On the Sepik bank, the Abau people, from Baio, were watching the boats passing by, trying to seize their cargo and guess where they were coming from. This bustling activity didn’t seem to have much impact on their lifestyle yet.
Continue readingAuthor: dragos dubina
To the Ama Mountain people (May River, PNG)
If you want to find remote communities you must go upstream, to Ama Mountain or to Iteli.
Where is that?
Somewhere between May and Sepik Rivers, in the upper Sepik basin.
Singsing in Purkunawi, with Kwoma people and Michael Somare (Sepik River)
Most of the singsing groups were from the Kwoma communities, where the tambaran (spirits or cult house) and singsing are still alive.
Continue readingSpirits’ houses and Kwoma people, (Sepik River)
The Kowmas are among the very few ethnic groups along the Middle Sepik course, that continues the tradition of tambaran and singsing (ceremony) after the missionaries’ assault. The tambaran is a powerful place, the gathering of the male ancestors’ spirits. Pillars, crossbars, roof and walls are carved and painted with motifs from their mythology.
Continue readingVanimo to Sepik River (Papua New Guinea)
In Ambunti I was introduced to community elders from the Kwoma clans, who took me into the fantastic world of Sepik mythology. I met indigenous artists, saw churches featuring tribal-cult-houses designs, and listen to folk tales from the local mythology
Continue readingAt the Korowai, in treetop houses (Papua, Indonesia)
Three weeks at the Korowai, a tribe living in the forests of New Guinea Island. We arrived there without much information and planned to cross their territories finding our way by word of mouth.
Continue readingSurabaya to Koroway (Java to Papua)
In June 2012 I embarked on a ship to Papua, aiming to find the Korowai, a tribe living between the rivers flowing south of the Maoke Mountains…
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