This article compares distinctive uses of wealth items among Grand Valley Dani, Dani, and Me, largest ethnic groups in West Papua. The time period covered is primarily from first contact with Europeans to early 1970s. (Wealth items, inalienability, ancestor cult, exchange) ********** The Highlands of West Papua extend from Grand Valley of Baliem to western tip of Central Highlands (see map). The area coincides with Western of Highlands as identified by Hyndman and Morren (1990). They define sphere as a potentially expansive, segmentary, reticulated mosaic of local groups that, notwithstanding observable ethnolinguistic diversity, share common tradition and are strongly influenced by one or more core populations at historic-geographic centre of their region (Hyndman and Morren 1990:10). Hyndman and Morren (1990:13) distinguish three such spheres in Central Highlands: Eastern, Central, and Western. The Eastern Sphere centers a chain of eight valleys from Arona-Aiyura to Tari-Koroba; Central the Sepik Source Basin and Sibil valley; and centers on Baliem valley and Paniai Lakes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A number of ethnic groups, well represented in ethnographic studies, reside in Highlands of West Papua. Best known are Grand Valley Dani, Dani, and Me. The Grand Valley is located in lower reaches of Baliem River where it flows southeast through wide valley with relatively flat floor before it leaves Highlands via Baliem Gorge (see map). The habitat of Grand Valley Dani is formed by floor, slopes of valley, and its tributary valleys. The habitat of Dani centers valleys of North Baliem, Boko, north of Grand Valley, Toli, Yamo, and Ila rivers. They occupy entire middle section of Highlands north and west of Grand Valley. In recent past they pushed further west. As result, valleys of Ila, upper Kema, Nogolo, and Dora have an ethnically mixed population of Dani, Damal, Moni, and some smaller groups. The habitat of Me runs from middle reaches of Kema to westernmost tip of Highlands. Most Me live around Paniai, Tigi, and Tage lakes, and in valley of Edege River and its tributaries. The Grand Valley Dani, Dani, and Me are by far largest Highlands groups, and are focus of this article. THE ETHNOGRAPHIC RECORD The establishment of colonial rule in West Papua Highlands started in late 1930s in Paniai Lakes area. The extension of colonial control was interrupted by World War II. Missionaries and administrative officers settled in Dani areas in 1950s, in 1954 in Grand Valley, and in 1956 among Dani (Hayward 1980:124), and missionaries of various denominations have remained active. In 1963, Indonesian government took over administration of area, and when highlanders appeared to resist it, they were dealt, to all appearances, extremely harsh measures (Defert 1996:ch. 12; Meiselas 2003:142-44). Ethnographic coverage of this incorporation is understandably slight. The Me have been studied by Pospisil (1958, 1963, 1978, 1989), who referred to people as Kapauku, more recently by Hylkema, Franciscan missionary and self-taught ethnographer, and by Giay (1995), himself Me. Giay is one of proponents of name Me rather than Kapauku or Ekagi (Ekari), names still in use. At his death in 1998, Hylkema left behind many monographs and writings in draft, based his association with Me that lasted from 1969 to 1994. I am editing and introducing two incomplete manuscripts that he worked shortly before his death (Hylkema n.d.a and n.d.b). In addition, there is ethnographic material about Me by administrative officers de Bruijn and Dubbeldam, botanist Eyma, and medical officers van der Hoeven and Boelen. …