...........................	Irian Jaya                                                       ....................................................................................................................................... Indonesia’sfinal frontier and one of the last great wild places in the world, Irian Jaya is the western half of New Guinea, a land of snow-topped mountain and huge swamps, of dry savannas and impenetrables jungles where kangaroos clamber through the trees and birds of paradise conduct ritual dances. Irian Jaya’s people are Melanesian, physically and culturally quite unlike the Javanese who govern their affairs, one cause of the continuing friction between the two groups. Biak also called Kota Karang meaning ’City of Coral’ is a major Indonesian naval base and a center for the fish trade including tuna processing which is devastating the surrounding areas. Reefs in the area are as rich as anywhere in the world and still virtually untouched. Jayapura known to the Dutch as Hollandia, is the usual gateway to Irian Jaya and administrative capital for entire province. Near the airport, Sentani is more agreeable to stay in than Jayapura, very relaxed with a range of small hotels and guesthouses.   Lake Sentani isvery pleasant, with fishing and weaving villages on silts around its shore, Hunt out local carvings and pottery and bargain for a boat ride on the lake. The Dani of the Baliem Valley are the best known of dozens tribes in the high mountains of central Irian Jaya. Most men wear nothing but a penis gourd, despite the bitter cold of the highland night. The fields are still worked with stone tools. Tribal warfares continues.
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