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A little friendly rivalry can be a good thing....
jadedmuse Says: I decided to have some fun and put on my sunscreen (for lips).....our host was a bit surprised when I did this and probably thought it was peculiar behavior on my part. (if you click on the photo you'll see how he is kind of looking at me)He was a really good sport though,...
Not exactly skeet and trapshoot....
jadedmuse Says: Women don't normally run around shooting bows & arrows (that's mens' work) so our host is probably thinking I must be a bit strange.....We were lucky enough to be driving over to this villager's place when we were stopped in the road by a man who seemingly appeared out of...
jadedmuse Says: The Huli Mountain men of the Highlands are known for their extraordinary wigs...hence they are referred to as the "Wig Men". It is a custom preserved and celebrated. The Southern Highlands were the last place in Papua New Guinea to be explored. The people are warriors and...
jadedmuse Says: It is customary for the village men to sit around and pass the pipe...nothing narcotic about the tobacco, although the tobacco itself is raw and really harsh. I can't recall if I tried the pipe (for fun)...I'm sure I did.If you get the opportunity to try anything offered to...
Never leave the house without some make-up on!
jadedmuse Says: I was fascinated to learn that it is the men, not the women, who wear "make-up".In fact, we learned that the men spend most of their day in groups, chatting, gossiping, smoking their pipes, and putting make-up on. (This is when they are not engaged in a tribal fight or a...
Helpfulness
The best way to get around the Highlands is by jeep. When I was in PNG, there were no rental operations in the Highlands as it was still quite undeveloped. Ambua Lodge supplied the jeep (and the guide) courtesy of Trans-Niugini Tours, which we gladly accepted.
When you're not hiking or exploring on foot, the way to go is by jeep (or Land Rover).
It still may be the only way.
Written Jul 18, 2004
jadedmuse Says: I'm not quite sure what these were to be used for, nor from what animal they came. But as far as photo opportunities go, this one was too good to resist.
jadedmuse Says: If you're lucky enough to catch a real live "Sing-Sing" then you'll have seen everything.I never did see a true Sing-Sing - one that was orchestrated by the locals in honor of some tribal festival or wedding or special celebration - but we did get to see someone decked out...
jadedmuse Says: As mentioned earlier, the men (not the women) are the ones who are preoccupied with their faces. Make-up plays a big part in a Huli man's lifestyle and he devotes care and time to painting his face a certain color or in a particular pattern.Seems this is done more to the...
Some Helpful Pidgin Words/Phrases....
jadedmuse Says: Monin - Good morningApinun- Good afternoonGut nait- Good nightTenk yu- Thank youEm hamas?- How much is that?Mi laik baim- I would like to buyToilet We?- Where is the toilet?Halpim mi plis- Help me pleaseNogat- NoMi no laikim- I do not like itYumi go we?- Where are we...
It's good to learn Pidgin English
jadedmuse Says: Since there are over 800 dialects spoken within Papua New Guinea, there is a tacit use of pidgin english amongst them, which makes it even a bit easier for foreigners to communicate. For example, the sign on the door begins with "TAMBU" which is one of the first words you'll...
Reverence for the Departed....
jadedmuse Says: I love this picture because it captures the West meets the East....Here we see a man who proudly displays his father's skull on a raised platform...the skull of his dead father is believed to contain a powerful spirit that will ward off evil and keep the remaining members of...
jadedmuse Says: Since I was unable to witness a real Sing-Sing, I can only share a scanned postcard.Notice how the men are lined up, looking straight ahead. A typical Sing-Sing consists of two line-ups facing each other. Off to the side may be someone playing a percussion instrument, but...
jadedmuse Says: This woman was selling breadfruit and avocados by the side of the road. We pulled the jeep over so that I could buy a couple of avocados from her. If you see someone selling something by the side of the road, it's usually safe to purchase from the vendor (and much...
jadedmuse Says: I brought some of these home-made cigarettes back to the States with me because I found it so curious that they wrap the tobacco in newspaper....and the newspaper itself was pretty interesting (of course I couldn't understand a word).But use caution if you actually want to...
jadedmuse Says: My camera battery ran out 3 days into our trip, and we hadn't even left the Highlands yet. (like an idiot, I'd forgotten to check battery status or bring extras).Of course there weren't any shops up there in the Highlands and our next destination was to stay at another...
Helpfulness
Luggage and bags: An easy to carry duffle bag or large back-pack will suffice.
Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Even though PNG is near the equator, it can get cool in the evenings. Bring along a jacket for the night time.
Hiking boots/shoes are a MUST
Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Bring along your usual toiletries, and don't forget the saline nasal spray for clear sinuses!
Photo Equipment: Check your camera battery before you get to PNG, because you never know if the same miracle can happen twice! (bring along an extra battery just in case)
Miscellaneous: The children love to paint their faces and adorn themselves with anything from a telephone cords and paperclips to bar code stickers and leaves.
If I had known then what I've learned now, I would turn back time and bring along some stickers (Disney or cartoon characters would be great) for the kids, and maybe some soluble face paints or even some inexpensive plastic jewelry accessories. They are passionate about self-decoration and would probably go crazy to receive such a gift from a foreign guest.
Updated Jul 18, 2004
Website: www.pngtours.com
jadedmuse Says: Once you've crossed a bridge (or two), it's inevitable that you'll come across a waterfall. There are several near the Ambua Lodge and other areas in the Highlands mountains....we stumbled upon streams, rivers and waterfalls and the foliage is prolific as a result of the...
Don't forget to enjoy the wiew UNDER the bridge!
jadedmuse Says: It's always fun to stop half-way across this kind of bridge, and take some time out for introspection....you know, listen to the sound of the birds in the trees, the running stream below....your own panicked breathing.....
Helpfulness
Favorite thing: I loved the Highlands people....they were ferocious and tender, strange and warm, and mostly they were really friendly and unaffected.
As two women traveling, we were never once harassed or approached by any of the men - in fact I found it odd that we never even earned a second glance. I think it was because we were oddities in their world, not the other way around.
Fondest memory: My fondest memory is when these two men agreed to pose with me and they were very sober about it....as though it were somehow very important. They were so dignified.
I can't recall why they were so small, even for the Tari people (who are somewhat shorter than the average European)...I can only remember that they belonged to some special tribe...probably a kind of pygmy tribe of some sort.
They were very sweet and showed me inside their huts...all kinds of cassuary bones (a large bird indigenous to PNG) and feathers and spears and so forth...
Have I said "amazing" yet?
Written Jul 18, 2004
. .. The Highlands of Papua New Guinea are resplendent with mountain mist, vibrant color, birds of paradise, the famous Wig Men, tribal sing-sings, and wonderfully rich coffee. It was our first...
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