Massacre on Papua New Guinea’s ‘island of love’ after tribal warfare

Tribal warfare on an island historically known to settle disputes through games of cricket has reportedly left 30 dead.

Thirty people are reported to have been killed on Kiriwina Island in Papua New Guinea’s Milne Bay Province.

Kiriwina-Goodenough MP Douglas Tomuriesa told PNG newspaper Post Courier on Tuesday 30 people were dead and many others seriously injured in the worst tribal warfare on the island ever recorded.

There is currently little detail known about the massacre.

Stream more world news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >

Kiriwina Island is off the east coast of Papua New Guinea.

Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, known as the “islands of love”.

The indigenous population, called Trobrianders, have a sex-positive culture where sexual relations are deemed an important dimension of social relations, especially for young people.

Sexual acts are encouraged at very young ages compared to Western standards. Villages have a special hut called “bukumatula” designated for teens and their lovers.

The ‘Island of love’ where the massacre took place. Picture: Alamy

Trobrianders are also known to settle disputes over games of cricket.

According to WorldAtlas, this started under Australian colonial rule when intertribal war was prohibited and it stuck even after the indigenous islanders won independence in 1975.