Although there is considerable variety of racial type, the inhabitants of New Guinea belong almost entirely to the ulotrichous (frizzy-haired) branch of mankind. The princi pal varieties are the Negritoes, the Papuans and the Melanesians. The only typical Negritoes that have been found in New Guinea are the Tapiro at the source of the Mimika river in the Snow mountains of Dutch New Guinea, and the Pesechem. The Mafulu, the Kai and some others have probably a Negrito element.
The Papuan, the dominant stock in New Guinea, is dark, of short stature and generally long-headed. Evidently, Papuan man occupied not only New Guinea, but also Melanesia in very early times (see OCEANIA; Racial History), later migrations from Indonesia having on the whole less racial than cultural effects. The Melanesian element in New Guinea is certainly comparatively recent, and appears to be a mixture of Papuan with Indonesian and proto-Malay, a mixture which may in part have taken place in Indonesia. The Melanesian influence is strongest in the north and north-eastern coastal regions; and on the south-east coast of Papua the immigrant nature of this Melanesian type is clear.
Taking the whole New Guinea area, and working from west to east, some of the principal culture-areas (or tribes where these exist) may be enumerated. Belonging to New Guinea rather than Australia we have the islands of Torres Straits with a well-developed and distinctive culture. Two groups on the mainland between the Fly and the Dutch boundary may be men tioned, the Tugeri, partly in British but mainly in Dutch territory where they are known as Marind-Anim (their name for them selves) and the Kiwais. A culture of which little is known occurs in the neighbourhood of Lake Murray, between the Strick land and the Fly ; and between the Fly and the Aramia, we have a tribe, the Gogodara, containing many distinctive characters. In the Gulf of Papua, from a little west of the Kikori river to Cape Possession, four main groups are distinguished by Dr. Haddon, Kerewa, Urama, Namau and Elema, and far from the coast on the upper waters of the St. Joseph river the Mafulu show distinctive characters, physically and culturally. To the east of these Papuan districts we meet the farthest westward extension of Melanesian-speaking peoples. There are two main, groups of these Papuo-Melanesians, the Western Papuo-Melane sians, the Roro, Mekeo, Motu and others, and the eastern Papuo Melanesians or Massim, inhabiting the eastern extremity of New Guinea and the islands beyond, including the whole of the Louisiades, except possibly the island of Rossel, the inhabitants of which speak a non-Melanesian language. Passing westward along the north coast, Melanesian-speaking peoples give way for a while to Papuan-speaking peoples, such as the Orokaiva.
In the territory of New Guinea (excluding the Bismarck Archipelago, q.v.), the Bukaua, Huon gulf and the adjoining Jabim are Melanesian in culture, while the Tami of the neigh bouring islands seem to be fairly pure Melanesian. Farther north
the Kai, who inhabit the Rawlinson and Sattelberg ranges, are Papuan with Pygmy admixture. Both Papuan-speaking and Mel anesian-speaking peoples occur along the coast farther north and west. Flourishing cultures occur on the Sepik river, and something is known of the Banaro on the Keran river.
In Dutch New Guinea something is known of the Geelwink bay district, where Melanesian-speaking peoples occur. On the west coast we find Papuans on the Mimika river, and at the head waters of this river are the Tapiro pygmies.
With very few exceptions the inhabitants of New Guinea are horticulturists, cultivating coconuts, yams, taro, bananas and a number of other food plants. Sago is also an important food in some parts, constituting the main article of diet in the swampy region of western Papua. Fish are caught by net and spear, and occasionally by hook; and the harpooning of the dugong is an important feature amongst certain of the coastal peoples. The pig, domesticated and wild, is the only important flesh-food, though the wallaby and many birds are caught by various devices. Betel-nut is chewed with lime and pepper-plant, and the use of tobacco is now universal. Kava, the Polynesian drug, is limited to one or two places. Family houses are usually small, and are often built on piles. They may be scattered, as amongst the Massim, or grouped in big villages, as amongst the Motu and Gulf peoples. Club-houses in which initiated males live most of their lives occur in many parts and may be of considerable size ; structures of this kind which entail enormous labour occur on the Sepik and in the Papuan gulf. Canoes are simple dugouts, or provided with an outrigger. Double canoes occur amongst the western Papuo-Melanesians. The Motu, joining several canoes together, make vessels of considerable size. For clothing the men usually wear some sort of girdle, and the women a petticoat of shredded palm ; the Papuans of the north-west coast of Papua clothe the waist with tapa-cloth. Armlets of cane or of shell are common ; necklaces of shell, dogs' teeth or seeds. The septum of the nose is commonly pierced to admit a nose-stick, usually of clam-shell, and the lobes of the ear are pierced and decorated in the east with turtle-shell rings and sapi-sapi beads. Tattooing has an irregular distribution, being confined to women in the case of the Massim, who are tattooed from forehead to thighs. Consider able artistic skill is shown, particularly by the Melanesian-speaking inhabitants, the carved and fretted woodwork of the Massim be ing of unusual excellence. Pottery is in general use among the Mel anesian-speaking peoples. The drum is the commonest musical instrument, though absent from Rossel island in the Louisiades. Slit wooden gongs, with a most limited distribution, are found north of Huon gulf, in the territory of New Guinea, and in Dutch New Guinea. With these gongs are associated sacred flutes, which, however, are also found in the northern division of Papua.