Holiday Ayo - Deep in the highlands of the Baliem Valley in Irian Jaya (a very remote land that’s difficult to reach), you will find a former cannibalize community – the Dani Tribe, who live with the Yali and Moni (two other indigenous tribes). While modernization has brought changes to the tribe, their basic beliefs and customs have been referred to as some of the most interesting. Till today, the Dani tribe believes in respecting the spirits of their ancestors. In a community where pigs play an important role, each celebration dedicated to ancestors is concluded by an ultimate pork feast. The tribe holds a liberal view towards clothes, which is considered as another unique custom of theirs – while visiting, you will notice men wearing an unusual piece of underwear commonly known as the Koteka (a sheath to cover genitals made from dried out gourd). The Dani tribal women are extraordinary too – notice some of them have severed fingers due to an ancient funeral practice where women voluntarily mutilate their fingers when a family member dies, as a form of mourning. This tradition is now banned. With such unique traits and customs, the Dani Tribe is surely fascinating to interact with, and you should consider visiting in the month of August – this is when you get to witness the annual Baliem Valley Festival held in Wamena. Besides the rich experience, you’ll get as you encounter the tribal cultures, it’s also prime time to sample their delicious earth cooking too! Note: On this special occasion, the various tribes living around the Baliem Valley area send groups of representatives to showcase their traditions, dances, and cultures, and festivities end with a series of mock battles. Dani Tribe How to Get There Getting there: Fly to Jayapura Papua and catch a domestic flight (Trigana Air) to Wamena before driving to the Baliem Valley. Location of the village: Wamena Jayawijaya Regency Papua Indonesia.