Star Mountains

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Star Mountains
TelTab.png
The Star Mountains, from space. Telefomin and Tabubil can be seen clearly in this image.
Highest point
Peak4,760 m (Puncak Mandala)
Geography
Papua New Guinea relief map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Star Mountains
State(s) Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Range coordinates 5°S141°E / 5°S 141°E / -5; 141
Parent range Island of New Guinea

The Star Mountains (Dutch (colonial): Sterrengebergte; Indonesian : Pegunungan Bintang) are a mountain range in eastern end of Highland Papua, Indonesia and the western Papua New Guinea, stretching from the eastern end of Indonesia to the Hindenburg Range in Papua New Guinea.

Contents

Mountain ranges Bintang Mountains Regency in Indonesia and Star Mountains Rural LLG in Papua New Guinea are part of this mountain range.

History

The earlier Western expedition to the mountains was led by Jan Sneep, a Dutch colonial civil servant who operated from the Sibil Valley. The expedition, which started in April 1959, mapped the terrain and collected anthropological data of the people who lived in the area. The expedition used two small Bell helicopters, but the altitudes severely limited their effectiveness and one of them crashed, forcing the expedition to rely more on traditional manpower. Climbers from the expedition reached the peak of Puncak Mandala on 9 September 1959. [1]

Climate

The Star Mountains have an annual rainfall of more than 10,000 mm/year, and although no official scientific weather station has ever been established it has been claimed to be one of the wettest places on earth. [2]

Languages

In terms of the number of independent language families, the Star Mountains are one of the most linguistically diverse regions in New Guinea. [3] [4] These language families and isolates include:

Related Research Articles

The Foja Range languages, or Tor–Kwerba in more limited scope, are a family of about two dozen Papuan languages. They are named after the Foja Mountains of western New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mairasi languages</span> Family of Papuan languages

The Mairasi languages, also known as Etna Bay are a small independent family of Papuan languages in the classifications of Malcolm Ross and Timothy Usher, that had been part of Stephen Wurm's Trans–New Guinea proposal. They are named after Etna Bay, located in the southeastern corner of West Papua province, in Indonesia.

Isirawa is a Papuan language spoken by about two thousand people on the north coast of Papua province, Indonesia. It's a local trade language, and use is vigorous. Stephen Wurm (1975) linked it to the Kwerba languages within the Trans–New Guinea family, and it does share about 20% of its vocabulary with neighboring Kwerba languages. However, based on its pronouns, Malcolm Ross (2005) felt he could not substantiate such a link, and left it as a language isolate. The pronouns are not, however, dissimilar from those of Orya–Tor, which Ross links to Kwerba, and Donahue (2002) accept it as a Greater Kwerba language.

The Burmeso language – also known as Taurap – is spoken by some 300 people in Burmeso village along the mid Mamberamo River in Mamberamo Tengah subdistrict, Mamberamo Raya Regency, Papua province, Indonesia. It is surrounded by the Kwerba languages to the north, the Lakes Plain languages to the south, and the East Cenderawasih Bay languages to the west.

William A. Foley is an American linguist and professor at Columbia University. He previously worked at the University of Sydney. He specializes in Papuan and Austronesian languages. Foley developed Role and Reference Grammar in a partnership with Robert Van Valin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maimai languages</span> Branch of the Torricelli language family

The Maimai languages constitute a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken just to the west of Nuku town in eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

Namla is a poorly documented Papuan language of Indonesia. It appears to be related to Tofanma, a neighboring language. It is spoken in Namla village, Senggi District, Keerom Regency.

Murkim is a Papuan language of Western New Guinea, near its relatives Lepki and Kembra. Though spoken by fewer than 300 people, it is being learned by children. It is spoken in Murkim District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia.

Keuw is an unclassified language of New Guinea.

Yawa (Yava) is the Papuan language of central Yapen Island in Geelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Indonesia. Alternative names are Iau, Mantembu, Mora, Turu, and Yapanani.

Taikat (Tajkat) or Arso is a Papuan language of Indonesian Papua.

Orya is a Papuan language spoken in Indonesia. Warpok is the Nimboran name.

Murik a.k.a. Nor is a Lower Sepik language spoken in Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in Murik ward of Marienberg Rural LLG, East Sepik Province, which is located around a large coastal lagoon.

Yetfa and Biksi are dialects of a language spoken in Jetfa District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia, and across the border in Papua New Guinea. It is a trade language spoken in Western New Guinea up to the PNG border.

Kimaama, or Kimaghama, is a language spoken on Yos Sudarso Island in Papua province, Indonesia.

Kimki (Aipki) or Sukubatom (Sukubatong) is a South Pauwasi language of Batom District, Pegunungan Bintang Regency, Papua, Indonesia. Foley classifies Kimki as a language isolate, although he notes some similarities with Murkim. Usher demonstrates a connection to the other South Pauwasi languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marienberg languages</span> Torricelli language branch of Papua New Guinea

The Marienberg or Marienberg Hills languages are a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken in a mountainous stretch of region located between the towns of Wewak and Angoram in the Marienberg Hills of East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One languages</span> Torricelli language branch of Papua New Guinea

The One or West Wapei languages constitute a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken in north-central Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

The Serra Hills are a mountain range in Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

The Marienberg Hills are a mountain range in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. The Marienberg languages are spoken in the Marienberg Hills.

References

  1. ↑ Jansen Hendriks, Gerda. "Sterrengebergte" (in Dutch). NPO . Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  2. ↑ McKinnon, Rowan; Carillet, Jean-Bernand; Starnes, Dean (2008). Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Lonely Planet. p. 204. ISBN   978-1-74104-580-2.
  3. ↑ Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.
  4. ↑ Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 433–568. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.
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