Irish TikTok influencer Dara Tah was allegedly forced to flee from a "cannibal tribe" after the gift he offered them was rejected.
Tah is known for pushing boundaries and seeking thrills. He has previously filmed daring stunts, including enduring 12 hours of Chinese water torture and spending 48 hours awake.
His latest stunt, which has amassed over 18.8 million views, took him to the island of New Guinea, where he ventured into a remote region of Papua, a province of Indonesia that includes the northern coast of Western New Guinea and the island groups in Cenderawasih Bay to the west.
Here, he attempted to make contact with a tribe that he described as a "cannibal tribe" in his video caption.
The video begins with Tah and a group of tourists traveling along a river in a wooden boat. As they approach the shore, a group of indigenous men, armed with large bows and arrows, greets them with what appears to be a hostile stance.
One tourist nervously remarks: “I think they’re pointing bows and arrows at us, bro.” Tah, trying to signal peace, waves hello and adds: “Seriously, they are huge bows.”
He then attempts to offer a peace gift of salt, which he hands to one of the tribal leaders. However, the leader spits the salt out in disgust, prompting Tah to nervously remark: “Oh God, he doesn’t look like he likes that.”
As tension rises, the group’s guide, Demi, warns that they are not welcome, urging the team to retreat. “We have to move. We’re not welcome. It’s really dangerous,” Demi says.
After narrowly escaping what could have been a deadly situation, Tah admits, “I’m not going to lie, that was absolutely terrifying.”
The influencer later vowed to return and try again, saying in the video caption: "Deep in the jungle of Papua... Just tried to make contact with a cannibal tribe LOL Will try again tomorrow. Wish us luck."
Despite the alarming encounter, many viewers have criticized Tah for his reckless behavior and for exploiting the indigenous people for TikTok content.
One user wrote, “Stop contacting them! Let them be, they're at peace," while another added: “This is so horrible and intrusive even after colonisation you guys are still bothering people!"
"People from developing countries should respect the privacy of cannibal tribes, especially since they lack immunity to our diseases. It would be more beneficial for them to explore other parts of the world and create content there. I really can't stand this type of content creator," a third slammed.
Critics also pointed out that there is no evidence to support Tah’s claim that the tribe is cannibalistic, with some suggesting the video might have been staged.
One comment said: "This is obviously staged, and remote Papua New Guineans who live in isolated rural communities don’t dress like this anymore. However, some still wear tangets (traditional clothing) over their normal clothing (typically shirt and trousers or skirts & blouses for the ladies).
"Please refrain from exaggerating the lifestyle of our remote people. You can film better community based content and not misleading ones such as this," they added.
While certain tribes in Papua, such as the Korowai, historically practiced ritual cannibalism, the practice largely disappeared in the mid-20th century after it was banned due to health concerns, including the spread of degenerative brain disease, per Yahoo.
Still, Tah’s portrayal of the tribe has sparked controversy, with many accusing him of perpetuating harmful stereotypes.