Abstract
Aim of the paper is an analysis of selected aspects of the sociocultural changes in Papua New Guinea. In the paper author discusses the acculturation process since 16th century in Melanesia and the ethnohistory of the first contacts between Europeans and Melanesian natives.
The special attention is devoted to the current technological changes, the land tenure and logging in Papua New Guinea. In the paper author presents the results of a survey of nine natives, who were interviewed in Madang.
The particular attention is devoted to the concept of culture as it natives understand. Principal part of the paper is focused on the evaluation of the traditions and ongoing sociocultural changes from Papuan perspective.