Mee (ethnic group)

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Ekari
Bunani Mee
Native Mee women wearing traditional clothing
Total population
157,000
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Central Papua)
Languages
Ekagi language, Indonesian language
Religion
Christianity (95%), Islam (2%), other ethnic religions (3%)^[1]

The Mee (also Bunani Mee, Ekari, Ekagi, Kapauku, Tapiro) are a people in the Wissel Lakes area of Central Papua, Indonesia.^[2] They speak the Ekagi language.

Epidemiological significance

In the 1970s, an investigation was conducted by Indonesian physicians concerned about the high rates of Ekari people hospitalized for burns. The study revealed many Ekari people were suffering from neurocysticercosis, caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, which had been previously unseen in Papua New Guinea. As a result, many had been suffering seizures while near fires, injuring themselves in the process. Pigs infected with the tapeworms had been introduced to the island previously by the Indonesian unknowingly.^[3] Though based on modern genetic study, tapeworms in Papua are the oldest among Indonesian haplotypes. They diverged from lineages in Bali at minimum 25,000 years BP, hence unlikely to be recent introduction.^[4]

Representations in media

National Geographic aired the film Tribal Odyssey: The Chief Who Talks to God: The Mee, Papua in 2005 as part of its Tribal Odyssey series.^[5]

References

^ "Ekagi in Indonesia".
^ Carmel Budiardjo & Soei Liong Liem (1988). West Papua: The Obliteration Of A People. TAPOL. ISBN 0-9506-7515-6.
^ "How the West (Papua) Was Won." Cultural Survival. N.p., Dec. 1987. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
^ Yanagida, Tetsuya; Swastika, Kadek; Dharmawan, Nyoman Sadra; Sako, Yasuhito; Wandra, Toni; Ito, Akira; Okamoto, Munehiro (2021). "Origin of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium in Bali and Papua, Indonesia". Parasitology International. 83. Elsevier BV: 102285. doi:10.1016/j.parint.2021.102285. ISSN 1383-5769.
^ "Tribal Odyssey". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2012-03-01.

External links

Spirited Fight, The Guardian (2002, UK)

v t e Papuan peoples
Indonesia	Abun Amung Asmat Bauzi Dani Ekari Fayu Kanum Kombai Korowai Lani Marind Mee Mek Moni Nduga Sawi Tehit Tobati Wolani Yali Yaur Yei
Papua New Guinea	Abelam Angu Baining Baruya Bilibil Chambri Dumo Etoro Fore Gadsup Gogodala Haroli Hewa Huli Iatmul Kaluli Kanum Kwoma Koteka Maisin Mian Mundugumor Ogea Orokaiva Sambia Swagap Tairora Tanga Telefol Tolai Trobriand Tsembaga Urapmin Wiru Wola Wopkaimin Zia

v t e Ethnic groups in Indonesia
Indonesians
Sumatra	Aboriginal Akit Batin Bonai Lubu Mante Orang Kuala Orang Rimba Sakai Petalangan Talang Mamak Acehnese Alas Batak Angkola Karo Mandailing Pakpak Simalungun Toba Batak Enggano Gayo Kluet Komering Lampung Laut Malay Asahan Basemah Belida Bugis-Malay Deli Enim Kikim Kisam Lahat Langkat Lembak Lintang Musi Palembang Pegagan Penesak Rambang Riau Semendo Serdang Mentawai Sakuddei Minangkabau Aneuk Jamee Nias Haloban Ogan Rejang Simeulue Singkil
Java	Betawi Javanese Cirebonese Banyumasan Osing Tenggerese Kangeanese Madurese Bawean Malay Sundanese Baduy Bantenese
Kalimantan	Banjar Dayak Apo Duat Kelabit Lun Bawang Sa'ban Apo Kayan Bahau Kayan Kenyah Lebbo' Uma Baka' Bidayuh Kendayan Selako Iban Mualang Murut Tidung Ot Danum Lawangan Ma'anyan Ngaju Bakumpai Meratus Punan Bah Bukitan Krio Malay Berau Pontianak Moro Orang Laut Bajau Suluk
Sulawesi	Buginese Bungku Butonese Bonerate Gorontaloan Kalumpang Lindu Makassar Malay Mandarese Minahasan Mongondow Muna Pamona Rampi Sangirese Seko Tau Taa Wana Torajan Mamasa
Papua	Abun Amungme Asmat Bauzi Damalme Dani Ekari (Mee) Fayu Kanum Ketengban Kombai Korowai Lani Marind Mek Moni Nduga Sawi Sentani Tehit Tobati Wambon Waropen Wolani Yali Yaur Yei
Lesser Sunda Islands	Abui Atoni Bali Aga Balinese Bimanese Bunak Helong Kemak Lamaholot Malay Loloan Manggarai Nage Rotenese Sasak Savu Sikka Sumba Sumbawa Tetum
Maluku Islands	Moluccan Alfur Alune Manusela Nuaulu Ambelau Ambonese Buru Wai Apu Kayeli Lisela Tanimbarese Tobelo Togutil Wemale
Non-indigenous	African Black Dutchmen Arab Armenian Chindian Chinese Benteng Bangka Belitung Chinese Maluku Chinese Padang Chinese Aceh Chinese Bali Chinese Parit Chinese Palembang Chinese Medan Chinese Peranakan Filipino Indian Klingalese Tamil Indo Japanese Jewish Korean Mardijker Pakistani Portuguese Totok

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Epidemiological significance

Representations in media

See also

References

External links