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INDIGEOUS (NATIVE) PEOPLE

Papua
Most of the people of Papua are Melanesians. Almost 90 percent of the population of Papua's cities come from other parts of Indonesia. This is due to the Indonesian government's policy of transmigration-moving people from densely populated areas, such as Java, to less populated islands. Christianity and Islam are the main religions in Papua, although many villagers follow the traditional religion of spirit and ancestor worship. There are more than 300 tribal groups in Papua, each with its own language and traditions. Some languages are spoken by as few as 50 people. Most of the inhabitants of the mountainous interior live in remote villages. Their way of life remains unaffected by the outside world. They grow sweet potatoes as their main food and raise hogs for meat. Many people in the lowland coastal regions also live in small villages. They survive on fishing, hunting, and collecting sago, a starch that comes from palm trees.