“They’re Not Cannibals:” TikTok Stunt With Indigenous Papuan Tribe Ignites Backlash

An Irish influencer is facing intense criticism after posting a TikTok video in Papua featuring what he labeled a “cannibal tribe.” 

The viral clip showed the creator and a group of tourists approaching locals by boat and offering them salt as a gift, with unexpected results.

The encounter quickly drew condemnation online among netizens due to its portrayal of Papua’s indigenous communities.

The influencer’s controversial encounter started on a tense note

Image credits: Instagram / daratah

The controversial clip was shared bytravel influencer Dara Tah, who has built a following of more than 1.5 million across YouTube and TikTok. 

In the video, which has since gathered 17.8 million views on TikTok, Tah and a group of tourists approached a remote riverside community in New Guinea with the help of a local guide called Demi.

Tah’s caption on the video read “We found a CANNIBAL tribe.”

Image credits: TikTok / daratah

As the boat approached the bank, Tah and the other tourists could be seen exchanging words as one tribesman seemingly aimed a bow and arrow toward them, according to theDaily Mail. 

“Seriously, this is terrifying,” Tah said on camera, raising his hand as an apparent sign of peace.

“Seriously, they are huge bows,” he added.

Image credits: TikTok / daratah

Hoping to ease tensions, Tah waved packets of salt and poured some into his palm. The tribesmen looked uncertain, but curious about the tourists’ visit.

According to the influencer, he was advised by Demi that salt was an offering to the locals.

The tourist group quickly left the tribesmen as tensions rose

@daratah Deep in the jungle of Papua… Just tried to make contact with a cannibal tribe LOL Will try again tomorrow. Wish us luck 😅 #cannibal#tribe#adventure#deadly#survival♬ original sound – Dara Tah

Unfortunately, when one tribesman tasted the salt, he immediately spat it out. Tah quickly responded with evidentapprehension. 

“Oh god. It doesn’t look like he likes that. He doesn’t like it. Alright guys, let’s move back,” Nah said.

“We have to move. We’re not welcome. It’s really dangerous,” one tourist could be heard saying as the boat pulled away.

Image credits: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

As the tourists’ boat left the area, Tah noted that the encounter was frightening. “I’m not going to lie. That was absolutely terrifying,” he said. 

Demi seemed shocked by what happened. “I’m sorry I took you here,” he said. 

Tah wrote in the viral video’s caption that he intends to try contacting the tribe again. “Will try again tomorrow. Wish us luck,” he wrote.  

Image credits: WorldAtlas

Social media users condemned the influencer’s video as disrespectful

Online reaction was swift, with many accusing theinfluencer of treating indigenous people as props for content.

“Leave them alone and they are not cannibals!” one comment read. Another user added, “They are just people living a peaceful life.”

Image credits: Instagram / daratah

Critics also took issue with Tah’s use of the label “cannibal tribe.” 

Netizens pointed out that Papua is home to more than 250 culturally distinct groups, all of which have their own distinct culture and language.

The region has a complex history. Decades of speculation about cannibalism among tribes such as the Asmat, who reside in the province of South Papua, were amplified by the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in 1961, which fueled enduring myths.

Image credits: Wikimedia – India’s Andaman Islands

Modern Papuans, however, have emphasized that indigenous people live in peaceful communities with unique traditions, languages, and ways of life.

With this in mind, videos such as Tah’s, which immediately described thecommunity as “cannibals,” are doing more harm than good.

Others even accused the influencer of faking the encounter, as even isolated communities in Papua have reportedly embraced modern conventions to some degree.

“This is obviously staged, and remote Papua New Guineans who live in isolated rural communities don’t dress like this anymore. However, some still wear tangets over their normal clothing, typically a shirt and trousers or skirts & blouses for the ladies. 

“Please refrain from exaggerating the lifestyle of our remote people. You can film better community-based content and not misleading ones such as this,” one commenter wrote.

Tah is known for his controversial stunts and extreme content

Image credits: Indian Coastguard / Survival International

Tah is no stranger to extreme content. His channel features clips of him working in sulfur mines at Indonesia’s Kawah Ijen volcano. He also spent days on islands infamous for snakes or human remains, and ventured into decommissioned missile complexes.

In 2023, he explored Scotland’s “Anthrax Island,” a site contaminated with lethal bacteria. He later filmed on “D**dman’s Island” in England, where skeletal remains still lie exposed.

He has also taken part in Redbull’s “Ibiza Royale,” the world’s “wildest obstacle race.”

Netizens weighed in on the influencer’s controversial encounter on social media

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!