Yali People

The Yali people live in the Jayawijaya mountain range of West Papua. This is stunningly rugged terrain, with rivers carving narrow gorges and steep-sided valleys. As a result of the spectacular and mountainous landscape, the Yali People did not come into contact with the modern world until the 1960's and 70's when the missionaries began penetrating these remote regions.

Yali settlements are usually located on ridge-tops, where they were established in a time when war between the tribes made high vantage points necessary for defense. The tribe members live in round huts build from cut planks and roofs made of pandan leaves. Women and men live separately. Women have their own houses, and men live in community houses (honai).

Like many isolated peoples, the Yali have maintained a fascinating and wonderful lifestyle. They are a subsistence people, hunting from the surrounding rainforests, harvesting sweet potato and other crops on the steep slopes of their homeland. The Yali also raise pigs, which have a central function in religious and communal life.