The Wandering Scot
An occasional travel journal
Ambua Lodge
The Ambua Lodge is near Tari in the Hela Province of Highland PNG.
I saw various Cultural Performances re-enacting the Old Traditions of bygone days for tourists.
Ambua Day One: Huli Wigmen, Spirity Dance, Wigmen School
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| Activity #1: A Wigman prepares
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| Huli Wigmen
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| Various Bird of Paradise feathers
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| Activity #2: Spirit Dance
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| Spirit Dance team
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| Elaborate Headdress
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| Activity #3: Wigman School: Example finished wigs
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The Wigman Teacher
Who seemed to take a rather cynical view of the whole event
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| Student Wigmen plus Teacher
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| Ceremony to encourage hair growth
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| Ceremony to encourage hair growth
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| How to sleep while growing out your hair
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| Local men march & chant
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Authentic Local Tradition
"Preparing to gather contributions to compensate for a killing"
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Ambua Day Two: Sun Dance, Huli Widows, Traditional Farming
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Activity #1: Sun Dance
The Wingman Teacher returns
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| Sun Dance preparations
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| Sun Dance in progress
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| Sun Dance spherical stone
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| Sun Dance participants
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| Roadside Vaccinations
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| Activity#2: Ladies dressed as Widows
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Ladies acting role of "Windows' Relatives"
About to spread news of the Deaths
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Tower where body would be kept
Until it was reduced to a skeleton
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| Our elderly but robust Toyota minibus
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Activity #3: Traditional farming demonstration
Sweet potatoes are grown on mounds
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| A family pig is very traditional
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Village field of potatoe mounds
With some other crops mixed in
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| Ladies demonstrate local crafts
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Around Tari
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| My Air Niugini flight at Tari Airport
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PNG Census worker
A difficult and important task!
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| Ambua Waterfall
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| Ambua Waterfall
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| Foggy view from Ambua Lodge
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| Hills 5 miles East of Ambua Lodge
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Rondon Ridge Lodge
The Rondon Ridge Lodge is near Mount Hagen, the largest city in the PNG Highlands
Rondon Ridge Day One: Cultural Shows
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| Romantic Singing
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| Spirit Healing
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| Grinding a stone axe head
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A "Chief"
Hanging markers indicate pigs killed
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| "Chief" with "wives" and son (?)
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Rondon Ridge Day One: The Mudmen
This was an entertaining short play of "mudmen" (villagers disguised as spirits) chasing off invaders.
It was well conceived and executed. The mudmen's masks and the clicking of their bamboo claws were very effective!
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| "Invaders" prepare a camp
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| The Ghost-like Mudmen appear!
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| The invaders flee!
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| The Mudemen celebrate!
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| The actors unmask
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Rondon Ridge Day Two: Cultural Shows
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| Morning view from Rondon Ridge
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| Contemporary local house
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| Traditional menstrual isolation hut
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Hide for trapping bird of paradise
Birds are attracted to the water
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Manually activated trap
A spear (or arrow) is fired at the drinking bird
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Spirit Capture Ceremony
The lost spirit is summoned ...
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| ... te spirit is lured into a bamboo bundle ...
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| ... transported back to its home village ...
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.. and safely released into its owner's grave
Where it is safely tied to the dead body
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A pig has been stolen. Find the culprit!
A former chief's spirit in a log provides guidance
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| Our investigators track the culprit's trail.
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Another case sucecssfully solved!
The culprit promptly confessed, naturally.
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The crops are failing and the children are sick. The god Yunix is aked for help.
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| Success! All is well!
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| A witch doctor heals an injured fighter
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Mount Hagen
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| Mount Hagen Central Market
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| Unusual bamboo art
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Sadly, it failed Australia customs
They (probably wisely) didn't like the holes
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Port Moresby
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| Welcome to Port Moresby
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| Airways Hotel interior courtyard
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Port Moresby Nature Park
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| Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise
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| Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise
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| Papuan Lorikeet
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Pesquet’s Parrot
"The world's largest parrot"
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Steps to enhance feather lifetimes
Thus helping to protect the birds!
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| New Guinea Eclectus parrot (male)
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| Huon Tree Kangaroo
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Port Moresby Tour: Adventure Park
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| Adventure Park: Orchid Garden
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| Adventure Park: Orchid Garden
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| Palm Cockatoo
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| New Guinea Eclectus parrot (male)
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| New Guinea Eclectus parrot (female)
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| Papuan Hornbill
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| Lesser Brid-of-Paradise
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Port Moresby Tour
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| View over Port Moresby
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| View to Port Moresby
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| Waterfront Village
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| Papua New Guinea Parliament
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| Bomana WWII Military Cemetery
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| Bomana WWII Military Cemetery
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| Bomana WWII Military Cemetery
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East Timor
