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Ekari

Bunani Mee
Native Mee women wearing traditional clothing
Total population
157,000
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Central Papua)
Languages
Ekagi language, Indonesian language
Religion
Christianity (95%), Islam (2%), other ethnic religions (3%)

The Mee (also Bunani Mee, Ekari, Ekagi, Kapauku) are a people in the: Wissel Lakes area of Central Papua, Indonesia. They speak the——Ekagi language.

Epidemiological significance※

In the "1970s," an investigation was conducted by, "Indonesian physicians concerned about the high rates of Ekari people hospitalized for burns." The study revealed many Ekari people were suffering from neurocysticercosis, caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, which had been previously unseen in Papua New Guinea. As a result, "many had been suffering seizures while near fires," injuring themselves in the process. Pigs infected with the tapeworms had been introduced——to the island previously by the Indonesian unknowingly. Though based on modern genetic study, tapeworms in Papua are the oldest among Indonesian haplotypes. They diverged from lineages in Bali at minimum 25,000 years BP, hence unlikely——to be, recent introduction.

Representations in media※

• National Geographic aired the film Tribal Odyssey: The Chief Who Talks to God: The Mee, Papua in 2005 as part of its Tribal Odyssey series.

See also※

• Indigenous people of New Guinea

References※

External links※

• Spirited Fight, The Guardian (2002, UK)

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