New tribe found in Irian

JAKARTA (JP): Local officials revealed they have found a hidden tribe in the thick jungles of Irian Jaya.

Paniai regency spokesperson Wirda Panai said in Jayapura yesterday the tribe was found living in a small village in the vicinity of the Homeo district in the central region of the province.

Wirda was quoted by Antara as saying that many of the words in the tribe's language resemble Japanese expressions. Wirda believes the tribe could be descendants of Japanese soldiers stationed in Irian Jaya during World War II.

Numbering around 90 people, the tribe is very friendly. Tribespeople welcome their guests with a passionate hug as a form of greeting.

Apart from the distinctiveness of their language, the tribe's attire is also unique in that it is made of bark.

Wirda explained that the tribe was first discovered by a team of surveyors from mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia in October.

The seclusion of the tribe has been protected by the difficult terrain of Irian Jaya. It takes at least 45 minutes by helicopter from Nabire, the main city in Paniai, to the location of the tribe.

The news agency cited some samples of the tribe's expression which Wirda said resembled to Japanese words. However, two Japanese contacted by The Jakarta Post said they did not understand any of it. (mds)