Papua tribe living in West Papua. West Papua is the western half of the island of New Guinea and is distinct from the independent country of Papua New Guinea. It is home to around 312 different tribes. The central mountainous region of Papua is home to the highland peoples, who practice pig husbandry and sweet potato cultivation. The lowland peoples live in swampy and coastal regions, and live by hunting the abundant game, and gathering. The lowland peoples live in swampy, coastal regions and live by hunting the abundant game and gathering. Some of the many Papuan tribal languages are related to others, but some are unique. The people are ethnically distinct from the Indonesians who control their country.