In 1990, shotguns and M-16s were adopted into Enga warfare, setting off some 15 years of devastation as youths (~17 to 28) took charge of interclan warfare. In response, people called on elder leaders to adapt customary institutions to restore peace; subsequently, war deaths and the frequency of war declined radically. Data from precolonial warfare, 501 recent wars, and 129 customary court sessions allow us to consider (i) the principles and values behind customary institutions for peace, (ii) their effectiveness, (iii) how they interact with and compare to state institutions of today, and (iv) how such institutions might have shaped our human behavioral repertoire to make life in state societies possible.

Institutions to regulate marriage and sexual mores are nearly universal across human societies to assure production, reproduction, and weave the fabric of society. Stakeholders are many. What happens when marital traditions break down in times of rapid change? Taking a long-term perspective, we will first look at developments in marital institutions that occurred after the arrival of the sweet potato (ca. 400 BP) among the Enga of Papua New Guinea. Next, we will document changes in recent marital practices of 402 Enga women collected in 2007. With data from 270 public forums in customary courts applying restorative justice between 2008-19, we will consider: (1) impact of the breakdown of marital institutions and (2) responses to adapt norms to new practices. In the absence of regulation by 'traditional' institutions, individuals pursue their own interests and passions with negative outcomes for families and communities. Communities, NGOs, churches and government throughout PNG are seeking to adapt norms to new conditions. We consider both norm change resulting from community action via customary courts and what communities strive to preserve. Stable cultural institutions and accompanying norms are important factors in assuring production and reproduction; they can instill attitudes that inhibit change.

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