Telefomin

people

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Last updated

June 11, 2026

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The Telefomin are a Papuan people residing in the interior of Papua New Guinea. They are part of the larger group of Papuan speakers, who constitute the majority of the country's population and inhabit the inland regions. The Telefomin speak one of the approximately 550 non-Austronesian languages found in Papua New Guinea, many of which have relatively small speech communities. While English and Tok Pisin serve as official languages and lingua francas, the diversity of indigenous languages, including those spoken by the Telefomin, is a significant aspect of the country's cultural landscape.1

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Oceanic art and architecture
The Sepik River regions
The Telefomin carved the designs onto tall boards used as house entrances. Similar boards were used to create whole facades by neighbouring tribes. Some tribes used the triangular motif in conjunction with an S-shaped double-spiral design on tobacco pipes, hand drums, and bark paintings.
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The Telefomin carved the designs onto tall boards used as house entrances. Similar boards were used to create whole facades by neighbouring tribes. Some tribes used the triangular motif in conjunction with an S-shaped double-spiral design on tobacco pipes, hand drums, and bark paintings.
Read More