Holuwon - Fri., Feb. 29, 08

Mike Brown, MAF pilot, flies me, and the others in the Cessna Caravan (9 passengers plus baggage), out the south gap. Wamena is 5170 ft in altitude. Holuwon is 35oo ft. Only a 15 minute flight, the terrain is so rugged and mountainous, that roads are not possible. It is a three day walk if you want to try that. The Holuwon airstrip rises at 15 degrees so the stall warning screeches as we land. With other Holuwon residents, and baggage, on board, the entire village appears to be at the landing zone. It is 7:45 AM. With my Indo/English dictionary in hand, I am led up a stone path to the Wilson house which has been turned into a guesthouse. Immediately. a man takes charge. He is Yariut, keeper of the guests. Also, staying here is Erius, who is from Holuwon but lives currently in Dekai. He will walk home to his village, 4 hours, stay for several days, and return with a pig. We can't communicate well enough for me to find out what the pig is about. Except, it is either for his wife's family or his fiancee. I'm not sure. i walk to the airstrip, just below the house, and am approached by a man and a teenage boy. Making a walk through the village will let me find my bearings and let everyone catch sight of this white man. Most of the young boys and girls are ketakutan (scared). I'm trying to learn some basic words-numbers, week days, fruit. Lunch is a small sweet potato. i have brought along 40 packets of soup (38 actually, since 2 later are eaten by a rat). I am informed that there is no silverware. OK, I'll slurp my soup. My second cup of tea is warming me.
Evidence that this was a missionary house is everywhere, sentimental posters on the wall, monopoly and scrabble games in the curtained cupboard, religious books (English), an easy chair. The house is a 2 storied structure of dark wood built above ground on short stilts. The windows are louvered, no screens. But, the bed has a mosquito net. The house is adequately large, 3 bedrooms downstairs and another 2 upstairs. The rest of the upstairs is storage area. The downstairs is completed by a small office, living and eating room, bathroom, and kitchen/pantry. I can not leave the house without attracting a mob of children. First, they are afraid. But, when I pull out my camera, they can't get enough of me. One puts his arm around me as we walk. Another, covered in scabs, touches my hand. I will wash at the house. Those scabs look menacing.
The rest of the days is spent with 7 boys, aged 8-11, who are practicing their archery skills. These bows and arrows are tailor made for them - small, less powerful - which they use to shoot ants and other bugs.
As darkness comes, so does the fog rolling up the valley in a dramatic fashion from the south moving so quickly it is upon us within minutes and brings the rain. I have come prepared with 16 candles.
Soup for dinner. This soup is noodles with some flavoring - low in nutrition.
Oh, found the cutlery.