Dutch New Guinea 1949-1962

Mimika, Dutch New Guinea (1959)

The Mimika coast temporarily gained some fame in the Netherlands due to the Mimika expedition.

The Mimika expedition (1935–1936) was a Dutch anthropological expedition to the western mountains of Central Dutch New Guinea to study the indigenous pygmy tribes.

Purpose of the expedition

The specific aim of the expedition was to establish contact with the Tapiro, former name of the primitive pygmies living in the Mimika region, in Papua, Indonesia.

Later anthropological work (1950s) was carried out with Mimiki people by Dutch Anthropologist Jan Pouwer.