Papua New Guinea: Melpa Tribe & Ceremonies

Here’s a visit to another Western Highlands tribe – Melpa – with a man and a woman dressing up in full tribal costume and face & body paints. The chest plates are mother of pearl shells (was main currency in Papua New Guinea highlands until 1970s). The hats are full of the birds of paradise and parakeets feathers and decorations, face paints are made from various clays and muds found in the Highlands. The woman is holding a ceremonial drum (works great on bad spirits) and the man has a triple spiked spear (works great pretty much on anything). 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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