Under the Mountain Wall: A Chronicle of Two Seasons in Stone Age New Guinea Book

Written after spending two seasons in 1961 with the Kuerlu people in the Baliem Valley in Papua which is now part of Indonesia.

In 1961 JFK became President of the USA, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, America's involvement in the Vietnam War started and Barbie got a boyfriend called Ken.

Meanwhile the Stone Age people of Papua carry on their ancient practices. War or the risk of death from a raiding party is a daily occurrence but is not fought for land as there is enough for everyone. War is fought to prove a man's bravery and to take revenge on a previous death, rape or kidnapping. Young girls loss part of a finger as part of the grieving process when a relative dies. Men weave, work in the gardens and hunt. Women have many rights to chose who they marry or where they live. But they still have a tougher existence than the men where strength and bravery is the pathway to riches (pigs and wives).

Matthiessen just tells their life as it happens. There is nothing about him or the expedition he is on. A lot is on the wars and fights, and the celebrations of victory or death that follows. He shows that people are just people - some are brave, some are vain, some are plain stupid and some are intelligent, caring and wise. Unfortunately these people and there way of life is sadly no more, and their wisdom in living in their environment has been lost.