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Huli boys are removed from their mother's household at a young age and handed over to the father. He progresses to full manhood with many ceremonies along the way, culminating in the "bachelor's ritual" in his late teens. (I was definitely afraid to ask what that ritual consisted of and decided to use my imagination.) Only then are they allowed: a. to have sexual relations with women; and b. wear and decorate their own red wig. The wigs are also trimmed with cuscus fur (a possum-like nocturnal marsupials) and cassowary plumes (a large flightless, bird).
Today's village would show us some of their other traditions and way of life, primarily governed by belief in ancestral spirits and sorcery. All village visits needed permission to enter and if the villagers asked that we bypass them for some reason, the guides had to comply. But, no problem today. No wars, no deaths, no stolen pigs, no need for privacy.
skulls
Continue reading "One Last Huli Village and Back To Civilization in Papua New Guinea" »
After dinner, Ambua Lodge screened a documentary, First Contact, relating the story of the first contacts between Highlanders and Europeans. In brief: In 1933, Michael Leahy (an Australian) led a series of gold prospecting expeditions into the Highlands and initiated the first contact between the Huli and Europeans. You can just imagine the shock of both during this encounter. In one scene, Mick and his gold miners played a gramophone for the Huli, just one of the many concepts and devices that were never seen nor imagined by the people. An interesting fact - Leahy didn't find gold on this expedition but one of the world's biggest gold mines was discovered later on, only about 500 yards from where he was...so close but yet so far... This province was also the last of the Highland provinces to be explored and no one ever knew that these people existed. If there is any way to get hold of this extremely old documentary, watch it...very, very interesting.
Papua New Guines is very rich in natural resources of which gold and copper are just two. We were now prepared for the first village.
entry to Huli village
Continue reading "First Contact In The Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea" »
The Highlands are made up of fertile valleys and rugged mountains which form the backbone of Papua New Guinea. This is the most densely populated area and is divided into five separate provinces. Tari was in the Southern Highlands and that is where we were headed. Europeans didn't discover the Highlands until 1933 when Michael Leahy (an Australian gold hunter) led a series of prospecting expeditions into the Highlands. (More about that later.)
The Southern Highlands is home to the Huli Wigmen, the largest ethnic group. The Huli are famous for their decorative wigs made from human hair, donated by wives and children. There are around 200,000 Hulis living in the Tari basin and are some of the last native people on earth to have had white-skinned strangers step into their lives.
Tari is about 7,000 feet which gives it a pleasant climate and few mosquitoes. Our plane landed at the little airport, surrounded by chain link fence with people pressed up against it and a Huli warrior standing beside the Tari sign! ex-Marine and I just looked at each other, stunned in disbelief. After all, this wasn't a theme park...
Huli warrior
Continue reading "Tari In The New Guinea Highlands" »
The last day was spent moving on up the Karawari. So quiet with absolutely nothing around to disturb the stillness. The river was constantly changing. At times, nice and wide and then you'd suddenly be traveling through narrow areas with little villages on the banks surrounded by palms, breadfruit, betel nut trees and grasses. We were going to stay at the Karawari Lodge for one night and then fly to the New Guinea Highlands, Tari, tomorrow.
Karawari Lodge had 20 rooms featuring private bathrooms, ceiling fans (no air-conditioning), mosquito nets, a big verandah and its own grass airstrip. Their excursions take people to nearby villages to witness demonstrations of traditional ceremonies. There are three Kundiman sub-clans in the area and that was our destination in the afternoon. But first, it was a very fond farewell to the Spirit and off the vessel.
off the Sepik Spirit
Continue reading "Karawari Lodge, Papua New Guinea" »
A haus tambaran is one of the most famous elements of middle Sepik art. The house is built of thatch and split bamboo, decorated with maks and carved pillars (resembling totem poles) and is the high-roofed spirit house that serves as a sanctuary for ceremonial life in each village. It is also used as an area for the men only. Traditionally, the village's finest art pieces are stored in this haus and every village has their own distinctive style.
After breakfast, we'd take to the river boat and chug down through the vast network of swamps, canals and shallow lakes the little canals until that day's village appeared. This area floods in the wet season and breaks off parts of the riverbank forming floating islands. Every now and then there would be a lonesome sign, sticking out of the river and announcing either the village's name or directions to that village along with people poling their dugouts along and egrets everywhere...
village sign
Continue reading "Another Day On The Sepik River in New Guinea" »
The Sepik Spirit was heading down the Middle Sepik River into the Blackwater Lakes area with a very old culture. The channels are only navigable during certain periods of the year cutting down on the amount of outsiders who visit. Even though the vessel was specially built for this river there have been times when the cruise itinerary is shuffled around because of the prevailing conditions. The conditions were favorable for us and we left Timbunke on the Sepik River, branched off into the Krosmeri River and finally onto the Blackwater River. As stated earlier, the water appears black from tannic acid caused by decaying vegetation. During World War II, Japanese occupation troops killed over 100 villagers in Timbunke.
Each day was spent traveling by river boat through the flat landscape with only sago-palms and elephant grass in the distance, visiting new villages, learning about their cultures and buying...buying...buying. The Middle Sepik has the most artistic villages in this region and even though I had never collected primitive art before, the handicraft was impossible to resist.
Sepik village haus tambaran
Continue reading "Traveling Down The Sepik River in New Guinea" »
The surprisingly luxurious Sepik Spirit was constructed in 1989, and has a shallow draft to allow passage into the heart of the Sepik River through areas not accessible to larger vessels. It was recently refurbished in 2006 with a new interior and improved noise insulation. The Sepik Spirit only accommodates 18 passengers in twin bedrooms with private bathrooms and airconditioning. ...View image... It also had a dining room, lounge bar and covered upper observatory deck. It was built for river cruising along the Sepik River network including the Black Waters and Karawari.
Every day we would visit villages along the Sepik River in one of the Spirit's 18-seater riverboat. The riverboat was open, canopied, fast and comfortable. At first it was a big surprise how small the Sepik Spirit really was. We are accustomed to looking at 80,000+ton cruise ships but it was very nice.
Sepik Spirit riverboat
Continue reading "On The "MV Sepik Spirit" in New Guinea" »
Flew from Brisbane to Port Moresby via Air Niugini, had a private transfer to the Gateway Hotel, very close to the airport with excellent facilities. The Gateway has a free shuttle but a private transfer was included in our tour. Our guide warned us not to go outside the hotel perimeter because of the high crime rate in Port Moresby and the hotel was surrounded by barbed wire. This was not an auspicious beginning...ex-Marine was already giving me "looks." And, when we tried to enter the Gateway Restaurant, he was refused service because of the "collar-less" shirt (a t-shirt) on him. Had to eat and the only solution was a trip into Gateway's shop to buy a shirt with a collar! Who'd have thunk it...and it was only for one night! Requiring a shirt with a collar is one way of keeping out the locals.
Port Moresby is considered the worst place to live among the World capitals becasue of its poverty, crime, poor healthcare and a rampant "raskol" gang culture ( pronounced "rascals" and it took a while before we understood what they were talking about). The "Raskols" do everything from rape, bank robberies, to car holdups and use M-16's, machetes and home-made shotguns. Visitors to Port Moresby are advised not to go out after sunset, and avoid walking the streets even during the day. If you live there and have money, your house is surrounded by razor-wire, barbed wire and watched by security guards. Believe me, neither of us had any intention of setting one foot out of the Gateway Hotel.
the Gateway Hotel, Port Moresby
Continue reading "Port Moresby, New Guinea" »
Satisfied that most of our questions were answered...
Air? Air is usually the major part of travel costs especially flying such a great distance. We combined Tasmania, Australia and New Guinea into one trip, starting in Australia, trekking the Overland Track in Tasmania and flying to New Guinea via Brisbane, Australia. Extremely complicated and you'll just have to see what works best for you. There are air connections via Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Phillipines and Hong Kong on Air Niugini, and, of course, you first have to get to wherever you are connecting from!
Travel Insurance? Never travel without it. Other do...we don't. It's taken a long time to save for this vacation, and only a second to ruin. Purchase Travel insurance through Travel Guard Travel insurance starting at $30
Continue reading "New Guinea Planning" »
Some more reading through brochures and whatever information I could get my hands on. Nobody I knew had ever visited New Guinea. Now you can just surf the PNG Tourism website...much easier.
ex-Marine still kept asking about Michael Rockefeller, youngest son of Nelson Rockefeller ( presumed dead). He "disappeared" during an expedition in the Asmat region of southwestern New Guinea . The Asmat region was NOT where we were going...that took care of the Michael Rockefeller subject. Now to answer his questions about World War II...
The Japanese and Allied (primarily Australian) forces had a series of battles during World War II, in what was then the Australian territory of New Guinea. The infamous Kokoda Trail started outside Port Moresby and ran 40-66 miles through the Owen Stanley Ranges to Kokoda. It was originally used by gold miners in the 1890's walking north from Port Moresby to the goldfields of Kokoda.
Continue reading "More New Guinea Information" »
Papua, New Guinea is one of the most remote, unique and wildest destinations in the entire world. The geography is diverse with mountains running the entire length creating high plateaus, dense rainforests, extensive areas that still have not been completely explored, and the famed Sepik River which accounts for its poor roads. The Island itself is split down the middle with Irian Jaya (Malaysian) on the West and Papua on the East.
It is not an easy country to get around on your own, there are few accommodations outside of Port Moresby and is difficult to get around. There is a tremendous amount of crime throughout the country and by now, you are probably asking the question..."Why would anyone in their right mind want to go there?"...
Because...its geographic and ethnological diversity is what makes New Guinea a magnet. It is the only country in the South Pacific still inhabited by primitive and complex people, along with many undiscovered species of plants and anmals. I started looking at brochures filled with photos of the Huli wigmen and their painted faces, Sepik men who practice scarification and headdresses...and thought...well...why not...
Continue reading "Papua, New Guinea - A Wild And Crazy Destination" »
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