A common name for a people of southern
Papua New Guinea, in Gulf and
Morobe provinces, and their language, a member of the
Trans-New Guinea phylum. They are not actually called Kukukuku: that is a name its neighbours call them, and which is widely seen, because it's such a good word, but they themselves don't like it. The actual native name of the people is
Angu, and the language is
Hamtai. There are about 40 000 speakers, among five dialects.
They live far from most other groups, in land very inaccessible without light aircraft, and are renowned for their ferocity. Their jewellery includes smoked human fingers worn in memory of the dead; and possum testicles. Their star-shaped stone axes are distinctive, and they are good archers.
Here is the Lord's Prayer in Hamtai ("Kukukuku"):
Nai'ya Äpiko tiyä'äu qapmeängoe,
amä'ä aqonai nta ya'va na'a yamakäno.
Nti napn änga aqau nanämä pmätna.
Nta mänga tiyä'äunga qamtamaiyatonguwapä
qoä taunga nai ya'u ha'a mtamaiyäno.
Ita anuwana nätopä anuwana ha'a nätäptna.
Quy'va qanäi'uwa ym qamämanqopä
nti nai'ya quy'va ha'a ym mämautna.
Yanki'ya nhäiutu'na nanämä mu'wa itna.
Quy'va ymintä natmätna.
Nti Amä'ä No'oe nhainga,
yanga qunominqa nhainga,
ta wä hungoe nhainga,
qamqaminqainä qamqaminqainä pmätoe ti.
Tawata.