Division of Labor

The division of labor for the Korowai is similar to most native groups. The males are responsible for hunting large game and smaller game can be caught by younger boys.  Little children hunt very small animals by using arrows made of sago leaf ribs (Kailon). Rearing pigs and food collection are the responsibility of adult females.  Gardening is done by both men and woman; the heavier work is dont by the men and the lighter work is done by women.  Other activities shared by both sexes consist of cutting firewood and fishing.  The men are responsible for the planting of young sago sprouts. They also do the heavy work of cutting and splitting full-grown sago trees; chiseling and pounding the starch from the inside are done by the women. Women are expected to process the final product, a procedure in which the flour is separated from the washing water through a structure built from the woody shafts of sago leaves. Tree house construction is also a cooperative endeavor done by both sexes. Public religious activities such as the performance of pig sacrifices are reserved for males.


Source:
Gerrit Van Enk
2002 Encyclopedia of World Cultures Supplement.Electronic Document.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3458100056.html