This past week was Independence Day here in Papua New Guinea. On September 16th the country was 39 years old and as part of the celebrations the people like to dress up in traditional dress and have a sing-sing. This year the school that the boys go to invited some groups to come and celebrate out on the soccer field. There were a few food booths selling a variety of things, including the one that Kaleb's class had set up, selling hotdogs and pop, with the proceeds going towards helping a New Tribes team get a new remote location ready to go in and serve the people. There were a few sing sing groups from the coast (University students studying here in Goroka put it together). One of those groups uses a pipe instrument built by tying tubes together of varying lengths to create different sounds. Traditionally the instrument would have been made out of bamboo but the students made do with PVC piping. It was a amazing to hear the songs they were able to play, sounding a bit like a base guitar.
However I think one little boy stole the show. The celebrations for the day started with a parade onto and around the soccer field including the different classes from the school, who made floats, and anyone else who wanted to be included. One of the tribal groups who came for the days celebrations was the Asaro Mudmen. As part of the folk lore the story goes that they were in a battle with a neighbouring tribe, fell into a bit of mud and when they came up out of the mud their adversaries were so afraid of their appearance, they turned and fled. As part of the group out at the school this week was a little guy who was about 2 or 3 years old. He was quite the performer, strutting like the other men and boys. As they crept around the track putting on their show the little guy had the crowd in stitches. Following the parade we had a chance to get up a bit closer and take a few more pictures. I enjoyed seeing the boy under the mask! Amazing the difference a mask can make!
However I think one little boy stole the show. The celebrations for the day started with a parade onto and around the soccer field including the different classes from the school, who made floats, and anyone else who wanted to be included. One of the tribal groups who came for the days celebrations was the Asaro Mudmen. As part of the folk lore the story goes that they were in a battle with a neighbouring tribe, fell into a bit of mud and when they came up out of the mud their adversaries were so afraid of their appearance, they turned and fled. As part of the group out at the school this week was a little guy who was about 2 or 3 years old. He was quite the performer, strutting like the other men and boys. As they crept around the track putting on their show the little guy had the crowd in stitches. Following the parade we had a chance to get up a bit closer and take a few more pictures. I enjoyed seeing the boy under the mask! Amazing the difference a mask can make!
Mel for the Mardsh