Damal people

Damal people
Damalme
Regions with significant populations
 Indonesia (Central Papua)
Languages
Damal-kal, Indonesian language
Religion
Christianity (predominantly), Animism
Related ethnic groups
Amung people, Dani people, Delem people, Lani people

The Damal or Damalme are a group of people living in the highlands of the Central Papua province of Indonesia. They primarily live in Beoga Valley along the river of Beogong. The Damal people are closely related to the Delem people and the Amungme people living in the southern lowland region. Delem is an ethnic group reportedly descended from the Damal people, Dani people, and Wano people [id].[1][2]

According to oral history, the Damal people came from a place called Mepingama in Baliem Valley, and then Kurima where they gathered, and Hitigima the place where they started creating Honai houses with thatched roofs. From Kurima the ancestors of many Papuan tribes including Damal traveled west and settled in Ilop which now are called Beoga and Ilaga. From their heartland in Beoga and Ilaga, some Damal moved to Jila, Alama, Bella, Tsinga, Hoeya, Tembagapura (Kampung Waa), Aroanop, Timika, and Agimuga. [3][4]

  1. ^ "Suku Damal Mimika Papua - Sejarah, Pakaian, Rumah dan Mata Pencaharian". celotehpraja.com (in Indonesian). 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  2. ^ Orr, Tamra (1 August 2019). Carstensz Pyramid. Weigl Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-7911-1417-6.
  3. ^ Melalatoa, M.J. (1995). Ensiklopedi suku bangsa di Indonesia: A-K. Ensiklopedi suku bangsa di Indonesia (in Indonesian). Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan RI. pp. 216–217. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  4. ^ Ploeg, Anton (18 May 2020). "Chapter 5. Ilaga. Damal and Lani". Pathways of change : Socio-cultural change among the highlanders of western New Guinea. pacific-credo Publications. pp. 105–112. ISBN 978-2-491338-02-2.