{"id":10767,"date":"2025-06-23T17:18:51","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T00:18:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/?p=10767"},"modified":"2025-10-12T01:14:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T08:14:24","slug":"of-cannibals-and-birds-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interspace-design.com\/blog\/of-cannibals-and-birds-1","title":{"rendered":"Of Cannibals and Birds | Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"

From the exuberant spectacle of its Sing Sing<\/a> festival to the flamboyant courtship dances of its iridescent-plumed birds of paradise, Papua New Guinea<\/a> is the quintessential destination for adventure seekers and culture vultures alike.<\/p>\n

My travels to wild and far-flung places can usually be traced to 2 culprits \u2013 National Geographic<\/a> and BBC<\/a>\u2019s Nature documentaries. They have led me to the Gal\u00e1pagos, Peruvian, Brazilian and Ecuadoran Amazons, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Antarctica. So it\u2019s not surprising that I eventually ended up in Papua New Guinea (aka PNG). Born from the haze of Nat Geo images in my childhood memory, I have long been fascinated by the country\u2019s vibrant Sing Sing festival, while Sir David Attenborough\u2019s TV episodes on the otherworldly mating dances of its biofluorescent birds of paradise \u2013 one of which seemed to be moonwalking, Michael Jackson style<\/a> \u2013 guaranteed PNG a spot on my bucket list.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s a Sing Sing? For some background, 1 million Stone Age inhabitants were living in isolation till Aussie prospectors broke through the jungles of the island\u2019s central highlands in 1935. Head hunting and cannibalism were still practiced as recent as 50 years ago. In fact, Michael Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller<\/a>\u2019s great-grandson, disappeared on an art collecting mission to PNG in the 60\u2019s and was believed to have been killed and eaten by the largely uncontacted Asmat people.<\/p>\n

PNG has 1000 different ethnic groups speaking 800+ languages. Until recently, the country\u2019s incredibly diverse tribal culture has remained highly insular due to the island\u2019s densely forested mountains and poor infrastructure. Many have their own traditional dance, often accompanied by chants and drums to celebrate major events or tell stories. In an effort to reduce tribal wars and blood feuds, the Sing Sing festival was started in the late 50\u2019s as a government-sponsored social gathering, where warring groups can claim tribal superiority by out-singing rather than out-chopping rival clans. The success of the event led to Sing Sings in other regions over the years.<\/p>\n

The Mount Hagen Sing Sing in the Western Highlands is one of the 2 biggest festivals in PNG. Up to 100 different tribal groups arrive by bus, truck, boat, or on foot for the festival spread over 2 days in an amazing spectacle of color, sound and bodies in motion. When I could finally find time to visit PNG for the Mount Hagen Sing Sing, I was super excited.<\/p>\n

Of course, when I mention Papua New Guinea, 95% of people stare at me blankly \u2013 and for good reason. While I\u2019m unfazed by travel advisories that warn of crime, civil unrest, unexploded ordnance, volcanic eruptions, and piracy in the waters around PNG, trying to visit the country is challenging in many other ways. The densely forested mountainous interior has few roads, so unreliable commercial flights or pricey private charters are the main travel options. Also culturally, kin, village, and clan \u2013 in that order \u2013 take precedence in daily life. Since servicing the unknown tourist is a low priority task, it was crickets when I contacted guides for independent excursions. The few tourist grade hotels that do exist are reserved for group tours during the Sing Sing, so there was literally no room at the inn when I enquired\u2026 Batting zero on all counts, I finally turned to organized trips and found one from New Path Expeditions<\/a> that offered a balanced mix of culture and birding.<\/p>\n

\"Papua<\/a>
Path of Travel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Outside Port Moresby, our group of 10 intrepid travelers met with tour leader, Jorge Salas, who spent 2 decades visiting PNG, and is an honorary member of 2 clans. At our orientation meeting, Jorge stressed that travelling in PNG requires one to be flexible as things often don\u2019t go as planned, and keep an open mind. It proved true time and again \u2013 from Day 0, when I arrived a day before the tour to find the hotel\u2019s reservation manager claiming I didn\u2019t have a reservation, despite her personally reconfirming my booking the week prior, to Day 1 when Jorge\u2019s arrangement for special access to the National Museum fell through after his contact became \u2018unavailable\u2019, to cancelled guest lecture and village visit on different occasions due to the hosts\u2019 reshuffled priorities\u2026 But by embracing the mantra \u2018Expect the Unexpected\u2019 and rolling with the punches, I was able to savor every moment, truly appreciating the rich cultural tapestry of a land like no other.<\/p>\n

With few good roads connecting the country, our itinerary entailed 2 commercial and 3 charter flights, plus a stint in a river boat. This blog post (Part 1) covers our adventures as we headed for the northern-most reaches of our 14-day journey to explore the remote headwaters of the Sepik River, once the haunt of cannibals and headhunters\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Airplane<\/a>
Run away Plane.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Port Moresby is deemed so unsafe that Jorge booked us into the Airways Hotel, just 5 minutes away from the airport. Lights of the capital twinkled in the distance, while a plane with AIRWAYS emblazoned on its fuselage parked quirkily, sans landing gear, on the hotel grounds.<\/p>\n

\"Port<\/a>
Mellow Yellow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The backlit bar at Airways hotel sports a surprisingly hip vibe. Apparently, the hotel management updates the interiors on a periodic basis.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
Our \u2018Floating Resort\u2019!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our destination, the Sepik Spirit, was moored in the remote headwaters of the Sepik River. Reaching it required a commercial flight, private charter in the form of a 6-seater crop duster conversion, and lengthy speedboat ride. Designed to resemble the Haus Tambaran (Spirit House), a sacred traditional structure in the Sepik River region, this riverboat will be our home away from home for the next 3 days. Daily outings will be taken via jet boat.<\/p>\n

Once on board, we were surprised by muddy water sputtering out from the faucets. Turned out mud somehow got sucked into the boat\u2019s water filtration system. Sooo, Jorge gave the resident engineer a serious talking to. After a series of no water alternating with mud water, everyone was relieved the system magically cleared up after dinner. While the Sepik Spirit showcases a lot of beautiful indigenous carvings, it seriously needs a refurbishment. Unfortunately, being the only game in town, this is arguably the most \u2018luxurious\u2019 vessel plying the waters of the Sepik. What\u2019s lacking in amenities is made up for by the helpful staff as they\u2019re genuinely happy to accommodate any request. With running hot water and a quiet AC in my cabin, I\u2019m GOOD!<\/p>\n

\"Sepik<\/a>
Sepik Sunset.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The default agenda for most days starts with some early morning birding. After breakfast often included 2 village visits, lunch, a village visit, birding excursion on lodge grounds, then a lecture on the cultural background of the next day\u2019s activities by our native guide before we break for dinner. This dramatic sunset capped our first day on the Sepik River.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Bird Sung Blue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the first village visit, a Victoria Crowned Pigeon<\/a> and juvenile dwarf cassowary were roaming the grounds. They seemed to be pets \u2013 probably until the village needs some extra protein for a feast!<\/p>\n

\"Sepik<\/a>
Men\u2019s House.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Every village has a Men\u2019s House. It\u2019s essentially a clubhouse for men to hang out and discuss current events, socialize, create wood carvings, handle political matters or sort out disputes, while the women tend to the daily chores.<\/p>\n

\"Interior<\/a>
Inner Sanctum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Inside the Men\u2019s House, suspended from the rafter, is the carving of a pig, indicating the village is part of the Pig Clan. Clans in this region are typically totemic, as they associate themselves with a particular animal or natural element as their spiritual ancestor. Other major clans include: Crocodile, Cassowary, Eagle, and Snake.<\/p>\n

Under the pig carving are 2 slit drums (Garamuts). The drum beats carry long distances and are used to send messages to the villagers out hunting or foraging. The big drum sports an elaborate crocodile carving replete with sharp pointy teeth.<\/p>\n

At the feet of the drums are stools reserved for the village\u2019s elders and leaders.<\/p>\n

\"Pig<\/a>
The Pig & the Crocodile.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A pig head carving topped with a crocodile face adorns the large drum\u2019s opposite end. \u00a0At our prior night\u2019s briefing, we learnt that pigs are a measure of wealth in PNG, much as cattle are to the Maasai and zebu to the Malagasy. At the same time, the crocodile is a popular motif as it\u2019s the totem animal of the Sepik people, central to their beliefs and legends.<\/p>\n

\"Sepik<\/a>
Lot full\u2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The river is the default highway in the Sepik Basin, so dugouts are the primary mode of transport. A young man must learn how to make one before he can get married, as he will be responsible for making a dugout canoe for every member of his family. With every family having a couple of dugouts, the river bank can get crowded.<\/p>\n

\"Sepik<\/a>
Long Flutes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the next village, we were treated to a Long Flute duet. Bamboo flute playing is passed down through generations, and remains a part of the traditional rites. Sadly, its popularity is waning and these 2 brothers are the only players left in the area with such skills.<\/p>\n