The territory of the Nduga people borders the Dani and Lani to the north, the Asmat to the south, the Damal to the west, and the Ngalik [id] to the east.

[3][4] The name "Nduga" derives from a variation of the pronunciation of the word ndawa, which means people who live off hunting between the stone holes in the southern region of the Jayawijaya Mountains.

[5] The Nduga tribe believes that their ancestors were from the Seinma region in Yahukimo Regency and later they migrated to the Baliem Valley.

There was then a migration back to Agimuga [id] in the 1950s because the Dutch opened this area for agriculture and coffee plantations due to the cold climate in Tsinga and Alama.

In the 1960s, the Dutch government opened up the Kokonau [id], leading to another Nduga migration, albeit only reaching Mapuru Jaya before stopping at Kwamki.

[3] The Nduga language has several dialects, estimated to be over ten based on their locations, such as Hiburzt, Tundu, Tumbut, Suburu,[5] Mapenduma, Mbua, Kenyam, etc.

At harvest ceremonies, the kwalembo utters sacred words (wusama) to bless noken bags full of yams.