About 35 miles southeast of Wamena lives the Yali tribe. Some 30.000 Yali people have their villages on hills and flat terrain, but deeper as in the Baliem Valley. Therefore the temperature of this area is higher and does not get so cold at night. Since it is more difficult to get there, the Yali are much less visited than the Dani.
This tribe has similar way of life like Dani Tribe, but people tend to be “shorter”. The Yali tribesmen wear their “koteka”, the penis gourd, straight to front instead of straight up like the Dani do.
Since the main staple food of the Yali is sago (made out of Sago palms), they have less sophisticated agriculture than the Danis and keep fewer pigs.
Yali tools have not changed much since stone age – stone axes, simple nets as carrying bags (carried from the forehead), bows and arrows with carved arrowheads are still the major tools. The
Yali are less influenced by the outside world. There is only little reliable land transportation and only a few flights with the missionary airline. Also there are only few guesthouses available here, accommodationn has to be arranged in teacher’s house or be prepared by own tents. Visitors have to trek on foot and carry most of their needs.
The Yali people live in wooden huts with roofs made of tree-bark or palm leaves, which are grouped into small villages. A vegetable garden and dense rain forest will surround each compound.
Even though the Yali were the last tribe who were cannibals, the people are very friendly and hospitable today. It is interesting to get into contact with the Yali, learn about their traditions. Related to Yali trekking tour video in you tube:youtube. So, let’s go Yali region!
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