Journey Through Asmat, 1971

In 1971, at the age of 28, Ursula Konrad set off on an expedition to Indonesia that would change her life. This book presents her journals of this rare experience and an account of its long legacy.

With her husband, Gunter, she embarked on a mission to document the rare fauna and flora of Papua. Once the bureaucratic entanglements of obtaining permits and permissions were finally traversed, the party began exploring the river systems of West Papua, where - in addition to locating and trapping elusive and beautiful birds of paradise - they came into increasingly close contact with the peoples of the Asmat region, living and working alongside, and befriending, many seldom-visited men and women.

The expedition's launching point was Agats, the capital of the region, from which they ventured forth to explore both the north-west and the central areas. Their most exciting encounters took place in the far north, in the remote Brazza River area in the foothills of the Jayawijaya mountains. Here, they spent considerable time with the local people, who visited their camp all day, every day, allowing their visitors to come to understand the rhythms of their life. During this cultural exchange, Ursula and Gunter traded their Western goods, mainly metal axes (in high demand along the Brazza River) for a diverse collection of spectacular wooden carvings, previously little-known outside the region.

This account has many hair-raising moments on the dramatic, and sometimes dangerous, rivers of the region, which constantly threatened to bring the trip to a perilous and sudden end. But finally the Konrads emerged - laden with rich experiences, relationships and dazzling cultural artefacts - now wedded to the area, and committed to a life of enthusiastically promoting the amazing art of Asmat people to the outside world. These people, and their art, are now world famous, and it is the author's great privilege to have been a part of their story.