Korowai Tribe Case Study

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The Korowai (aka the Kolufo)

A. Scope and Applications

What is the social function of indigenous knowledge systems?
The Korowai tribe live under a male dominated society where leadership structures are based on personal qualities of strong men rather by institution or inheritance.
Sleeping areas are divided between genders. Children sleep in the females' room and are raised by their mother and other clan females. Once old enough, male teens move to the male room.
Marriage is exogamous and polygamous. Males are required to marry the wife or wives of a diseased brother. young wives of older men often suffer corporeal punishment. In cases of adultery, husbands are allowed to shoot their wives' thigh with an arrow. There is an avoidance relationship between a man and his wife's mother. If he breaks the taboo with his mother-in-law, his children are believed to become ill.
Females are not allowed to participate in certain tribal rituals and if they are caught watching a ritual ceremony, the success of the ceremony is considered forfeit.
Inter-clan warfare occurs mainly because of witchcraft and sorcery related conflicts.

How many different forms does this knowledge system encompass (eg different cultural traditions or tribes)?
There is only one Korowai tribe that is divided within by clans. A neighboring tribe called the Kombai does, however, practice similar customs and mannerisms.

Represent one or more of the following for the IKS: dress, food, population
Dress: The Korowai push their penises inside (inverted penises) and wrap the rest with a leaf, or cover it using hard shell of forest fruit. On the other hand the Kombai, the aforementioned neighbouring tribe with similar customs, prefer to use a hornbill's beak, or so...

... middle of paper ...

...h history?
Customs and traditions are relayed through their extensive oral tradition of magical and protective sayings and stories. Children are not likely to know magical sayings while origin myths are known only by older males; folk tales and totem traditions are shared by all the tribespeople and are thus more commonly known.

Are there concepts specific to these people, words or terms known only to them?
"Khakhua" are witches that take on the form of men.
"Khaim" refers to their tree-hut homes.
"Laibolekha" are totem traditions.
"Lamolaup" are origin myths.
"Laleo" are ghost-demons; outsiders- especially those of fairer skin tones- to the Korowai. Most Korowai tribe members have not person met a white person.
"Ndafunmahüon" are magical sayings.
"Wakhatum" are folk tales.

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