Chimbu

Chimbu denotes the Chimbu–Wahgi family of the New Guinea highlands, spoken across the fertile Wahgi Valley and surrounding mountains. Its best-known members are Kuman, the Chimbu language proper, Wahgi, Nii and Melpa, the tongue of the Kawelka and neighbouring tribes around Mount Hagen. Their placement within the Trans–New Guinea phylum is debated, though their pronouns keep the family's dual and plural endings.

The languages use contrastive tone alongside rare lateral consonants; Melpa speakers also count in a binary system and switch to a special pandanus language while gathering karuka nuts.

The densely farmed valleys are among the few places where agriculture arose independently: at Kuk Swamp archaeologists uncovered drainage ditches and taro plots going back to around 7000 BCE, with banana and sugar-cane cultivation established by about 4500 BCE.