In the land of cannibals (1910-1919)

USA. A film expedition to the New Guinea Islands was equipped in New York.

The leader of the expedition, Martin Johnson, his wife.

A sailing ship in the open sea.

A group of native dwarfs appeared on the shore of the island of Santo Espirito.

They greet the travelers.

Martin is near the natives, touching the jewelry in his ears.

He lights a cigarette.

When Johnson began filming, the dwarfs were afraid.

Martin drags a dwarf out of the bushes, makes him stand in front of the camera.

He drags another one.

Seeing that the camera is harmless, the natives began to film.

Johnson's wife is filming.

A native plays a homemade pipe.

Johnson places a native with a bow in front of the camera.

He gives the native a cigarette, he eats it.

Johnson demands that he spit it out, gives him another.

He shows a revolver, gives it to the native, shows how to shoot.

Having left the island of Santo, the detachment heads to the southwest the bay of the island of Mallicolo, the center of cannibalism.

A ship is sailing.

An armed detachment of natives has gathered on the shore of the island, a belt of tree bark replaced their clothing.

Johnson's wife jumps out of the boat, addresses the natives.

It was decided to wait for the arrival of the remaining armed detachment.

The leader of the detachment of natives.

They sail in boats along the river to the village.

Along the way they decide to get fish. "They stun" it with dynamite, collect it in a boat.

They approach the shore, pull it out

USA. When the detachment arrived, everyone went deep into the island.

The custom of cannibalism still exists on the New Guinea Islands.

By devouring a stranger, they believed that they were inheriting their strength and depriving their spirit of the opportunity to take revenge.

By devouring relatives and fellow tribesmen, the desire to inherit their soul is explained.

A cannibal preserving the head of an eaten enemy and the mummy of an ancestor.

Shows heads.

A religious dance of cannibals in honor of the eaten ancestor of the priest.

They run in a circle in masks, carrying the head.

A native swings in front of idols.

A hut with trophies / skulls /.

A cannibal by the fire with the head of an eaten ancestor.

Preparations of skulls, Johnson is near him.

A native takes heads out of a wicker bag, shows.

Part of the island called Tanemaro Bay, the residence of the most ferocious and powerful leader Nagapata.

The detachment goes to the residence.

On the way they come across natives.

The natives have a stick in their nose.

The natives look at Johnson's white skin with curiosity.

The native looks like a monkey.

Nagapata invites the Europeans to his palace.

They wade across the river, walk through the thickets

USA. Nagapata's residence, a woman with children is sitting.

Five of Nagapata's wives are sitting by the hut, the other four are cultivating the land at this time.

Johnson is holding a film show in the village.

A native is turning the handle of the apparatus.

The screen is stretched.

Johnson's wife is among the natives.

After the show, the cannibals began to take the Europeans for magicians and wizards.

They look at the screen to see if there is anything there.

The next day, everyone willingly films themselves.

They are sitting on the ground.

A drumbeat is heard.

This signal means that an attack is being prepared by a neighboring tribe.

The natives are dancing.

Nagapata makes it clear to the Europeans that they should return to the ship.

The detachment sets off, and on the way they come across natives who cautiously watch them.

On the shore, three natives are watching the ship.

The next morning it turns out that yesterday's staging of the attack was done to hide the night feast from the Europeans.

The cannibal holds human flesh in hand.

Johnson's wife distributes tobacco to the natives.

Nagapata accompanies the detachment to the ship and even sails with them part of the way.

Nagapata's gift is a fruit that replaces potatoes in the tropics.

Nagapata leaves the ship with the people

USA. On the way to Lombabuba, the center of Mallicola.

Tropical virgin forest along the banks.

A tribe that lives in the trees because of the swamps and fear of wild animals.

They climb trees.

The body structure of the natives gradually adapted to the conditions of life in the trees.

The native eats fruits.

War dance of the tribe.

On the island of Tokman.

Here the custom is widespread to pull the head of a newborn, which is why it subsequently takes an oblong shape.

A native woman with a child, his head is bandaged.

Johnson's wife takes the child in her arms.

This bandage is removed only at the age of eight.

Children, adults, old people.

Huts.

The natives walk along the shore.

Seeing off the detachment.

The natives wave spears, bows, run to the shore.

The ship sets off on a journey.

On board the ship.

Johnson with his wife.

View of the Lopevi volcano.

Sky, sunset