How many places on earth have you been to that offer so
many interesting surprises? Papua New Guinea (PNG in
short,) situated north of Australia and east of Indonesia
on the island of New Guinea offers a myriad of surprises
which come as culture shock for the cultural and adventure
tourists.
The Highlands of Papua New Guinea, which is made up of
five of the country’s 19 provinces, is the rugged
interior, whose people of short, stocky warrior farmers,
make up a third of the country’s 5 million people of
Melanesian and Polynesian stocks.
The Highlands of PNG is truly “last frontier
territory.” The first white men set foot on this part
of the world in the 1960s. The Highlands has been referred
to by many travellers as wild, rugged and isolated, making
it a truly amazing place for its sheer natural beauty and
pristine wilderness. It’s a natural wonderland and
perhaps, the very place in the world that should rightfully
be given the title of “last frontier”. With its
towering, cool, cloud-covered mountain peaks, deep gorges,
evergreen valleys and fast-flowing rivers, it is the region
in PNG that is still very much untouched and unexplored.
Its people are colourful and you only have to visit one of
the major cultural shows such as the Goroka or Mt Hagen
Shows to see why. In one big gathering, you will be
confronted with loud pulsating sounds of “kundu
drums” made from hollowed logs, which are covered
with lizard and snake skin and confronted with thousands of
colourfully-painted faces and bodies that glisten in the
Highlands sunlight. Their birds of paradise, lorikeet,
parrot, cassowary and cockatoo feathers are just as amazing
as they sway to the rhythmic movements of the body.
Highlands people are also industrious, most of whom
still live in villages and are predominantly
agriculturalists whose very livelihood very depends on
their relationship with each other and the land that they
have inherited. There are 5 Highlands Provinces in the
Southern Highlands, Enga, Western Highlands, Simbu and
Eastern Highlands. When you take the scenic Highlands
Highway from the coastal port and city of Lae, you reach
the Eastern Highlands first, whose capital Goroka enjoys an
all year around cool, almost eternal spring-like climate.
Goroka is famous for the Asaro mud men of the fertile
valley of the same name and the world famous Goroka Show,
held in September every year to coincide with PNG’s
Independence anniversary on September 16th.
About two hours up the Daulo Pass is the rugged Simbu
Province, known for its rough terrain and jazzed limestone
mountain tops whose people, stocky warrior farmers, can be
seen manoeuvring mountainsides with relative ease on bare
foot. Simbu is perhaps best known for the highest mountain
on the land in Mt Wilhelm, which at 4509 meters has
attracted bush walkers, trekkers and mountaineers from far
and wide. You only have to view the guest book at
Betty’s Lodge and trout farm, situated at the foot of
the mountain, to see where climbers have come from. There
are entries from should read from as far away as Israel,
Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, Poland, and the
United States of America.
Further up the highway is the vibrant city of Mt Hagen
and capital of Western Highlands, a predominantly coffee
growing region. Mt Hagen is best known as home to the
equally famous Mt Hagen Show, which is held in August every
year. Like the Goroka Show, this show is one of PNG’s
icon cultural spectacles and it brings together colourful
and diverse tribes who partake in a weekend of cultural
performances called “singsings.”
The author, Steven Mago is a journalist, travel writer
and tourism promoter. He was born in Papua New Guinea but
for the time being is living in Sydney. Steven can be
contacted on: stevenmago@hotmail.com