Images of the Korowai!

I love this question. It is something anthropology really tries to answer; are we really all that different, when we compare cultural structures? And how do we appreciate diversity and live in harmony? There are no easy answers, but anthropologists in applied anthropology are have created interesting ideas on the subject.

This is a girl in the tribes. The tribes are patriarchal, and culturally nudity is the norm.

The Korowai are the first declared 'tree dwellers' in modernity. They live in trees to keep safe from other people, and animals. It gives them a better view of their surroundings. The elderly, children, and pregnant woman are expected to climb up and down, regardless of handicap.

This shows some of the beautiful nature they inhabit.

This video is really great! I sugggest that everyone watches it- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea5aoOJ5bJo

According to a BCC online article, “West Papua is an Indonesian province. The Korowai tribe live in a remote place which is constantly hot and humid. They have adapted perfectly to their environment and they choose to build their houses high up in the jungle canopy. This tribe display great resourcefulness as all the materials they use to build their treehouses are found in and around the surrounding jungle. This fantastic towering piece of architecture is a perfect illustration of the Korowai’s incredible knowledge, skill and ingenuity. Demonstrating their unique ability in adapting to a demanding jungle environment.”

Anthropology demands the open-mindedness with which one must look and listen, record in astonishment and wonder that which one would not have been able to guess. - Margaret Mead