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Papua New Guinea Culture and traditions Papua New Guinea

 
 
Area : 178703  sq.mi - Population 5940775 hab.
Papua New Guinea

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Culture and traditions Papua New Guinea

 Traditions and customs

Except for the major cities, the majority of the population live in small isolated villages where people practise subsistence agriculture, harvesting and hunting. Papuan traditional society neglects the use of metal, all objects being made of wood, bone, stone and clay brick. Extensive farming and breeding, except for a few pigs, remained impossible on this very unfertile, steep and hilly land. Tribes still widely practise barter economy (for a long time, sea shells were used as currency) and some are still nomadic although the settling process is increasing. Social structures rely on small family and clan units where community life imposes the sharing of goods and solidarity among wantoks - the members of one same clan or village. The village's eldest have authority over other members, unless it is one "great man" who will have proved worthy of it by its bravery and generosity. A person will acquire more power if they share out riches, creating thus a solid network of allies and obligees. In the Highlands, war and cannibalism between hostile tribes were for a long time common practises, triggering in return never ending retaliation raids. Although tribal wars sometimes break out sporadically, they appear as very ritualised and end with a very limited number of victims. Visitors may have the chance to attend a traditional festival, or "sing sing", for which the village people wear brightly coloured costumes and body paint.

 To read, see, listen

guide "Papua New Guinea" (Lonely Planet).
"Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea" (Lonely Planet).
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$$by Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart. Photography by Josette et Charles Lenars. Ed. Hazan. Account and photographs of the tradition of body ornament of the endangered peoples of New Guinea. $$
$$ This lively journal recounts the artistic path followed by the Chambri, an ethnic group from the North of Papua New Guinea: oral, graphic and pictorial.

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Anslom, "Crazy best of" (Mangrove 2003).
Anslom is an artist from New Ireland, in the South West of Papua New Guinea. This seventeen track compilation is a blend of reggae and ragga, without forgetting ballads and Papuan rhythmic songs.