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Author Topic: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea  (Read 34312 times)

Offline Bolpro

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The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« on: May 20, 2008, 05:04:19 AM »
We talking tribal stuff?

Here's a photo of our village home at Wara-guma in the Simbu Province of the New Guinea Highland's....



And here's uncle Jacobmai...



More to come...
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Offline Matt Emery

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2008, 05:39:23 AM »
My goodness, that's amazing  :D

There must be so much we (in the modern western world) could learn from these tribal people.  I admire their close connection to the land.

I'd love to hear more about there diet/lifestyle/sociology/etc... but for now, i'll keep an eye on your blog; http://www.trupela.com/blog/
« Last Edit: May 20, 2008, 05:04:41 PM by Matt Emery »
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2008, 03:23:53 PM »
Here's an excerpt of a short story I wrote after one of our many trips to my wife's village which will give you an idea of what the tribal thing means to me. The full story can be read by clicking on the following link which will take you to my blog

"The men from Kaubasis" (written 18/7/2006)

------------------------------
Back in 1988 I marched with a group of aboriginals from Central Station to Hyde Park. Not sure what the purpose of the march was, such a long time ago. Something to do with the Bicentennial celebrations in Sydney. The march converged and gathered in Hyde Park, there were speakers and dancing and also music. Some tribal folks had come in from the bush for the occasion. What I witnessed that day back in 1988 will always remain with me. The solidarity, the oneness and the interconnection of the tribal folk. I saw it and felt it, deep in the gut, I cried. The tears fell as I grieved for a belonging that I never knew. As the tribals got up and started to leave for their waiting buses, I felt a presence slowly dissipate and leave. The strength of these tribal men was awesome, I felt it, I experienced it.

On that day in Hyde Park back in 1988, a dream was born. That one day I might experience and be a part of a tribe, a clan. For 20 years I held on to that dream, for 20 years I yearned for belonging, to be a part of and to contribute to something larger than me. Coming to PNG has enabled this dream to be realized.
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« Last Edit: May 21, 2008, 05:11:11 AM by Bolpro »
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2008, 05:37:18 AM »
My Mum visited us in PNG last year and and stayed with us for one week at the "hut". To celebrate the occasion and also to officially open our new home - we killed a couple of pigs.

One of those pigs whom we called Prof (named after my boss at the University of Technology in Lae), met the following fate before hitting the "pit"....




I suppose one could say that this little piggy never made it to the market!! 
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Offline BigKhanz

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2008, 04:30:19 PM »
wow, that's awesome!!!

I've killed several feral hogs before with a knife or tomahawk, but never a huge stick!!!

I've gotta ask, did you get it done in the first swing?
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 05:21:14 PM »
Bacon a la PNG style...

1) A couple of good whacks!!
2) Cut the throat to let the blood out.
3) On the fire to singe the hairs.

That normally does the job.

If Mr Pig still is kicking after all of the above - it's probably best to start running (very fast) !!
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Offline BigKhanz

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 06:12:08 PM »
Alright, stun it and cut it... I like it!

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Offline Matt Emery

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2008, 07:13:53 PM »
Quote from: Bolpro on May 21, 2008, 05:21:14 PM
Bacon a la PNG style...


...mmmmm, bacon  :P
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2008, 02:52:35 PM »
Speaking of bacon...

Here's a pig being operated on...


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Offline BigKhanz

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2008, 06:07:19 PM »
How is it cooked?
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2008, 08:57:44 PM »
1) A hole is dug in the ground.

2) The hole is filled with stones.

3) A heap of wood is piled on the stones.

4) Let the wood burn until it turns to ashes.

5) Throw the food (pig and vegetables) into the pit.

6) Cover everything with banana leaves.

7) Pour in a heap of water.

8) Let it steam for a couple of hours.

9) Feast!!

10) Sleep and then feast again.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2008, 09:02:30 PM by Bolpro »
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Offline Matt Emery

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2008, 10:20:14 PM »
That sounds tasty!
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Offline Bolpro

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2008, 11:16:19 PM »
All oink-oink talk aside - I would to share a photo I took of one of elders over the weekend...

Papa Maika...

Note that when Papa Maika was a young lad white man had not yet set foot in the PNG Highlands. A true tribal elder and leader.








The above photos were taken out the front of our "hut" over the weekend. To view all the photos I snapped over the weekend check out my "Online Album".

« Last Edit: May 26, 2008, 11:20:53 PM by Bolpro »
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Offline Matt Emery

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2008, 11:21:45 PM »
For those who don't have the link...

http://www.trupela.com/albums/

 ;)
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Offline Bolpro

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Tribal conflict...
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2008, 02:09:30 PM »
A fact of life in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea is inter tribal/clan fighting.

About a week ago two neighbouring clans had a barny and the end result was one burnt hut and a few injuries. Bow/arrow and spears remain weapon of choice although guns have crept into the picture.

The photo below was taken over the weekend of the decimated hut together with a few of the men from the Kapma clan (note that this hut is within a stone throw from ours)...



After the above snap was taken the men gathered out the front of our hut for a bit of a chin-wag and a group photo was taken...



And here's a close-up of one the elders from the Kapma clan...




For other stories of my life and times in Papua New Guinea visit: http://www.trupela.com/blog

And online photos at http://www.trupela.com/albums

« Last Edit: May 27, 2008, 02:31:54 PM by Bolpro »
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Offline Phanatic

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #15 on: May 27, 2008, 08:35:29 PM »
I feel pretty lucky finding out about this stuff that you don't see on the news.
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Offline Bolpro

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The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #16 on: May 27, 2008, 09:58:57 PM »
Over 90% of the population in PNG still live in rural areas and don;t have access to running water or power in their homes. Most folks have basically never even heard of the internet. I consider myself lucky to be able to swing between the two worlds - old and new.

Also worth noting is that over 95% of land in PNG remains the ownership of the people.

One of the main issues being that they are selling out to the dollar at a rate of knots.

Never, in the history of mankind, have people been forced to change as quickly as they are in PNG, from so called stone age into the what we so ignorantly refer to as the developed world.

Another interesting stat... over a third of the world's tribal languages are spoken in PNG. Over 800 languages!!!
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Offline BigKhanz

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #17 on: May 27, 2008, 11:22:48 PM »
Thats alot, but Im not sure if it's the right percent/fraction.

When I was in the military, we were told that there are over 2000 languages in african and something like 7500+ total dialects. Im gonna have look this one up and get back to you...

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Offline Phanatic

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #18 on: May 28, 2008, 12:36:51 AM »
800 languages? Wow. I guess you'll have to persuade who you can not to sell their land. A significant number of people from the "developed world" wish they could return to hunting and gathering.
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Offline Matt Emery

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #19 on: May 28, 2008, 09:29:09 AM »
I may be a little myopic on the subject... but I have to admit; I feel sad at the thought of PNG selling out to western interests.  I don't blame the PNG folk for wanting to progress, but I do feel that they will be exploited at every opportunity by greedy psychopathic businesses.
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Offline Bolpro

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More on tribal warfare, spears and guns...
« Reply #20 on: May 28, 2008, 04:19:23 PM »
The end result of tribal warfare...

Believe it or not but this bloke survived!




And here's one of my mate Atawai - his leg was shot of by the local cops after stealing a can of tin fish! (or so he tells me) - he has since been given a prosthetic and is back in business....






As you can see.... it's not all romance!!!
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Offline Phanatic

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #21 on: May 29, 2008, 03:40:39 AM »
Goddamn. What kind of nutcase shoots somebody in the leg for stealing a tin of food?
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Offline Bolpro

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The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #22 on: May 29, 2008, 04:17:29 AM »
The cops are also tribal remember!!
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Offline Bolpro

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Tribal Justice...
« Reply #23 on: June 04, 2008, 03:29:57 AM »
Justice in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea is swift and can often be violent....




For the full story check today's post on my blog at http://www.trupela.com/blog
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Offline BigKhanz

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Re: The Highlands in Papua New Guinea
« Reply #24 on: June 04, 2008, 07:20:52 AM »
Wow. After reading the story, I can see what you mean about the "looks of righteousness on their faces" and why it bothered you so much.

But, at the same time, there is an old saying here in Texas: "Some people need killing." I pity the teacher that was murdered, not the murderer who was put down.
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