-Nowej Gwinei

The author describes several social and peace-making initiatives which were undertaken in the last decades by the Catholic organizations active within the diocese of Mendi in Papua New Guinea. The country gained independence in 1975, but remained culturally diversified. The basic identity for most of the citizens is still related to the tribal level. Political conflicts, corruption, abuse of alcohol and narcotics resulted in the past decades in several outbursts of violence among tribes of the Southern Highlands Province. Since the central government was unable to answer this challenge, the Catholic organizations of the Mendi diocese became very much involved in the peace-making process and other social initiatives. Activities of two Catholic organizations are described in more detail, namely the Diocesan Development Secretariat and the Justice and Peace Group , which have succeeded in mediations among several tribes.

Male involvement in sexual and reproductive health in the Mendi district, Southern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea: a descriptive study

BackgroundLack of male involvement and support for sexual and reproductive health services is seen by many Papua New Guinean women as a barrier to accessing services. Poor utilization of services by both men and women is reflected in high maternal mortality and high rates of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections in the Southern Highlands Province. It is therefore important to understand the type of services provided, men’s perceptions of these services and the Health Sector’s capacity to involve men in its programs.MethodsInformation from interviews of married men, officers in charge of health facilities, and information from a focus group discussion with village leaders was collected to assess possible constraints to reproductive and sexual health care delivery.ResultsAlthough many men had heard about antenatal care, supervised births, family planning and sexually transmitted infections including, HIV/AIDS, many were unaware of their importance and of the types of services provided to address these issues. There was a very strong association between men’s literacy and their knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) issues, their discussion of these issues with their wives and their wives’ utilisation of sexual and reproductive health services. Some men considered SRH services to be important but gave priority to social obligations. Although men made most decisions for sexual and reproductive issues, pregnancy, child birth and rearing of children were regarded as women’s responsibilities. Knowledge of HIV/AIDS appeared to have changed sexual behaviour in some men. Services for men in this rural setting were inadequate and service providers lacked the capacity to involve men in reproductive health issues.ConclusionPoor knowledge, socio-cultural factors and inadequate and inappropriate services for men hampered utilization of services and impaired support for their wives’ service utilization. Programmatic and policy initiatives should focus on improving service delivery to accommodate men in sexual and reproductive health.

Tumbi Landslide, Papua New Guinea: rainfall induced?

On 24 January 2012, a fatal landslide with an estimated volume of 3 Mm3 hit villagers and infrastructure in the Tagali Valley, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Although a moderate event by PNG standards, the associated human casualties and infrastructure destruction give a human as well as a scientific need to review the potential causes for the event. PNG experiences numerous landslides annually, most of which are trigged either by rainfall events or seismic activity. Here, we review the short-term rainfall patterns leading up to the slope failure at Tumbi Quarry and compare the rainfall accumulations obtained over durations of 30, 60 and 90 days prior to the landslide, with comparable rainfall accumulations obtained for other failures observed in PNG over a 12-year period. Additionally, a review of long-term rainfall over a period of 6 months prior to the failure is completed as well as an assessment of seismic activity. Based on our analysis, we believe a seismic trigger to be very unlikely, while the increase in rainfall in the 2 weeks prior to the failure in conjunction with a high-intensity rainfall event at the end of October 2011 could have had a greater influence in enhancing rather than restraining slope failure. This, in addition to natural denudational processes, geological structure and the anthropogenic activity in the vicinity of the landslide, could all have served to affect slope stability.

Oil Extraction, Socio-Economic Impacts and Indigenous Peoples: The case of the Lake Kutubu people of Papua New Guinea

This paper is a condensed version of a study (Imbun & Mondu, 2011) that was carried out on the Indigenous Lake Kutubu people of the Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea. They hosted the Kutubu Petroleum Project and lived along the margins of Lake Kutubu. Their socio-economic and natural environments had been seen as an integral component of ongoing oil project operations. Despite two decades of oil operations, the Lake Kutubu people harboured the view that their lives had never progressed from their subsistence existence. Their thoughts of development had often been unclear to themselves and to others, but one thing was clear: they had not effectively taken advantage of the oil project to maximize its social and economic benefits. That was despite the existence of many project benefits that went to them. However, they blamed the oil operations, employees, and migrants for their marginalization and bearing the brunt of the social costs. The study discussed these perceptions and other development issues in the context of examining the project's socio-economic impact on the local Lake Kutubu community. It concluded that the oil company needed to do more in order to appease and satisfy a demanding and sometimes restless local community.

Melanesia’s violent environments: Towards a political ecology of conflict in the western Pacific

This paper draws upon Michael Watts’s work on governable spaces and “economies of violence” in the Niger Delta (2004a,b,c) and Colin Filer’s concept of the “ideology of landownership” in Papua New Guinea (1997) to explore how resource capitalism has been at the heart of violent conflict in post-colonial Melanesia. This schema of the political ecology of violence is elucidated with reference to three governable spaces – landownership, indigeneity, and nationalism; four different resource–industrial complexes – mining, oil and gas, logging, and oil palm; and the region’s three most serious conflicts to date – the Bougainville conflict, the Solomon Islands ‘ethnic tension’, and on-going violence in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, particularly in Enga and Southern Highlands provinces. It is argued that in each of these places the story of violent conflict is ineluctably one of resource capitalism and its engagement with local socio-political contexts. In sharp contrast to the resource determinism, state-centrism and ahistoricism of much of the ‘resource conflict’ literature, attention to governmentality and scale highlights the highly contextual and contingent nature of resource-related violence in Melanesia. The diverse experiences of different regulatory approaches to the encounters between resource complexes and governable spaces across time and space are also examined, giving rise to policy implications for governing resource conflict in Melanesia.

Two new species of Callulops (Anura: Microhylidae) from montane forests in New Guinea

Two new species of microhylid frogs assigned to the genus Callulops are described from the mountains of New Guinea.Callulops fojaensis sp. nov. is known only from mid-montane forest in the Foja Mountains of Papua Province, IndonesianNew Guinea, and can be distinguished from congeners by the combination of moderate size, short limbs, slightly expandedfinger and toe discs, and uniform brown dorsal and lateral colouration. Callulops mediodiscus sp. nov. is known from asingle site in mid-montane forest in Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea, and can be distinguished from allcongeners by its wide finger and toe discs, moderate size and short advertisement call. Description of these two new frogspecies brings the number of Callulops known to 18, of which at least nine are only known from montane regions (>1000 m above sea level).