Rare footage of a tribal battle in 1961

[Basman]

This battle took place in West Papua in 1964. It's part of the movie Dead Birds by Robert Gardner, which is about the Hubula people in Niew Guinea (now Indonesia).

This kind of fighting was already outdated back in the Mesopotamia days of the Sumerian civilization, 4000-6000 years ago. It doesn't get any more primitive than this. Literally just sticks and stones. It's so inefficient that the actual battle is mostly just a bunch of chest beating and hollering and Westerners can calmly record the whole affair from  a safe distance. They can hardly wound each other.

It is also surprisingly formal, with agreed upon breaks during the battle and when and where it should take place.

Quote

When a warrior was killed in battle or died from a wound and even when a woman or a child lost their life in an enemy raid, the victors celebrated and the victims mourned. Because each death had to be avenged, the balance was continually being adjusted with the spirits of the aggrieved lifted and the ghosts of slain comrades satisfied as soon as a compensating enemy life was taken. There was no thought in the Dani world of wars ever ending, unless it rained or became dark. Without war there would be no way to satisfy the ghosts. Wars were also the best way they knew to keep a terrible harmony in a life which would be, without the strife they invented, mostly hard and dull.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI4uirwxx1Y

(The video can't be embedded because YT is a skunk)

Edited May 21 by Basman

[Basman]

These kind of frequent battles seem to be a cultural cornerstone, enabled by the relative inefficiency of how they fight. Fighting like they do allows them some reprieve from an otherwise harsh life and have some purpose, bit like an annual festival.

If any one side became more proficient and smashed the stalemate, this "war culture" would immediately shatter.