1976 Tribe on Papua New Guinea meets white man for the first time. BEST VIDEO IVE SEEN IN A LONG TIM

reply to post by SaturnFX

This tiny group, from a wider tribe, went to see what was happening on their territory.
It's not the same as going to somebody else's land out of curiosity - it's defending what is your home.

New Guinea doesn't have a large white population.
Most of the colonialism takes place internally, by essentially black New Guineans, most of whom are long "civilized".
So they had heard of white people, and they were obviously contacted by the guides from their neighbors, who told them no harm was intended (I think that was actually shown in the original film).
But still, it was already on their doorstep.
It is easy to say that they could have fled into the forest.
But the forest is limited, and not all of it provides food, so they have to protect their territory.

Tribal poverty levels are important, because these groups are surrounded by cash economies, and the forest will not protect them forever.

Whether the contact was in 1976 or after 1993, I doubt they still dress or live entirely as they did when this footage was shot.

Many such tribes reside outside influence for as long as possible, and then split between traditionalists and modernists.
But ultimately they will settle in towns and take on farming or become migrant labor, just like all the other tribes have done.

But some groups that have been contacted and then flee from it can be amazingly resistant.
Take the Hourani (Auca) in the Amazonian Oriente.
Most of the tribe has been contacted by US missionaries, but one group continues to reject all contact, and they are not afraid to kill intruders.
And good for them.
They call them "uncontacted", but they know of the outside world, they just refuse to engage with it.

Imagine what an unacquainted aborigine tribe would do today if they were to meet westerners for the
first time. Today's technology is so much more advanced and sublime than the 1970s technology shown in the video. The unconversant aborigines would certainly think we were gods; even though that may be what they already thought of of the westerners in the video.

reply to post by SaturnFX


Like, you there’s more to me than just American Indian. I have other parts as well; however, I was making a point.

I was relating to the fact that these are/were “indigenous” peoples. I think most of us are aware there are many, many peoples who have been wiped out by tribes of varying colors, creeds, races. It’s sad, very sad. And it will continue to be tragic.

White people did suck, some still do. As do any race of individuals who want to control and occupy others. I’m white, and in addition to being from the heritage of American Indian, I’m Dutch, I’m Scottish and I’m English. But I’m a human first. The fact that some peoples believed they can rule others is archaic. The fact that some peoples still believe they can rule others is an atrocity and just plain ludicrous, but that’s the way it was and still continues.

So, you see, we are in more of an agreement than not. And your points are well taken.

So, I still say if we do not learn to love each other and accept each other and embrace our differences, the “humans” of us will not survive, only those people who conquer trough violence and hate will, and what a depressing and grim life for them to then live.

peace

The white Americans did cause problems when they arrived but not all of them due to the fact that many native Americans were just as bad.The native Americans already knew about white men anyway and weren't like this tribe in behaviour.

Damn awesome video and thanks for sharing.

I did see this video a while back on TV, Discovery Channel or Nat Geo or something. There wasn't the back ground music and the narrator was explaining what was going on. Here's some of the details I remember:
1. The tribesmen didn't like the rice at first. But after the white guy put salt on it, they ate it up. Hitting the head was a sign to everyone else that it was good.
2. The white guy got them to say their words for things like "tree" and "water". He wrote them phonetically and would later repeat them. They were amazed by his writing and reading back the words.

best video ever
thank you op
i really wonder what were the consequences of this encounter and how they are living now

Excellent video......well worth a watch

I wonder if GSK/Pfizer have got the fingerprints of these people and stole their land yet???
Theres plenty of money to be made from a place like this....id be VERY surprised if big pharma hasnt took ownership of this land.

I wonder if they are paying tax yet too lol

You have got to love our western values pmsl

This video touched me in so many ways I don't really comprehend. Thank so so much for posting this.

Originally posted by aureusleo8
Imagine what an unacquainted aborigine tribe would do today if they were to meet westerners for the
first time. Today's technology is so much more advanced and sublime than the 1970s technology shown in the video. The unconversant aborigines would certainly think we were gods; even though that may be what they already thought of of the westerners in the video.

While I don't agree that aboriginal peoples regarded whites as gods - perhaps more often as ghosts or "people from heaven" (aliens), I do think that some Western people would like to believe that canard, and that's why they feel they must go to uncontacted tribes, so that they can misinterpret their distressed amazement as "worship".

reply to post by blair56


You have a source by any chance? Are you sure it's the same tribe?

Originally posted by SaturnFX

Dunno if this quote is for real, but this really made me sad. It becomes obvious to me at least what the true disease of the world is...black man culture and religion, sorry to say but true.

racist comment is racist comment.

You don't know the validity of the comment, yet you used it as an excuse to slam an entire ethnic group of people...

incidently, I switched a word for you...guess which one it is

I am not slamming an entire ethnic group of people, only the culture that has been brought along with them. It's not racist it's an observation. Materialism and Monotheism come hand and hand whenever the white man arrives into natives' land. It's not racist if it's supported by history, sorry if truth hurts your sensitivities.

Also the validity of the comment does not change whether or not the comment I made was any less true, again truth is supported by examples, regardless whether this is one case is or isn't.

Originally posted by Pointofview
This video touched me in so many ways I don't really comprehend. Thank so so much for posting this.

edit on 23/6/11 by Pointofview because: (no reason given)

I'm glad the majority of you enjoyed this as much as I did. I enjoyed reading all of your responses and different points of view, even the negative ones.
I'm going to forward this to all of my friends and family right now, I'm sure they will enjoy it too!

reply to post by jude11


I would think that even in a tribe that has had no western influence would be comforted "slightly" by showing that the hand contains no weapons. That is, after all, how the handshake started with us.

What a truly amazing video.

I tend to often see humanity through eyes of slight disdain. I think part of it is conditioning, and part is... just general disappointment at the way we behave much of the time.

But watching this... I see the basis of what I think and hope humanity really is - Strong, caring, curious, gentle and full of wonderment. It brought a lot of happy tears.

Thanks so much for the video, op!

After the video they forgot the part where the white man then comes over in the boat loads to takes away land from the tribal people and take all of the tribal peoples resources then conquered all of the people.

This made me wonder about our perception of magic vs. technology. These people seeing a mirror for the first time were shocked, it was as if they had seen something other-worldly (well to them it was).

It made me think, are our views on "supernatural" events quite silly to more advanced civilizations? Is the technology they present so heightened that we simply cannot grasp as that, technology?

Some people say we are different races from different planets bought together here on earth, usually I dont agree, but after watching this video it kind of makes me wonder.

Originally posted by Chewingonmushrooms
I am not slamming an entire ethnic group of people, only the culture that has been brought along with them. It's not racist it's an observation. Materialism and Monotheism come hand and hand whenever the white man arrives into natives' land. It's not racist if it's supported by history, sorry if truth hurts your sensitivities.

Also the validity of the comment does not change whether or not the comment I made was any less true, again truth is supported by examples, regardless whether this is one case is or isn't.

edit on 23-6-2011 by Chewingonmushrooms because: (no reason given)

edit on 23-6-2011 by Chewingonmushrooms because: (no reason given)

Ahh, but you are slamming

1) what is the white culture? Is it russian? english? german? perhaps italian?
White culture is as diverse as any other ethnic group...you think a deep jungle congo african tribe has the same culture as say, Zimbabwae or egypt?
What "culture" your discussing is not the white man's enjoyment of potato's, or metalworks...the destroyer of such tribes and cultures has always been lead by missionarys

and thats religion...

2) Religion then...but which religion?
Well, Jesus, Moses, nor Mohammed wandered around france...it all came from the middle east..from the area around jerusalem...so, arguably the most destructive force has always been when middle eastern cultures expand west and take over. white man has been a victim just as much as anyone else from these strange desert people beliefs...don't believe me? consider all the unique pagan beliefs held in the various cultures of europe...did they all get along? hell no...but then christianity spread like wildfire and entire civilizations were slaughtered by this middle eastern religion, adopted by the romans, and anniliated right to the edge of the world...then spread out to other lands and the new world..

So, if you consider it, your problem is not with the white culture of art and such, but in middle eastern and jewish culture ransacking the world.

You simply state white culture...well, if a black man learns christianity and kills or corrupts because of it, is that suddenly black culture? if a white person in america today learns islam and blows something up, is that white culture?

Anyhow, I guess it could be settled as simply civilization verses tribal life...or just your typical destruction by religion

Originally posted by canselmi
I did see this video a while back on TV, Discovery Channel or Nat Geo or something. There wasn't the back ground music and the narrator was explaining what was going on. Here's some of the details I remember:
1. The tribesmen didn't like the rice at first. But after the white guy put salt on it, they ate it up. Hitting the head was a sign to everyone else that it was good.
2. The white guy got them to say their words for things like "tree" and "water". He wrote them phonetically and would later repeat them. They were amazed by his writing and reading back the words.

I'm so glad somebody else saw it too!
Yes, and it did have a totally different feel.

They should have given them an iPad and left. Their civilization would be destroyed in 3 days.