Papua New Guinea: Tribal Ceremonies

Spiritualism is part of daily life in Papua New Guinea and old pre-Christian ceremonies and customs are still alive and well. The first is a burial ceremony – a child died (not for real, just pretending) and all the near and far relatives come to witness procedure of parting with a loved one. Pigs are given out as thanks. The second ceremony is scaring evil spirits – you dress up in feathers and paint your face and run around stomping heavily in the ground. Spirits (living in the mountains) hear the noise and don’t come out. (Interestingly, christianity was sold by missionaries as an economic solution – why pray to half a dozen pagan gods and sacrifice pigs to each when you can just do one and it will take care of anything?)
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