Papua

Definition

A person indigenous to Papua.

Etymology

There are three theories: * From Malay pepuah (“curly (of hair)”) for the natives of the island of New Guinea. * From Ternate/Tidore papo ua (“not united; not coalesced”), referring to the territory that geographically was far away from the Sultanate of Tidore (and thus not united). The territory was called papo ua gam sio (“nine village/region that is not united”). * From Biak sup i babwa (“the land below [the sunset]”), referring to the islands (Raja Ampat) west of the Bird's Head, as far as Halmahera.

Example Sentences

• "The Papuas are so termed in the Malay language, from their extreme darkness, approaching to black."
• "The Papua are more numerous in the Philippine Islands than anywhere else, with the exception of New Guinea."