Where is Papua New Guinea?
A visit to Papua New Guinea may not be the first place on your ‘must go’ list, but perhaps you don’t know what you don’t know.
An island country just north of Australia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a cultural legend with hundreds of tribes speaking some 800 languages. Its intrigue includes fauna and adventure via highland jungles, birds of paradise, coral reefs, and incredible diving.
I was warned by friends living in PNG, that PNG is “not there yet”–not much to see they said (I couldn’t disagree more). They told me to consider a stop at the coast for some snorkeling/SCUBA. Madang and Milne Bay, they claimed, are better than the Great Barrier Reef. …But let’s be honest–I travel for culture and mountains!
My thoughts first fell captive to PNG in my childhood upon hearing about the different tribes. I later heard about the Goroka Show, where hundreds of tribes get together in one place for Sing-Sing’s every September, and I knew I had to plan a visit to Papua New Guinea in that time frame. When I further realized one of the ‘7 Summits’ was nearby, I knew I wanted to include a summit of Mt Wilhelm in my itinerary.
Culture and Mountains–what else could a girl want? If that tickles your appetite too, read on! Visit Papua New Guinea with me! (…and if looking for more island countries in the Pacific to delight your senses, visit Tuvalu!)
Visit Papua New Guinea
To access Papua New Guinea you’ll likely need to do so via its coastal capital, Port Moresby–not a place you’ll want to hang around. The main gateway to the Highlands is Mt. Hagen, a short flight from Port Moresby, and my first destination in PNG.
Walking into the airport, I immediately felt a difference in the culture. The people were short, arms hanging as they walked, each invariably wearing baggy shorts/skirts, a sports t-shirt, and flip flops or rubber boots.
The husband of a friend I knew from Ecuador was kind enough to pick me up in a large rickety Land Cruiser. The roads were literally the worst roads I have ever been on–the potholes deep, unavoidable, and prolific. No roads through would definitely have been easier on all of us.
We stopped at the grocery store to stock up on cans of tomatoes and packages of spaghetti, staples that would be hard to get otherwise, before heading to their home near Kudjip. My friends lived on a remote compound. Here, several families had created their own running water, electricity, and even a hospital.
Where did all the Expats Go? Why did they Leave PNG?
Before dinner, they invited me on a hike up the mountain to a cross overlooking the area. As we passed huts and villagers we clasped our hands in greeting- “Apinum” (Yes, that sounds like “afternoon”). Pidgin, how locals communicate would continue to crack me up. It sounds like coughed up English. IF you listen hard, you will realize it sounds like two-year-olds talking. Listen too hard, you will get confused.
The cross we hiked to overlooked a big coffee plantation formerly owned by an Italian family–now abandoned. It blew my mind that there had been so many such plantations now totally fallow.
The Italians and other landowners from a boom in the 60s and 70s had left, as had many of the missionaries. Perhaps it was PNGs independence in 1975 that changed the landscape. In any case, I felt as though the country was returning to its roots, untouched by western influence. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
It seemed to me PNG was heading backward in its history economically and perhaps spiritually.
Economically, the UN wanted to demote them to a developing country. This would give them the funds needed to build roads etc, but they would not accept the demotion–which also meant no additional funds.
In”Eternity in their Hearts, Don Richardson tells a tale of a Papuan tribe going to the mountains, asking God to come. He does come and visibly changes the lives of the tribe. …but they never teach their kids about this God, and over time things go back to how they used to be.
This is how PNG was striking me, going back to its beginnings.
Climbing Mt Wilhelm, one of the “7 Summits”
After spending a night with my friends, I was off to the “highlands” and to the highest of them all! At 14,793ft, Mt Wilhelm is the tallest mountain in Oceania, historically one of the “7 summits” (The tallest peak on each continent). Some mountains in neighboring Papua (Indonesia-owned hence technically Asia) are taller.
Regardless, from the top of My Wilhelm, you can see from coast to coast across the country–making it an excellent first stop to visit when in Papua New Guinea.
Getting to Mt Wilhelm inspite of Men with Knives
I was thankful I arranged ahead of time for Betty to pick me up. Betty was a staunch Papuan business lady that acted like she owned the island. To get to the foot of the mountain was a feat in and of itself. There had just been an election for a new president, and neighboring tribes voting for opposing sides had burned out each other’s villages. Houses and bridges– all burned to the ground.
As we 4x4ed through the mountains, we stopped several times to attempt level-headed negotiations on passing prices to get across the bridges–each surrounded by multitudes of men with knives and machetes. Even Betty sometimes got back in the car looking ruffled, but mostly handled the situation with surprising class.
At her house in the mountains, I was offered tea in a blue walled living room with sagging floorboards. I wondered if they would hold me. On the wall were pictures of others Betty had helped get to Mt Wilhelm, it was promising.
After a breakfast of white toast and tea, I headed for the mountain with my ‘guide’. I wondered if he had even climbed the mountain more than once before. He didn’t have much English, but at least I would have company on the way to the roof of Oceania.
Finding Food on the Roof of Oceania
Betty had said she would arrange food for me, and I had none with me, but I wasn’t sure my guide did either. As we headed up the mountain a girl showed me a bird she had just caught. My guide explained that is how they ate here. My eyes widened as I saw my guide collecting mushrooms and herbs en route. These we cooked for dinner. Along with a small bag of leftover rice, and drinking from direct mountain runoff, this was our summit bid sustenance (No dead birds were consumed).
The landscape varied immensely with different trees appearing at each altitude gradient. From curling vines to strange Yuca-looking trees. My guide called me “fit meri” (sounds like Marry), as I inevitably hiked faster than he wanted to. Eventually, we got to the lodge by Pindaunde lake. Here we would spend the night, and he would sing me a song of the longing mother for her dead child (the tears of which had made the lake).
At that moment, I wasn’t sure I liked the silly game mountain climbers play. That game of “hurry up and wait”. Wait till the fog rolls in thick as milk, the night blankets black as coffee, and the air turns cold as ice. Then, and only then, do you start your summit bid?
In the end, we reached the summit–the only ones atop the mountain. And by God’s grace, it was a gorgeous day for overlooking Oceania!
Mt Wilhelm Notes: The Closest town to Mt Wilhelm is Kundiawa, and a great place to stay closer to the Mountain, is Betty’s Place. You can find a local guide in Kundiawa or wait until you are closer to the Mountian.
Mt Wilhelm- the roof of Oceania
Visit Papua New Guinea’s Goroka Festival
Back to the real reason I had planned a visit to Papua New Guinea– the people! In the highlands, tribes have been so cut off so long from each other via mountains, that their language, dress, and traditions are astoundingly different.
In the 60s the Mt Hagen and Goroka Shows (among others) were created to unify local tribes, bringing them together for sing-offs. The result is that there is a reason for the tribes to don their traditional costumes and perform ritual dances–together. On one hand, this brings many tribes otherwise hidden into the limelight. Yet in reality, there is still so much mystery around their customs and traditions.
Goroka Note: You can fly to Goroka via Port Moresby. Otherwise, as in my case, it is an off-road drive from Mt Wilhelm to Kundiawa (the nearest town to Mt Wilhelm), and then a 3hr drive from Kundiawa to the town of Goroka.
At the show, a big field is fenced off for the dancers/singers. Tourists are free to either watch from the sidelines or wander about amongst the dancers. Each tribal group is seemingly in constant motion dancing around in different corners of the field. There is a judge and some rotation of tribes in and off the field. However, it feels like a constant flutter of feathers, leaves and, and chanting. Rio’s carnival has nothing on the Goroka festival!
The ability to walk right up to and join the ladies with massive feather headdresses and rustling grass skirts or men with wild face and body paint makes this show different than any other festival of its kind. It’s an opportunity to experience the hundreds of tribes that comprise the PNG Highlands.
Walking Among Papuan Tribesmen
Pristine in their costumes and jumping tall as if on pogo sticks, the Huil wigmen simultaneously beat their drums. Their wigs, made of their own hair, look like fanciful sailor hats, their yellow faces like Big Bird, and the bone through their nose reminds you they are from PNG.
…jumping tall as if on pogo sticks, the Huil wigmen simultaneously beat their drums 
As I mingled, I found the tribes almost too preoccupied in demonstrating their tribal pride to care about others walking around, especially the older ones. The younger people though, I wondered–what were they here for? The girls clearly blushed with their bare chests. To them, it was more of a show than a way of life. The boys on the other hand were clearly having fun with their privates extended by gourds.
After more feathers and grass skirts than you can imagine passing by, it is almost refreshing when you see something like the Asaro Mudmen. No feathers, no chanting, no noise. Just men covered in clay with big masks, walking ever so slowly.
Goroka Show Notes: While you can book tickets your own tickets and a place to stay in Goroka, you need to book early if timing it around the Goroka show. If all rooms are already booked, you may have to join a tour company that has pre-booked rooms. Ecotourism Melanesia helped be get in with their room block.
Seeing through the Eyes of a Tribesman
To really immerse yourself and understand the Papuan culture, do try to include a local stay in your visit to Papua New Guinea.
The Asaro Mudmen were my hosts for a few days, and I confess, I wonder if their legend (and their iconic costume) is in fact at odds with their reality.
Their costume consists of covering their body in white clay and a huge clay mask. The mask has exaggerated pointy ears, large brows, a gaping mouth, and would almost look friendly were it not for the pig bones protruding from the nose.
Are the Asaro Mudmen Pacifists?
The lore of their traditional costume is one my pacifist background can applaud. Not wanting to fight, they fled from their enemy and hid on the banks of the river. When they rose and went back to the village, the enemies saw the clay-covered men and thought they were spirits. They fled.
Despite this pacifist story, my Asaro guide recounted how he and his clansmen had gone to ‘war’ over the recent election (literally just days before). Both sides covered themselves in coal (so they couldn’t be recognized, since they do know each other), and went head to head. The Asaro cut up three men from the ‘enemy’ into pieces.
Not a day after hearing the story about my guide’s clan cutting up the neighboring tribe, we all ate a traditional moomoo (a feast of potato, plantain, and pork fat cooked on a hot rock pile and plantain leaves).
The reason for the feast? The end of mourning for a prominent clan member who had recently died. To honor/avenge his death, they had killed two women they claimed had performed witchcraft on him.
Making Sense of it All
Nope, I don’t understand it. I sat on the plane back to Port Moresby with a Frenchman, Marc Dozier, who has made some interesting movies/books on reverse exploration. He documents a traditional PNG tribesman exploring France and then visiting the ‘American tribe‘. The comments are insightful. We, westerners, are kinda strange too!
Back at my Port Moresby hotel on a treadmill, I watched a fight on the street below me. I was terrified. I thought about this tribal perspective and I could not wrap my western head around it. It would take time, maybe a lifetime.
All the more, I was glad for the opportunity to visit Papua New Guinea and experience life through the lens of Tribal kinship (although twisted through my western eyes).
I think of Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” I found the tribal flair beautiful, but still, hold hope that eternity would be on their minds and mine and that God would reveal himself to us afresh.
Plan Your Visit to Papua New Guinea
Official PNG Tourism Site: papuanewguinea.travel
Books: Lonely Planet Papua New Guinea, Pidgin Phrasebook & Dictionary..because I love lonely planet guides generally. Also, one of my favorite books featuring Papua New Guinea: The Peace Child
Flights: www.airniugini.com.pg To access Papua New Guinea you’ll likely need to do so via the capital, Port Moresby. The main gateway to the Highlands is Mt. Hagen, a short flight from Port Moresby. Goroka can also be reached by flight from Port Moresby.
Mt Wilhelm Notes: The Closest town to Mt Wilhelm is Kundiawa, and a great place to stay closer to the Mountain, is Betty’s Place. You can find a local guide in Kundiawa or wait until you are closer to the Mountain.
Goroka Show Notes: While you can book tickets your own tickets and a place to stay in Goroka, you need to book early if timing it around the Goroka show. If all rooms are already booked, you may have to join a tour company that has pre-booked rooms. Ecotourism Melanesia helped me get in with their room block.
Where else to Visit: I highly recommend visiting the least visited country–Tuvalu!
