In 1938, a biological expedition under Richard Archbold arrived in western New Guinea to survey the area by air. On June 23, after hours of flying over near-impenetrable jungle, Archbold's plane passed over the Grand Valley of the Baliem River. The valley was occupied by 50,000 Papuans, until that point unknown to—and unknowing of—the outside world. After six weeks, patrols from the Archbold expedition finally met with the inhabitants. That was the last substantial first contact ...

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