A short tale for kids.
Different from a tumbuna story (ancestors’ myth or legend) reserved for the initiated men in the tambaran (cult house), this is a so-called “story nothing”, open to everyone.
I recorded it from Yangas Vikapa, a young Kwoma artist from the Sikau (Wallaby) sub-clan, in Masanumbuk, Sepik, 2015.
Tag: Papua New Guinea
The story of Wabiken
An Abelam myth story.
During a trip along the Sepik, I heard a folk tale about a powerful spirit-man who became a yam (a sweet potato) and drifted down the river spreading around Maprik, where the Abelam tribes were living.
Two years later, I arrived at the Abelams and recorded their side of that tumbuna story of the deity which brought the yam to their lands.
The story of Makapasapa and Sasaap
A Kwoma myth story which I heard from David Kaipuk, a Kwoma elder, on my first expedition along the Sepik, in 2012. Then, he told me only a part of it, saying that the rest belongs to other clans. Afterwards, I saw motifs from the Makapsapa myth painted and carved inside the tambaran, and even on the posts of the Ambunti market.
In 2015, I recorded the complete story from Kowspi brothers, two Kwoma artists.
Collecting folk tales along the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea
Between 2012 and 2018, I travelled to remote communities along the Sepik. I found my way by word of mouth, through extended families, following their stories. I joined my hosts working sago, catching fish, hunting, trading crocodile skins and gold-mining. I attended ritual ceremonies, watched trials for custom-breaking and sorcery, witnessed wife exchanges and listened to every-day issues mixing old taboos and nowadays solutions.
Several elders and young artists were receptive to share their stories with me.
Glossary for Sepik folk tales
I wrote this glossary with photos to explain some of the words and expressions which appear frequently in the stories. It’s not meant to be an extract of a PNG Pidgin – English dictionary, but to give a little bit of context related to the environment where I collected the folk tales. Bilum – means bag or sac. Traditionally it’s […]
Continue reading
Abelam’s spirits houses, gods and yams (Maprik, PNG)
Gods, heroes, ritual artwork, ceremonies, spirits’ houses, taboos, local pride and, recently, demands for governmental funding are revolving around the yam, the staple food of the Abelams, and their trade-good over fish with the river people.
Continue reading
Mamas’ Life skills training in Tongujamb (Sepik River, PNG)
Responding to the requests of the women from the Blek Wara (a wetland area) close to Washkuk Hill, on the Middle Sepik course, the heads of the communities organized a workshop – Women life skills training, in Tongujamb, 2015.The Catholic Church from Wewak sent two sisters to teach them how to bake and sew using a machine. Up to 150 […]
Continue reading
Pukpuk – crocodile hunters on Sepik River (West Sepik, PNG)
Manu, a young guy from the family I lived with, and his father were hunting and trading crocodile skins. The money, sometimes the only income in the community, was used for buying small things for the house and most of it was saved to buy an engine for their dug-out canoe and to pay the boarding school fees for Manu.
Continue reading
Fish basket (Sepik River, PNG)
In 2015, the dry season came earlier on the Middle Sepik. The drought shrank the wide, dark water lakes to small ponds, and narrowed the channels that connect the inland villages with the Sepik River.One day, I saw women gathering with enthusiasm at the almost dry creek with their fishnet baskets. I took my camera and join the party. After […]
Continue reading