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  • A pig is used to perform "adat", a traditional healing ritual in Tanah Papua.<br />
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One of the most common practices in the highlands to diagnose and cure HIV is by conducting a traditional ritual termed adat.  This involves killing a pig and examining its blood, heart, lungs, and kidney.  After cutting the pig open and inspecting its internal organs, the practitioners of adat remove what they interpret as parasites or cancerous parts that they believe caused the sickness.  Cleaning the pig's flesh by washing it with water would also "cure" the person's illness.  Performing the adat ritual is expensive since a pig can cost hundreds of dollars.  The treatment does not work despite the strong cultural belief behind it.  In the end, after killing numerous pigs and spending a fortune, many people give up hope.  By the time they finally decide to go to the hospital, their condition is too critical with little chance for survival.<br />
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Due to a lack of HIV/AIDS education, limited access to health services, and strong pre-existing cultural beliefs about illness, many Papuans who are desperate for a cure turn to alternative medicines and traditional methods of healing.  Sometimes it involves cutting different parts of the body to drain "dirty" blood believed to cause the sickness.  Fruit potions such as the renowned red fruit potion (buah merah) are also extremely popular for its perceived healing capability.  In some cases, those who are already taking ARV medication abandon it to take expensive alternative medications such as Herbal Life vitamin supplements because they are promised an immediate cure.
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  • To earn money Meri sells meat at a local market.  She always carries her ARV medicine in case she gets home late at night.
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  • Washing her own clothes is another way Meri makes an effort to be self-sufficient.
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  • A portrait of Meri; a loving sister and daughter, an independent and beautiful Papuan woman.
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  • With arms stretched out Meri runs to the top of the hill barefoot. <br />
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For more information and to watch multimedia please visit this interactive website: <br />
<br />
www.Iampositif.org (English)<br />
www.Sayapositif.org (Indonesian)
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  • Meri attends the Sunday sermon.  She prays for strength herself and her friends who are facing the same struggle.
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  • To expand his busines, Pak Jhon is building a couple of additional rooms to his house to be rented out.
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  • Pak Jhon cleans his pigpen a minimum of five times a day to avoid bad the bad odors from disturbing his neighbors.
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  • Tears rolled down her eyes as Reni prays inside her room.
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  • A portrait of Meri; a loving sister and daughter, an independent and beautiful Papuan woman.
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  • Meri cooks the meat that she will sell at the market.
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  • A photo of Pak Jhon at a family function before making full recovery.
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  • In the beginning Pak Jhon borrowed money from his neighbor to buy piglets.  For the past seven years, he has maintained his business and supported his family.
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  • Pak Jhon usually wakes up around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning to feed his pigs.
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  • Pak Jhon usually wakes up around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning to feed his pigs.
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