This is the article for the location from the attraction. For the South American location of the same moniker from the film, see Puka Michuna Territory.
Headhunter territory also known as Headhunter country or Umbala territory is a location from the Jungle Cruise.
Description[]
"Headhunter territory" was a region in North Africa along the Nile river which was home to the Umbala tribe. The territory occupied a part of the river between the Hippo Pool along the African veldt and the Rapids of Kilimanjaro, marked by Schweitzer Falls. Due to being located along the main Nile river and also located in North Africa, the territory would have either been located in the nation of Egypt or Sudan. The territory was also built within, "Adventureland", a supernatural realm of jungles connected across the world by the mystic Rivers of Adventure.
Points of interest[]
- Camp: This was the main camp occupied by the Umbala tribe. It was composed of several huts and buildings which housed the tribe members.
- Schweitzer Falls: Schweitzer Falls was a waterfall included as part of the tribe's apparent territory. The waterfall was located just north of their main village.
- Treasure of the Pacific: This was a stone totem used to house the golden skull, "Treasure of the Pacific", one of seven treasures created by the sea goddess Calypso. The statue itself was somewhat sentient but stolen by pirates around the 1710s-1720s.
History[]
Background[]
The Umbala tribe has occupied the territory, seemingly since the 18th century at-least. In the 1710s/1720s, several pirates travelled to the territory attempting to steal the Treasure of the Pacific, a golden skull which was one of seven treasures created by the sea goddess Calypso. These pirates were killed by the tribe for their crimes and cursed as undead skulls, mounted as warnings. The treasure was eventually stolen by the crew of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow while competing with that of Jack's rival, Captain Barbossa.
In 1891, wealthy English colonial explorer Dr. Albert Falls travelled to the Nile and, "Discovered" the waterfalls which he named, "Schweitzer Falls" (apparently after himself). This was made official by Falls' affiliate Luana Teixera from the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, a European guild of globetrotting aristocrats. The Umbala tribe took issue with this and were enemies of Dr. Albert Falls and his affiliates.
In 1911, Dr. Albert Falls founded the Jungle Navigation Company. This company frequently sent boats through the Umbala's territory, aiding the colonists of Africa in stealing their land. The Umbala used the practice of headhunting to fight the Jungle Navigation Company, ambushing boats to headhunt JNC employees and customers who broke into their territory along their routes. Around 1936/1938, the tribe killed a search party being ferried by a JNC boat and claimed their skulls.
Following a 1938 mission to find the Holy Grail, archaeologist Indiana Jones visited Umbala territory and/or encountered the Umbala tribe. Through unknown circumstances, Jones lost possession of a headdress to the Umbala. This tribe belonged to Jones' dead enemy Mola Ram, the dark leader of the Thuggee in Pankot, India. The Umbala would mysteriously mount the headdress on a spike near their village. A Jungle Cruise boat would identify the location of the headdress and presumably recover it.
Development history[]
Creation & changes[]
The headhunter tribe were stereotypes integrated in the Jungle Cruise as antagonists. The village's design resembled the East-African village of Kungdu as shown in The African Queen (1951), a film which inspired the Jungle Cruise. In Jungle River Cruise, they are shown using blow-guns which is not a weapon traditional to any African tribe and was instead likely taken from South American tribes such as the Jivaroan.
In the 2021 refurbishment, several changes were made to the Jungle Cruise to remove the attraction of its more culturally insensitive elements. Skulls throughout Adventureland and tribal masks in the Jungle Cruise were likewise removed. The tribe continues to appear in Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
Racism[]
The headhunter tribe were stereotypes integrated in the Jungle Cruise as antagonists. The tribe represented an inaccurate colonial stereotype which depicted Africana people as primitive and hostile when compared to Western colonists and furthermore portrayed their retaliation to European colonialism as a vilified trait. Headhunting is not a trait affiliated with African tribes but is rather a colonial exaggeration of practices belonging to Polynesian and South American tribes. Likewise, blowguns are affiliated with South American tribes rather than any African tribe.
While the removal of the vilified tribe was generally well received, the execution of it was controversial. Namely were claims of the altered attraction adhering to a form of white settler propaganda known as Terra nullius which is historically used to portray Indigenous territories in jungle region as open for colonization due to being allegedly devoid of civilization. This implication was likewise enhanced due to the same refurbishment romanticizing several characters emblematic of white colonial figures including Dr. Albert Falls and the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.
Appearances[]
Adventure Trading Company[]
The territory and its huts were illustrated on a map of Adventureland covered in maraglyphics. Schweitzer Falls was also referenced on various occasions throughout the attraction.
A Pirate's Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas[]
The headhunters are antagonists in the mission, "Heads, you lose". Here, guests portrayed members of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew attempting to take the Treasure of the Pacific from the headhunters while competing with Captain Barbossa.
Big Game Safari Shooting Gallery[]
This attraction's backdrop featured a depiction of the village.
Jungle Cruise[]
The territory used to be passed by on the Jungle Cruise. The impaled stack of skulls does still appear nearby the Treasure of the Pacific.
Indiana Jones and the Summer of Hidden Mysteries[]
During this overlay, the headdress of Mola Ram appeared in the possession of the tribe. It was apparently left behind by Indiana Jones on one of his adventures.[1]
Jingle Cruise[]
In Disneyland's extant version of this overlay, the Umbala were shown in sweaters dancing to a victrola playing holiday music. The tribe itself was decorated with holiday paraphernalia. The, "Ambush" was made up of several warriors drinking and cheering the passing boat.
Jungle Cruise: Wildlife Expeditions[]
The headhunters still appear in this version of the attraction.
Jungle River Cruise[]
The territory still appears in this incarnation of the Jungle Cruise. Here, the headhunters also use shields and blow-darts to attack the boats before the skipper escapes into the domain of the Fire God and the Water God.
Skipper Canteen[]
In other media[]
Printed materials[]
Skipper Survival Guide[]
An entry from December 4th, 1934 mentioned a Jungle Navigation Company skipper named Herb passing through headhunter territory where three of his passengers were lost along with most of his cargo.
Video-games[]
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures[]
The camp appears at the end of the Jungle Cruise mini games, being where the player and skipper disembark.
Paraphernalia[]
Jungle Cruise Adventure Game[]
The village appears uninhabited in this game.
Trivia[]
- One of the headhunter warriors was shown with a mask modelled after Donald Duck. A similar mask was hung outside of the JNC's Mekong boathouse.
- Headhunting is not a practice traditionally affiliated with African tribes.
- A removed shield from the headhunter camp in Disneyland showed the logo for the Lion King musical.[2]
- The Treasure of the Pacific resembles the Khmer ruins often found in the Jungle Cruise.
- The artwork from the huts is also used on a shack in the Lost Delta of India, located across from the Jungle Navigation Company's boathouse.
- In the film, Puka Michuna Territory is referred to as, "Headhunter Territory".
Gallery[]
