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The Beauty Of Papua New Guinea
By CruiseDirector | August 29, 2010
Smearing themselves in pig grease and soot, think about being surrounded by hundreds of Stone Age tribesmen as they brandish their weapons from axes to spears to arrows and howl their war chants in your direction. This is something you may not find appealing. Consider this being entertained when it comes to the annual Highlands Show of Papua New Guinea. When you would like to get more information on papua new guinea tours check out this site.
Sandwiched between and the equator, Papua New Guinea is comprised of the eastern half of the large island it shares with Indonesia, plus many smaller islands in the Bismarck Archipelago. What happened in 1975 was that it gained independence and nationhood but before that managed Papua and New Guinea separately under various United Nations trust arrangements. Considering the western way of life, it remains unknown in most parts of the country.
The rugged Highlands were first explored in the 1930s by white men, traveling on foot. It is until today that the white man continues to attract attention and a camera toting tourist is as much of a spectacle as the performing painted warrior in the Highlands Show. Usually, this two day show is held alternately in the towns of Goroka and Mount Hagen and this is where 60,000 people, mostly Papua New Guineans, go to watch. There are some who walk from places like Telefomin, Wapenamanda, and Ukarumpa just to be able to join in the festivities even if it takes weeks.
The show stages the usual agricultural and crafts exhibits plus demonstrations of local skills such as fire making or house building. There is light entertainment throughout the show. With weapons and barefoot, the competitors test their skills in the bicycle races, chasing after a greased pig, and racing up a greased pole with beer and cigarettes dangling from the summit. Actually, the climax of the weekend is when tourists and locals are able to witness each of the tribes display their treasured ceremonial attire in the sing sing competition. Visit this site for further information on diving in papua new guinea.
To stage a legend from tribal history or to simulate a battle, there is an occasional change of pace as people dance and chant under the hot sun to the deep hollow beat of the kundu drum. Actually, the kaleidoscope of color and costume is what is spectacular in the Highlands sing. You can say that the dancers are well embellished. Faces are luminescent in red and blue ochre, or perhaps the entire body is daubed in the blackest soot, and then trimmed with leaves and feathers and beads or maybe draped in a store bought crepe paper. Earrings are made from safety pins and for their pierced septums what they use are ball point pens and even a piece of an automobile engine rather than the usual pig’s tusk or other bone.
Apart from unwrapping the village heirlooms, they are also displayed here. They use the fur of the spotted cuscus, a small marsupial, to make the headpieces proudly worn by the children. Considered to remain prized and valuable possessions are seashells which were once a form of currency. There are the lucky ones who are able to see the tall swaying plumes of the peacock like Raggiana Bird of Paradise, the national symbol, or that of the cassowary.
After this the eerie Asaro mudmen come into view. What they wear are grotesque headgear made from sun baked clay and straw and they are covered in white mud. Leaves are slapped off their thighs as they do their swaying dance. One legend is that one tribe retreated into the Asaro River when their enemies pursued them.
After they emerged covered in the white clay, their enemies fled thinking that they were ghouls. Covering themselves in the same river mud, the Asaro mudmen continue to commemorate this victory. Those who gave the best presentations and were best in their costumes were awarded with prizes in cash and cattle as well after all the sing sings. The trek downhill begins for the people after everything is said and done.
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