Per, Agats, West New Guinea, Indonesia

Today we arrived at the Indonesian part of New Guinea. The coastal land is a swampy landscape with little fertile soil and rainforest. It's nearly impossible to grow agricultural products, and the diet is primarily based on fishing. The population is known for its cannibalism, which is said to have ended in the 1960s; however, this is partially disputed. Additionally, the villages here possess a very primitive art style, created exclusively with tools reminiscent of the Stone Age. As such, the items are quite rough.

Since everything is regularly flooded by the sea or heavy rainfall, all buildings are elevated on stilts. Notably, there is waste scattered everywhere around the houses. The toilets and washing facilities are separate, but the wastewater simply runs onto the ground.

We were lucky. After experiencing two days of bad weather with an incredible amount of rain at sea, today we had only a few droplets and regular sunshine.

The ship had to stop about 15 nautical miles off the coast (we are not anchoring, the ship remains stationary using engine power). This means we had to travel about an hour in the Zodiacs to reach the village. We were already welcomed by nearly 100 war canoes from the locals in open waters. They circled us with spears and a lot of noise, guiding us up the river to the village of Per.

In Peer, there were performances, and three ancestor figures were erected to restore the balance between the worlds of the living, the deceased in transition, and the truly dead.

Then we could explore the village. There are two shops selling packaged goods such as chips, chewing gum, bouillon, etc. Additionally, there is a church with a steeple. The Catholic church in the picture was relatively newly replaced.

The locals are friendly, and our visit is a big event. Only two cruise ships come here each year, both from Seabourn. The locals sell local art and souvenirs, but they are still not very experienced. Many items are large, some measuring several meters in length, and while they have been purchased occasionally, this is likely by passengers who live in Australia and can bring the items home without flying.