Travel and Holiday

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. It might seem rather disturbing. When it comes to the annual Highlands Show of Papua New Guinea, this is entertainment.

Actually, Papua New Guinea is located in between and the equator, not only is it comprised of the eastern part of the large island that it shares with Indonesia but also by small islands that are part of the Bismarck Archipelago. Achieving independence and nationhood in 1975 was this country but long before this occurred, managed the territories of Papua and New Guinea under various United Nations trust arrangements. There are lots of places in this country where the western way of life is unknown. If you’re looking to learn about papua new guinea travel, visit their site for more details.

It was during the 1930s when white men traveling on foot were able to explore these rugged Highlands. The white man is still a novelty, and at the Highlands Show the center of attention is often the camera toting tourist as much as the armed and painted warrior. 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. The competitors have their weapons with them and are barefoot as they engage in bicycle races, chasing after a greased pig, and racing up a greased pole where there are cigarettes and beer dangling above. 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.

For hours on end in the searing tropical sun, the men, women and children dance and chant to the deep hollow beat of the kundu drum, occasionally changing pace to simulate a battle or to stage some legend from tribal history. What is amazing about the Highlands sing is the kaleidoscope of color and costume. Here is where the dancers embellish themselves well. Used as trimmings for their bodies covered in the darkest soot and faces luminescent in red and blue ochre are feathers, beads, leaves, and even store bought crepe paper. Aside from having safety pins for earrings, they use ball point pens and even pieces of an automobile engine for their pierced septums instead of the usual pig’s tusk or other bone. Learn about tours to papua new guinea.

The occasion also means that the village heirlooms will be unwrapped and displayed. Fabricated from the fur of the spotted cuscus, a small marsupial, are the headpieces proudly worn by the children. For the people, seashells are still valuable as these were once a form of currency. Witnessing the tall swaying plumes of the peacock like Raggiana Bird of Paradise, the national symbol, or that of the cassowary is something some people are able to do.

The eerie Asaro mudmen is another sight. These people are coated in white mud and have grotesque heads made from sun baked clay and straw. As they do their swaying dance, leaves are slapped off their thighs. One of their legends say that after their enemies pursued them, one tribe retreated into the Asaro River.

When they emerged covered with the white clay, the attackers took them to be pallid ghouls, and fled. By covering themselves in the same river mud, the Asaro mudmen continue to commemorate this victory. Prizes in denominations of cash as well as cattle are handed out after all the sing sings to the group who performed the best and were best in costume. As the festivities come to a close, those in attendance go home.