Next: the Karawari Basin, home to (ex)cannibals, followed by the Tari region–land of Huli dances and iconic wigs made famous by the flamboyant Birds of Paradise.
After 3 days of cruising on Papaua New Guinea’s Sepik River, it’s time to hit terra firma. A jet boat deposited us on the Karawari River’s banks, and a rustic truck with bench seats whisked us on a bone jarring ride to the Karawari Lodge high on a ridge 300 m (900 ft) above the river. To preserve life and limb, we wisely kept our arms inside the open sided vehicle as it barreled through the rough track.
Inspired by the traditional Haus Tambaran (Spirit House), a monumental gable mask crowns the lodge’s gable apex beneath its soaring roofline. In traditional architecture, the gable mask represents the face of a powerful female ancestor and serves as a spiritual guardian, warding off evil spirits and linking the physical structure to the metaphysical world.
A small carved male figure was placed in front of the imposing totem, making it literally the low man on the totem pole! A large collection of artisanal carvings was also scattered around the public areas of the lodge.
Cabins tee off from the main lodge in small clusters. The units are simply furnished with netting over the bed. I lucked out and had windows on opposite sides of the room for a nice cross draft (apparently not everyone was so lucky). Add a quiet overhead fan, and life is good! I’d read that power is often off after dinner, but Jorge negotiated for the electricity to stay on all night, making it about as cushy as one can get given the remote location.
After a late lunch, we hustled off for a Karawari tribe visit to learn how sago – a Sepik staple – is harvested and turned into food. At the village, one of the men felled and split open a mature sago palm, and then proceeded to hack up the fibrous pith with a mondo adze. Rinsing and straining the pulp to separate starch from fiber, as well as cooking the resulting sago is a woman’s task. We got to see a dinner of sago flatbread and stew with fresh greens being made before heading off.
This area rarely sees any tourists, and the kids are exceedingly playful. Most are running around stark naked, which is simply more practical as they spend much of their time splashing in the river.
After a brief stop at another village to see some spiritual wood carving unique to the Karawari and Middle Sepik, we hightailed it back to the lodge for what Jorge promised to be a spectacular sunset. Perched with our sundowners on the wraparound balcony, we were treated to an amazing sight as the sun glowed from orange to blood red, while a ghostly bank of fog rose from the vast tropical lowland rain forest below. Meanwhile, as we enjoyed our drinks, Jorge regaled us with claims of having met one of the last surviving cannibals in the region on a prior trip…
Before dinner Chris Nick, our local guide, gave a presentation on the Kamongabi, aka Kamangabbi or Yipwon. Central to the Yimam people of the Karawari basin, the carving is used to provide direction and protection in war and hunts. Normally fashioned from a single piece of wood, the elongated, stylized skeletal form sports a central heart, from which pairs of curved hook-like ribs emanate above and below. The sculpture stands on one leg and is topped by a head with a prominent chin or beard-like extension. The figure is believed to house a powerful spirit that can be summoned by rituals to help hunters and warriors track down and weaken their prey – be it animals or enemies. Upon a successful return, offerings of blood or meat are placed on the Kamongabi’s ribs to honor the spirit.
That night, a troupe of local singers serenaded us with some high octane entertainment. Check out these creative percussion instruments made by nothing more than slapping flip flops across stacks of oversized bamboo tubes! Even more fun was the rambunctious Tumbuan Mask Dancer, who gleefully bashed one of the hanging lamps with its head.
Saw this Hercules Moth parked outside a lodge building. It was so big, I had to do a double take. Endemic to PNG and northern Australia, it claims the title of the region’s largest moth with its impressive 11″ wingspan. Males are easily recognized by the long, slender tails on their hindwings.
Next up: the Tari Basin, home of the famed Huli people. Their striking Bilas – from colorful painted faces to insta-worthy headdresses extravagantly decorated with ornate bird feathers, flowers and mosses – make them one of the most recognized PNG tribes. Equally exciting was the prospect of birding at the renowned Tari Gap, home to many species of Birds of Paradise.
The flight to Tari was supposed to take 30 minutes, but as usual, things didn’t go as planned and we arrived 2.5 hrs late. Tari Lodge’s round bungalows offer 180° views over the Tari Valley and sit on the edge of a cloud forest. At 7,000 feet above sea level, it gets cool and damp when evening fog rolls in, but happily the lodge’s electric beds made things dry and toasty come bedtime.
Some of the men were still busy getting ready when we arrived for our fist village visit the following morning. But this Huli Wigman, decked out in full regalia, stood ready to greet us. Looking formidable with their towering headdresses, glistening bodies and muscular physiques, I was surprised to find later that most are actually shorter than me!
The men use sacred yellow Ambua clay as a base, accented with red ochre, white and charcoal clay for their elaborate face and body decoration. Tree oil or pig fat is rubbed on to give the body a glowing sheen.
The white, crescent-shaped shell hanging over our host’s chest is called a kina. Cut from the gold-lipped pearl oyster, kina was the traditional currency of the country before Western contact. It’s still an important symbol of prestige in the PNG Highlands. Pigs remain a measure of wealth, so the number of pig tails hanging off a man’s belt is an indication of his status.
Shape of the ceremonial wig (Manda Hare) vaguely resembles a Venetian Barchetta. Made of human hair, it’s lavishly decorated with cassowary, cockatoo, and bird of paradise feathers (like these long white tail feathers of the Ribbon-Tailed Astrapia and iridescent blue breast feathers from the Superb Bird of Paradise). Topping it all is a cassowary quill, often worn through the nose septum to complement the dramatic headdress.
Wigs can be fashioned from one’s own hair or purchased, with feathers collected and added to the wigs over time.
A kokomo (Blyth’s Hornbill) beak and boar tusks are prized decorative pieces typically worn on the back of the neck.
The village welcomed us with a Kumia (Bird of Paradise) Dance where the men mimicked the bird’s hopping gait, timed to the beat of the kundu (hour glass shaped drum).
Dense bunches of green Cordyline leaves with red, yellow and green accents are tucked into the backs of the waistbands. They were arranged to fan out and bounce rhythmically with every move for a truly dynamic visual effect.
A short drive brought us to another village, where we were welcomed by 4 elders. Their less ‘manicured’ headdresses exuded an exuberant charm, as the veritable explosion of feathers created a delightful tangle of colors.
Dark cassowary feathers rimmed the headdress, artfully obscuring the face for an air of intrigue.
The Spirit Dance invokes benevolent spirits to heal the sick and protect the community. While this ceremony is usually held at night, these village elders graciously made an exception for us. Given their age, dancing under a shell-draped cape of cassowary feathers at high noon was certainly hot and exhausting.
The ritual normally takes place around a campfire, with the sick encircled by the Spirit Dancers, also known as ‘Welcomers’ or ‘Callers’. They chant and drum for hours as needed, occasionally sacrificing pigs to help the cause.
After a busy morning, our last stop before lunch was to see how Huli wigs are made. A quick trip down the road took us to the wig school. Every Huli typically has at least 2 human hair wigs, a simple everyday wig (Manda tene), and a ceremonial wig (Manda Hare). The former is lighter colored and rounded or mushroom shaped with little or no decorations, like the one in the wigmaster’s hands.
Students pay a fee to learn the art of wig making. It takes 18 months to grow enough hair to make a wig, and they are expected to remain celibate during that time while following strict rules for growing and grooming their hair. They’re also required to sleep on a special headrest to avoid squashing their coiffure as the hair gets trained into a dome shape for the wig. Sadly, wig making is a dying art, as fewer people are willing to embrace its stringent demands.
The following day we were introduced to the intricacies of acquiring a bride. To get married, a man must run the gauntlet of negotiating with the prospective bride’s family, often an uncle, on the ‘bride price’. It’s exactly what it sounds like: how much to fork over before the family will grant the man’s request! The bride’s purported domestic prowess, upbringing, and family pedigree are all part of the considerations. In the lively skit we watched, the suitor eventually won his prize after agreeing to pony up a substantial number of pigs in varying sizes and kina shells!
Bilums are traditional, handmade bags valued for their strength, flexibility, and durability. They are deeply ingrained into the country’s ceremonial life and integral to milestone events such as bride price exchanges and initiations.
Making a bilum starts with the painstaking task of harvesting and dyeing natural fibers, which are twisted into yarn. That yarn is then woven with bare hands into a unique knotless looping pattern, the hallmark of a bilum. This technique is passed down from mother to daughter through generations.
Although the bags can be worn over the shoulder, women often place the strap over their forehead, sometimes 2 bags at a time, as seen here. The light and expandable nature of bilums make them ideal for carrying heavy loads – everything from babies to firewood – while leaving the hands free for other tasks. Men, on the other hand, use bilums to carry small personal items, and wear theirs slung across the back or over one shoulder. As a fundamental part of its cultural fabric, the way a bilum is used and worn speaks volumes about the different roles of men and women in PNG society.
Our next stop introduced us to an intriguing intersection of traditional belief and archery skill. Among the Huli, the dama plays the ceremonial role of a forest spirit, providing protection for a successful foray into the wild.
Unlike the colorful and showy bilas of the Huli, the distinctively earth-toned attire of the dama is meant to evoke all things nature. This one wore a headdress of dried leaves and was draped in muted netting covered with more dried foliage, while clutching some large animal bones.
After participating in a chant with the dama and some villagers, a Huli archer leapt into the clearing to show off his skills. We were invited to try our hand shooting with his bow and arrow afterwards. Judging from the results, we won’t be recruited as warriors – or hunters – anytime soon!
PNG is a paradise for flower lovers, especially orchid fans. There were blooms everywhere, thanks to its temperate climate and high humidity. Ambua Lodge even boasts an orchid garden in its grounds. Apparently Joseph Tano, our birding guide for Tari and Mt. Hagen, had personally planted hundreds of orchids around the lodges over the years.
After lunch, we delved into the concepts of ‘war’ and ‘compensation’, exploring tribal conflict, its resolution, and how they continue to shape the national dialog. A core belief is that any transgression must be compensated to restore harmony. Although education is slowly bringing about change, many tribes still maintain a warrior mentality, often resorting to violence to settle disputes. Blood feuds require deaths to be avenged with retaliatory killings, no matter the cause – unless proper compensation is paid. Settlements can consist of pigs, kina shells, cash, and sometimes involve pooled resources from the community if the responsible individual falls short.
After 4 days packed with village visits and lectures, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the country’s diverse mores and customs. But it’s time to head for Mt. Hagen, where the Main Event – the Sing Sing – and more bird watching awaits!