Mt. Hagen Cultural Show

Papua New Guinea is a very culturally diverse country with more than 800 different languages spoken. In a country of 8 million, people groups are often isolated from each other due to the mountainous terrain blanketed by dense jungle. The people of Papua New Guinea are a very proud, independent people. They are proud of the province they are from, the tribe they belong to, and their tok ples, or heart language. This became very apparent when we visited the staging area of the Mt. Hagen Cultural Show back in August. At the invite of our neighbors Matt and Tammy, we traveled to the soccer stadium on the outskirts of Mt. Hagen. Behind the stadium, we were able to freely walk through the staging area, talking to the participants dressed in their finest traditional regalia. Their colorful costumes were made from traditional materials such as grasses, bird of paradise wings, and cuscus fur. Materials for painting faces included charcoal mixed w/ oil, as well as the modern conveniences of white-out and lipstick. Ornate necklaces are made of shells from the coastal regions. Prior to 1933, kina, or shells were used for trading. In 1933, the country adopted the Kina, as their currency.