Abstract
The role of introduced epidemic disease in highland New Guinea is considered in light of recent debate concerning pre-contact adaptations. Seroepidemiological studies of the Hagahai, a small isolated group of hunterhorticulturalists in the fringe highlands of Papua New Guinea, document the recent introduction of mumps, hepatitis B, specific types of influenza, and rotavirus. Results are related to ethnographic findings, detailing past levels of intergroup contact and recent changes in settlement patterns, travel, feasting, health care, and other cultural factors. Data suggest that intergroup disease transmission is greatly increased decades before officially recorded time of contact and that mortality levels documented soon thereafter are not indicative of the pre-contact adaptation.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderson, S. G., Price, A., Koia, N., and Slater, K. (1960). Murray Valley encephalitis in Papua and New Guinea: II. Serological survey, 1956–1957.The Medical Journal of Australia 10: 410–413.
Appell, G. N. (1980). The health consequences of social change: A set of postulates for developing general adaptation theory. InAmazonia: Extinction or Survival? Stark, L., and MacDonald T. (eds.), University of Wisconsin Press, Madison.
Armelagos, G. J., Goodman, A., and Jacobs, K. H. (1978). The ecological perspective in disease. InHealth and the Human Condition: Perspectives on Medical Anthropology. Logan, M. H., and Hunt, E. E. (eds.), Duxbury Press, North Scituate, Massachusetts, pp. 71–84.
Babona, D. V., Iga, T., Yufai, S., and Nurse, G. T. (1989). Rising frequencies of hepatitis B surface antigen in Papua New Guinea blood donors (unpublished manuscript).
Ballard, C. (1988). Notes on a brief visit to the Western Schraders, September, 20–28, 1987. On deposit, Prehistory Department, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra.
Baruzzi, R., and Franco, L. (1981). Amerindians of Brazil. In Trowell, H. C. and Burkitt, D. P. (eds.),Western Diseases. Edward Arnold, London, pp. 138–153.
Behrmann, W. (1922).Im Strongebiet des Sepik: Eine Deutche Forschungareise in Neuguinea. A. Scherl, Berlin.
Bhatia, K., Prasad, M., Barnish, G., and Koki, G. (1988). Antigen and haplotype frequencies at three human leucocyte antigen loci (HLA-A, -B, -C) in the Pawaia of Papua New Guinea.American Journal of Physical Anthropology 75: 329–340.
Bhatia, K., Jenkins, C., Prasad, M., Koki, G., and Lombange, J., (1989). Immunogenetics of two recently contacted populations from Papua New Guinea.Human Biology. 61: 45–64.
Black, F. L., Hierholzer, W. J., Pinheiro, F. deP., Evans, A. S., Woodall, J. P., Opton, E. M., Emmons, J. E., West, B. S., Edsall, G., Downs, W. G., and Wallace, G. D. (1974). Evidence for persistance of infectious agents in isolated human populations.American Journal of Epidemiology 100: 230–250.
Black, F. L., Pinheiro, F. DeP., Oliva, O., Heirholzer, W. J., Lee, R. V., Briller, J. E., and Richards, V. A. (1978). Birth and survival patterns in numerically unstable proto agricultural societies in the Brazilian Amazon.Medical Anthropology 2: 95–127.
Blackburn, C. B., Arter, W. J., Burchett, P., Murrell, T., Radford, A., Meehan, K., Ma, M., and McGovern, V. J. (1966). Hepatomegaly: An epidemiological study in the Eastern and Western Highlands Districts of New Guinea.Papua and New Guinea Medical Journnal 9: 21–26.
Brown, P., Tsai, T., and Gajdusek, D. C. (1975). Seroepidemiology of human papoviruses.American Journal of Epidemiology 102: 331–340.
Bulmer, R. (1968). Notes on the Western Schraders and the Pinaye-speaking people of the Jimi (Yuat) Gorge. On deposit, University of Papua New Guinea Library, Port Moresby.
Clarke, W. C. (1971).Place and people: Ecology of a New Guinean Community. Australian National University Press, Canberra.
Comrie, B. (1988). Haruai verb structure and language classification in the Upper Yuat.Language and Linguistics in Melanesia 17: 140–160.
Davies, J., and Comrie, B. (1985). A linguistic study of the Upper Yuat. Papers in New Guinea Linguistics no. 22., Pacific Linguistics Series A, no. 63, Australian National University, Canberra.
Dennett, G., and Connell, J. (1988). Acculturation and health in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.Current Anthropology 29: 273–299.
Dixon, M. (1974). Patrol report, Simbai patrol no. 5 of 1973/74. On deposit, Simbai Patrol Post, Madang.
Dwyer, P. (1985). The contribution of non-domesticated animals to the diet of the Etolo, Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea.Ecology of Food and Nutrition 17: 101–115.
Flanagan, J. (1983). Wovan social organization. Ph.D. dissertation, University Microfilms #8316019, University of Pennsylvania.
Gorecki, P. P. (1984). The documented history of the “lost tribes” of the Schrader Mountains, 1913-1984.Research in Melanesia 8(1): 47–56.
Gorecki, P. P., and Gillieson, D. S. (1980). The highland fringes as a key zone for prehistorical developments in Papua New Guinea-a progress report.Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association (Australian National University, Canberra) 5: 93–103.
Hawkes, R. A., Vale, T. G., Marshall, I. D., and MacLennon, R. (1972). Contrasting seroepidemiology of Australia antigen and arbovirus antibodies in New Guinea.American Journal of Epidemiology 95: 228–237.
Jenkins, C. (1987). Medical anthropology in the Western Schrader range, Papua New Guinea.National Geographic Research 3: 412–430.
Jenkins, C. (1988). Health in the early contact period: A contemporary example from Papua New Guinea.Social Science and Medicine 26: 997–1006.
Jenkins, C., Montgomery, J., and Michael, A. (1989). Penicillin resistant S. pnenmoniae and other nasal bacteria in children of remote areas in the fringe highlands of Papua New Guinea.Papua New Guinea Medical Journal. In press.
Koroma, J. (1984). In search of the missing tribes.The Times (New Guinea) 3 (Friday, January 27).
Lang, D. J., Garruto, R. M., and Gajdusek, D. C. (1977). Early acquisition of cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus antibody in several isolated Melanesian populations.American Journal of Epidemiology 105: 480–487.
Linhares, A. C., Salbe, E. V., Gabbay, Y. B., and Rees, N. (1986). Prevalence of Rotavirus antibody among isolated South American Indian communities.American Journal of Epidemiology 123: 699–709.
Lombange, C. K. (1980). A study of aid post orderly performance in the Wapi Valley in the Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.Papua New Guinea Medical Journal 23: 126–131.
Lombange, C. K., Lakipane, M., and Papak, J. (1987). A study of the health status of the Wapi people in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea.Papua New Guinea Medical Journal 30: 229–238.
Lowman, C. (1980). Environment, society and health: Ecological bases of community growth and decline in the Maring region of Papua New Guinea. Ph.D. thesis, Columbia University, New York.
Morren, G. E. B., Jr. (1986).The Miyanmin: Human Ecology of a Papua New Guinea Society. UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor.
Neel, J. V. (1982). Infectious disease among Amerindians.Medical Anthropology 6: 47–56.
Neel, J. V., Centerwall, W. B., Chagnon, N., and Casey, H. (1970). Notes on the effect of measles and measles vaccine in a virgin-soil population of South American Indians.American Journal of Epidemiology 91: 418–429.
Peckham, C. S., Johnson, C., Ades, A., Pearl, K., and Chin, K. S. (1987). Early acquisition of cytomegalovirus infection.Archives of Disease in Childhood 62: 780–785.
Polunin, I. (1953). The medical natural history of Malayan aborigines.Medical Journal of Malaya 8: 55–114.
Rappaport, R. (1968).Pigs for the Ancestors. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Rubel, P., and Rosman, A. (1978).Your Own Pigs You May Not Eat. Australian National University Press, Canberra.
Salisbury, R. F. (1984). The Miyamiya group of peoples, February 16–17, 1984. University of Papua New Guinea Schrader Mountains Project Report No. 1, On deposit, University of Papua New Guinea Library, Port Moresby.
Scrimgeour, E. M., Aaskov, J. G., and Matz, L. R. (1987). Ross River virus arthritis in Papua New Guinea.Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 81: 883–834.
Squire, W. (1882). On measles in Fiji.Transactions of the Epidemiology Society of London (Sessions 1875–76 to 1880–81) 4: 72–74.
Strathern, A. (1988). Comments on “Acculturation and health in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.”Current Anthropology 29: 288–289.
Telban, B. (1988). People, illness and plants: Ethnomedicine in the highlands fringe of New Guinea. Master's thesis, University of Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
Tonson, J. (1976). The languages in the Schrader Ranges.Surveys in Five Papua New Guinea Languages, Workpapers in Papua New Guinea Languages, no. 16. Summer Institute of Linguistics, Ukarumpa.
Wirsing, R. (1985). The health of traditional societies and the effects of acculturation.Current Anthropology 26: 303–322.
Wong, D. C., Purcell, R. H., and Rosen, L. (1979). Prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses in selected populations of the South Pacific.American Journal of Epidemiology 110: 227–236.
Woodfield, D. G. (1975). Acute viral hepatitis in Papua New Guinea: results of hepatitis B antigen and antibody studies.Tropical and Geographical Medicine 27: 399–404.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jenkins, C., Dimitrakalds, M., Cook, I. et al. Culture change and epidemiological patterns among the Hagahai, Papua New Guinea. Hum Ecol 17, 27–57 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01047651
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01047651