I've been putting off writing this post ... because my trip to Papua New Guinea was so utterly amazing that I really don't know how to describe it, or what to say about it.
It was the Mount Hagen festival that attracted me to the country, and I shall write about that separately, but I was blown away by the encounters with various tribal groups in different parts of the country.
We started in the north-west part of the country, in the Sepik region (an internal flight, longish drive and then a few hours along a river in dugout canoes), where we stayed for a couple of nights in basic accommodation in a small village of the Sepik people. They are also known as the 'crocodile men', as they believe that in ancient times crocodiles rose up from the Sepik River and evolved into human form on land. Their reptilian lineage is commemorated through a scarification process marking the transition to manhood, when cuts are made into the skin of the chest, upper arms, back and buttocks in a pattern that resembles the teeth and scales of a crocodile. When this is completed, the youths don a traditional headdress and ritual celebrations take place - we saw one of the ritual dances (in the header photograph).
Other groups which we visited in that part of the country have different rituals and different masks and costumes, as well as different kinds of sacred buildings (spirit houses). Although I never did discover the significance of this woman above the front entrance of one of the spirit houses!
The village of Abelam had a really stunning spirit house, and the dance they put on for us in the village ended with most of the participants, in their wonderful costumes, lined up in there - but I found the back part with just these two costumed men even more spectacular.
The tour leader ensured that there were activities available at all times, so I also went out to watch the local women fishing in their small canoes. & of course there were samples of the jewellery, headdresses, etc on sale - I was kind of sad but also kind of grateful that my current nomadic way of life prevents me from buying souvenirs.
We had an extra day on the trip (which the tour company did not charge us for!), due to two flight cancellations by Air Niugini, and that was filled by a trip up to a couple of lodges in the highlands, with some walks - one specifically to a hide beside a bird-of-paradise lek, where I was able to watch displaying Raggiana birds-of-paradise (the national bird), and the other where I saw a Superb bird-of-paradise in the trees. & whilst some of the others visited a waterfall, I stayed at one lodge and saw a further bird-of-paradise species, as well as sicklebills, parrots and lorikeets, feeding from fruit left out for them. There I met the tour group that I'd been invited to join when my planned PNG birding trip was cancelled - but I must say that I was happy enough to be on my cultural trip rather than with them.
We then visited the village of Skom in the highlands, where we watched the whole process of the 'mumu' feast - cooking parcels of food (wrapped in leaves) on hot rocks in a small hole in the ground. We also participated in the feast, although I did not eat any of the pork; even if I were not mostly vegetarian, the memory of it squealing in pain and terror as it was beaten over the head with a big club was still too strong.
Whilst that was cooking they showed us how they make their famous beetlehead headdresses, and after lunch we saw a traditional dance performance with these being part of the costumes.
As with so many of the traditional costumes we saw, these contained their fair share of feathers. Thankfully, however, the headdresses are carefully guarded and apparently last for many years.
To be continued...
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