It is estimated that less than half of the Tsakwambo speakers have understood the gospel but there is at least 1 Reformed church in the area.
The Tsakwambo people maintain their livelihood by food-gathering, hunting, fishing, and logging in their isolated lowlands. With their land at an altitude of less than 100 meters above sea level, the Tsakwambo people can best be accessed by using a boat up the Digul and Arup rivers. By motorized canoe it is a 3 hour trip from Kouh to Tsakwambo land or Merpati flys into Tanah Merah which is somewhat close.
The Tsakwambo people have sagoworm feasts for some visitors and festivities often include dressing up in traditional clothing (with dog teeth, bird feathers, etc). The Tsakwambo people often intermarry with the "Taret" people of Danokit village.
Most Tsakwambo people wear modern clothing but rarely washed the clothing. The people eat sago, sagoworms, vegetables and fruits, as well as animals they hunt. The Tsakwambo have machettes, steel axes, and bow and arrows that they regularly use. Houses are generally framed with log posts having palm or cement floors and plank or stem walls. A tin or leaf roof completes the house. There are no SSB radios, telephones, or electric facilities in the area but there is a community TV. A health clinic is in Biwage but many of the Tsakwambo people have skin and lung diseases, and malaria. Some also have elephantisis. The nearest market is a long distance away in Kouh. Tsakwambo people have no gospel cassettes, films or videos in their language.
The Tsakwambo are sometimes known as the Kotgut, Tsokwambo, or Tsaukwambo people. They prefer to be called Kotgut. The Tsakwambo have regular contact with the Komyandaret people and the Kombai people. With family the Tsakwambo people usually use their own language. With friends they use either Tsakwambo or Indonesian.
Scripture Prayers for the Kotogut in Indonesia.
| Profile Source: GMI Papua |
