The Mafulu: Mountain People of British New Guinea

In this researched volume the author guides listeners through the tangled geography of the Fuyuge‑speaking region in British New Guinea, using a series of maps that combine early survey data with missionary observations. The narrative explains how red lines on the maps trace linguistic boundaries, while the surrounding terrain—rivers, valleys, and volcanic peaks—remains often uncertain. By unpacking the work of explorers like Dr. Strong and missionaries such as Father Fillodean, the introduction sets a clear picture of a land where cartography and language intertwine.

The core of the book turns to the Mafulu people themselves, a cluster of villages that the missionaries call the Mafulu area. Their Papuan language, though peppered with local dialects, appears remarkably uniform across the north‑western corner of the Fuyuge zone, offering clues to wider linguistic patterns. The author records daily customs, physical characteristics, and communal structures, suggesting that what is observed here may reflect broader cultural traits among neighboring Ambo and other groups. Listeners gain a vivid, on‑the‑ground sense of a community navigating both the rugged highlands and the changing influence of early 20th‑century outsiders.