Kaure in Indonesia

Introduction / History

Because their homeland is hilly and swampy with trees the Kaure people are farmers, hunters, and gatherers. At an altitude of 200-850 meters above sea level the Kaure people can best be accessed by bus or other vehicle. There is a road into Kaure territory from Jayapura.

The government housing center near the main airstrip was closed in 1973 because of rebel activity. Traditionally the women dance (akelik wakela) around men who are also dancing (opi wakela) and holding bows and arrows. Marriage customs dictate that children must marry outside both parents' clan by paying a bride price. A church service funeral is often followed by a meal served in front of one of the village homes. Many Kaure people believe the spirit of a dead person lingers around the village.

There is 1 junior high school in the language area and no high schools. There are already a few books in the Kaure language.

Women's main tasks consist of preparing sago, getting water and firewood, washing, and caring for their young. Most Kaure people wear modern clothing and eat sago, fruits and vegetables, as well as pig, bird, and deer. The Kaure people are known to make decorative drawings on their arrows, but some have modern equipment such as a TV, radio, and tape recorder. The government supplied aluminum for housing but some of the people prefer homes of sago roofs and palm-stem walls. The people identify themselves by clan. The leaders are often the oldest clan member or village head. Malaria, lung infections, and skin diseases are common in the area. The Kaure people have no gospel cassettes, films, or videos in their language. An overwhelming majority of the Christians belong to the Evangelical Christian Church in Irian Jaya, but there are also some adherents of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Kaure are sometimes known as the Kaureh people, but they prefer to be called Kaure. Both Indonesian and Kaure is used at church. Kaure is also considered a trade language.

Text Source:   GMI Papua