By the early 1950s, through administration and mission pressures, open cannibalism had almost entirely ceased.Ī number of Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailing in the South Pacific in the early 16th century were probably the first Europeans to sight Papua New Guinea. In the past, headhunting and cannibalism occurred in many parts of what is now named Papua New Guinea. It largely supplanted the previous staple, taro, and gave rise to a significant increase in population in the highlands. Some 300 years ago, the sweet potato entered New Guinea with its far higher crop yields, transforming traditional agriculture. A major migration of Austronesia speaking peoples came to our coastal regions roughly 2,500 years ago, along with the introduction of pottery, pigs, and certain fishing techniques. New Guinea (as it used to be known), one of the first landmasses after Africa and Eurasia to be populated by modern humans, had its first migration at about the same time as Australia, placing us alongside one of the oldest continuous cultures on the planet.Īgriculture was independently developed in the New Guinea highlands around 7,000 BC, making it one of the few areas of original plant domestication in the world. Our ancient inhabitants are believed to have arrived in Papua New Guinea about 50-60,000 years ago from Southeast Asia during an Ice Age period when the sea was lower and distances between islands was shorter. Learn about the history of Papua New Guinea, including our ancestry, colonial settlers, WWII and our political history since Independence in 1975.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |