“Lighting the Way—Building the Future for Indigenous People of West Papua”

There was still more to do. This chapter allows the reader to accompany Stephen when he went back to West Papua several times in the first instance to visit the massive Freeport Gold and Copper mines and negotiate clear borders for the Lorenz World Heritage National Park UNESCO was creating thus protecting the both the environment and indigenous lives. After private jungle plane then dugout canoe he spent time amongst the Asmat people at the village of Agats, head hunters until quite recently, and participated in their auction of artefacts to adventurous foreigners who had braved the journey. Invited by locals Stephen then attended a Tribute Ceremony to him of the Highlands Dani Tribe making him an Honorary Tribal Chief. This chapter goes on to present further UNESCO work with the tribes to bring water to areas where access was difficult—demonstrating how such programs can suddenly go terribly wrong but can be recovered, in particular, when all equipment and parts must be carried by single men along jungle trails for up to eight days. This chapter concludes with an overall assessment of how the initial kidnapping and subsequent assistance had impacted on West Papua’s future.