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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,040 BILL: Over the years, I've heard incredible tales 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:07,600 of a Pacific Island wilderness where time has literally frozen. 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,680 A country of immense cultural and biological diversity... 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,320 ..with over 800 languages spoken, 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:18,680 and where dancing and music 6 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,880 is performed as a way of passing their history and legends 7 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:23,800 to the next generation. 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:36,240 Join me as we explore this remote, mysterious destination 9 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,320 known as Papua New Guinea. 10 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,760 Since I was young, 11 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,320 I had an intense desire to discover the world around me. 12 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,840 That hasn't changed, just the level of adventure. 13 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,560 Now every journey has a purpose 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,920 and each time I venture out 15 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,760 to explore new destinations around the globe, 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,840 I am following my travel quest. 17 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,360 Papua New Guinea once formed part of the supercontinent Gondwana. 18 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,560 Fierce tectonic forces began to crash into each other 19 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,920 over 65 million years ago. 20 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,560 New Guinea faced a violent geologic upheaval 21 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,920 that created the valleys, massive flowing rivers, 22 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,520 large lakes, and the mountainous spine, 23 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:38,080 a central range that reaches heights of 15,000 feet, 24 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:42,080 making this the highest island in the world. 25 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,520 This rugged and untamed landscape was an inviting destination 26 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:47,400 for many life forms. 27 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,280 These early visitors evolved into new species 28 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,400 specifically adapted to the rigors of life in this hot, 29 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,720 wet, tropical environment. 30 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:01,760 It was as if a barrier prevented colonization by animal families 31 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,000 that could trace their roots to Africa and Asia. 32 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,240 That barrier is now known as the Wallace Line, 33 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,040 named for wildlife biologist Alfred Russell Wallace, 34 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:16,040 who spent his life studying the animals in the South Pacific. 35 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,080 Wallace found that an imaginary line could be drawn through Indonesia 36 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,000 where no African or Asian mammals crossed after the last ice age, 37 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,320 when sea levels were much lower than they are today. 38 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,160 But of all the unique aspects of New Guinea, 39 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,280 none is more so than the human population. 40 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,520 Humans began to migrate from South Asia into New Guinea, 41 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,120 the surrounding islands, 42 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,520 the Australian mainland and Tasmania 43 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,600 about 40,000 years ago. 44 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,560 Of all these migratory pathways, 45 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:51,040 none produced as much diversity as the settlers of New Guinea, 46 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:52,960 and of these, the Highlands people 47 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,160 were both the most isolated and diverse. 48 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,440 Through the early 20th century, 49 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,240 Europeans believed the interior mountains 50 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,160 were too steep and treacherous for anyone to settle there. 51 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:09,560 Many maps just labelled it unknown. 52 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,120 A gold strike in Australia would set in motion 53 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:18,040 a series of events that would change Papua New Guinea forever. 54 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,480 Gold prospecting exploded in Australia, 55 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,320 and as the number of prospectors increased, they went further afield, 56 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:27,600 ultimately making it to Papua New Guinea. 57 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,480 By the late 1920s, 58 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,360 the goldmines discovered along the coast were played out. 59 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,440 Many Australians gave in and moved back home. 60 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:43,000 But not so for the Leahy brothers - Nick, Danny, Jim, and Patty. 61 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,800 Led by their eldest brother, 62 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,360 these four siblings ventured into the unknown interior 63 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,120 in search of gold. 64 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,000 Though they didn't strike it rich, 65 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,040 what they did discover was a vast land of fertile valleys 66 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,920 inhabited by a multitude of different tribes. 67 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,920 These would be the first white men they ever saw. 68 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,360 Most thought the white men were spirits from the land of the dead. 69 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,240 They were feared and respected at the same time. 70 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,040 In a land once thought by Westerners as uninhabited, 71 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,840 it soon became evident that nearly a million people lived here. 72 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,160 The best way to observe the Highlanders' life 73 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,320 much as it had been for hundreds of years 74 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,240 is to visit a village. 75 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:34,440 In the Tari area of the central mountains 76 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,840 lives a distinct and unusual tribal people called the Huli. 77 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:41,400 (SINGING AND DRUMMING) 78 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:55,880 The Huli have a lifestyle like none I have ever come across 79 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,360 anywhere else in the world. 80 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,720 The men and women live in separate dwellings 81 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,560 and are not allowed to enter each other's house. 82 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,760 So the only way a man and his wife can be intimate 83 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,280 is to meet in the farming areas or the rainforest. 84 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,360 Until recently, this was a warrior society 85 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,720 and conflict was almost a daily occurrence. 86 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,760 The Huli have developed elaborate head dresses 87 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,280 made for special ceremonies 88 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:24,720 from the feathers of birds-of-paradise, 89 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,280 cassowaries and other avians. 90 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,440 One of those ceremonies is a victory dance, 91 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,000 which not only includes the huge head dresses, 92 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,400 but beautifully painted faces and decorated clothing. 93 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,440 Called a sing-sing, 94 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,520 these dances are a way of celebrating a victory over an enemy 95 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,400 and a way to thank the spirits. 96 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,920 Likewise, if a husband is killed in battle or dies, 97 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,240 the mourning ritual is also quite unique. 98 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,680 Widows cover their bodies in white clay 99 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,560 and always have a relative with them 100 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,800 during the nearly year-long mourning period. 101 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,960 The white clay and escort disguises the wife 102 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,480 so the deceased husband's spirit will not recognise and kill her. 103 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,520 When all that is left of the husband's body is the skull, 104 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,080 the spirit won't return, 105 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,280 and the wife can end her masquerade and remarry. 106 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,680 Masquerades seem to be a Huli trait 107 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,480 as it is the centre of their spirit dance. 108 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,680 In a cultural contradiction, 109 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,200 the greatest warriors of the village dress as women, 110 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,280 wearing the grass skirts and facial paints 111 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:38,680 that would normally be in the providence of the ladies. 112 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,240 The reason is to attract the benevolent river spirits 113 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,640 to the village, to cure an ailment that has overtaken the tribe. 114 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,240 It could be a sick person, 115 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,440 the children or pigs aren't growing properly, 116 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,000 or infertile soil - 117 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,160 pretty much any calamity. 118 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,360 The men dance and sing until the spirit is attracted to them. 119 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,840 The dancers then promise to marry the male spirit 120 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:02,640 in exchange for a cure. 121 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,400 Once the spirit completes the task, 122 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,200 the men quickly disrobe and wash the make-up off 123 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,640 so the spirit can't find their promised bride. 124 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,400 This strange twist on cross-dressing 125 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:19,120 is only one of the odd apparel choices for the Huli. 126 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:23,520 Probably the most famous and unique is the wig school. 127 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,400 Young men enter the wig school 128 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:29,960 with the sole purpose of growing hair to make their own wig. 129 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,240 The participants actually pay for this privilege 130 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,080 and commit the next 18 months to this men's hair club of New Guinea. 131 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,480 During the 18 months, they cannot visit their village 132 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,080 or family, except in the case of war, 133 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,520 have sex or wash their hair. 134 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,960 They do ritually sprinkle water on it from a blessed stream 135 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,280 and they bathe by spitting mouthfuls of water on themselves. 136 00:07:56,320 --> 00:08:00,200 They must sleep lying down on an elevated log 137 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,080 to keep their hair from matting. 138 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:03,600 At the end of the 18 months, 139 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,880 they cut the hair and sew it together 140 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:07,560 to form a permanent headpiece 141 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,720 that can be decorated with feathers, leaves and other adornments. 142 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,680 If they want a ceremonial wig, one worn at festivals and holidays, 143 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,320 they need another 18 months of growing, 144 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,000 since it requires combining two wigs. 145 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,400 During each 18-month period, the rules are the same - 146 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:29,320 no returning home, no sex and no washing the hair. 147 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:30,480 If it is not enough 148 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,000 to give three years of your life for a ceremonial wig, 149 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:39,200 the students can stay on and grow hair for a wig for someone else. 150 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,400 Why would they want to do that? 151 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,720 Most men gave up three years of their lives for their own wigs. 152 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,280 Some then started growing hair for other men. 153 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,960 Why would they want to do that? 154 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,320 Well, a wig brings in the grower about 500 kina, 155 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,120 Papua New Guinea's currency, 156 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,440 or about US$200. 157 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,320 This individual has spent seven growing seasons in the school 158 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,120 and is now leaving to marry a woman selected for him 159 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:15,840 with a small nest egg to purchase pigs and chickens 160 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,760 so he can live a comfortable life as a farmer. 161 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,680 The Highlands are one of the most diverse areas in Papua New Guinea. 162 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:26,920 Each region is completely different from the next 163 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,480 that may be only just a couple of miles away. 164 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,320 A mountain or a river may separate cultures, 165 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,080 languages, and tribes that are vastly different. 166 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:39,800 Even to this day, 167 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:41,760 inter-tribal conflicts may erupt, 168 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,400 especially when one group feels wronged by another. 169 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,640 This ditch looks like it would be a natural run-off from the river, 170 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,240 but, in fact, it was all hand hewed out by the local tribes. 171 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:54,880 This was the dividing line. 172 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,760 One tribe on this side and one tribe on this side. 173 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,240 But it served a more insidious purpose - 174 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,680 it was also the trenches that the warriors used 175 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:04,480 to sneak up on their enemies. 176 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,360 One of the anomalies of the Hagen region is the Mudmen. 177 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,800 The oversized clay masks resembling creatures from another world 178 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:14,760 would be enough to make the Asaro people 179 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,600 one of the most interesting visits, 180 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:22,640 but the story behind the Mudmen dance elevates this tribe to superstardom. 181 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,800 The legend that has been passed on from generation to generation 182 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,240 is that the Mudmen tribe, before they became the Mudmen, 183 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,160 were driven from their land by a larger, more warlike tribe. 184 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:36,880 To celebrate their land grab, 185 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,360 the victors built a huge fire and began to party. 186 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,680 The Mudmen were enraged by the insult 187 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:45,800 and vowed to reclaim their land, 188 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:49,560 but they knew it would be futile against a more powerful enemy. 189 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:52,640 So they came up with an ingenious plan. 190 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,800 They would fashion clay masks that resembled spirits 191 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,320 to scare their enemies away. 192 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,400 Remarkably, their plan worked, 193 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,880 and the invaders fled so fast 194 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,920 that they left supplies, pigs, and even some of their women behind. 195 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:10,560 Ever since, the Asaro people have been called the Mudmen 196 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:13,960 and celebrate their victory by the Mudmen dance. 197 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,240 (APPLAUSE) 198 00:11:17,680 --> 00:11:22,240 Fierce protection of the land, like in any society, is for survival. 199 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,880 To this day, the villages and tribes live a subsistence life, 200 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:27,320 farming and hunting. 201 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,600 Any loss of land means the potential for less food. 202 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:34,440 If you sell these on the roadside, they pay one kina per kilo. 203 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,160 Some guy, a buyer, he would bring a scale, weigh it, 204 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,160 and he pays you according to the weight. 205 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,320 But if you take the skin off from a machine, 206 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:44,160 the skin goes back to the earth. 207 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,200 There are two seeds inside. 208 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:47,440 We wash it, 209 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,000 because it's oily and sticky, 210 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,720 and dry it in the sun for like three or four days. 211 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:55,000 When it's dried, you take it to a factory and you sell it. 212 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,880 They pay you like three kina per kilo. 213 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,360 Since the coffee pricing fluctuates, 214 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:02,960 people now don't want to plant coffee. 215 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,920 Like, I've got rid of all my coffee plants. 216 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:07,840 I plant something else, like cabbages. 217 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:12,200 Even those who work at the lodge, where we stayed at, Rondon Ridge, 218 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,560 kept gardens and hunted as part of their daily rituals. 219 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,120 The Western-style lodge has just 14 units. 220 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,320 Electricity and hot water are self-generated 221 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,240 since there are no power grids 222 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,280 outside of a few big cities in Papua New Guinea. 223 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,480 The hospitality, meals and service are at the highest standards. 224 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,920 When I travel, though, I always like to visit local villages 225 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:43,000 to see how they live and to sample some of their cuisine. 226 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:46,120 You can get a deep appreciation 227 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,480 for the land these people so fiercely protected 228 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,920 by hiking into the back country. 229 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:55,920 The flowers, trees and deep green foliage gives a sense of paradise, 230 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,880 a true Shangri La. 231 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,280 Crystal clear streams suddenly break over a ledge, 232 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,080 forming powerful waterfalls 233 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,160 that photos and even video 234 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,200 cannot appropriately capture. 235 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,920 It was time to visit a completely different part of Papua New Guinea, 236 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:14,080 the unspoiled wilderness along the Sepik River. 237 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,960 On the way to the airport, our driver made a startling discovery. 238 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,720 DRIVER: Are you painted or that's just...? 239 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,520 No, that's my foot. 240 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,960 (LAUGHTER) 241 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,440 Oh... 242 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,840 (LAUGHTER) 243 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:32,960 Americans are a simple people. 244 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:34,080 They will do anything gross. 245 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:35,320 (LAUGHTER) 246 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:36,720 That's... I can't believe it. 247 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:38,640 I'm very white. 248 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:40,320 Really white, yeah. 249 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,120 WOMAN: He's whiter than anybody. (LAUGHS) 250 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,480 Though you can only travel between regions by plane, 251 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:49,520 there are no air services. 252 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,480 You carry in your own fuel drums, 253 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,320 siphoning the fuel into the plane yourself. 254 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,720 This is a tedious and dangerous operation, 255 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:02,400 but it is necessary for accessing the remote villages. 256 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,680 I just have to remember to duck. 257 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,560 OK, we're ready to go, everybody. 258 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,800 Our pilot throughout our adventure was George, 259 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:23,560 a grizzly, experienced flyer 260 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:27,200 that had supervised the loading of bags, people and supplies 261 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,000 so our aircraft could take off on the short runway 262 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,800 and stay balanced in flight. 263 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,200 I co-piloted, 264 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,400 which actually meant I could not move my knees 265 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,760 or I would send the plane into a dive, 266 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,240 and I couldn't move my hands 267 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,560 without potentially sending the plane into a fatal tumble. 268 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:44,800 No problem! 269 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,840 Oh, what an incredible experience. 270 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,200 For the first 10 or 15 minutes, 271 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,680 you could still see signs of civilisation, 272 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,800 but then virgin rainforest the rest of the way. 273 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,080 It was one of the most incredible sights I've ever seen in my life. 274 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:12,760 But the adventure is not over yet 275 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,880 because we still have to take a boat to get to our lodge. 276 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,920 The lodge is set at the top of a mountain, 277 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:29,640 so conveniently waiting is our luxury vehicle 278 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,480 that drives us up the rutted dirt road, 279 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:36,920 the only road in the territory to our base camp. 280 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,480 It is so remote that without our plane, 281 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:44,880 it would have taken three days to reach the nearest town by boat. 282 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:47,520 But you can't beat the location. 283 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,560 Our first village destination is just across the river from our lodge. 284 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:55,480 The local guide is from this tribe 285 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,920 and told us that they were making sago pancakes and pudding. 286 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:02,360 Sago, made from the inner fibres of a freshwater palm, 287 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,120 is the main dish for the river people. 288 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,200 The sago making begins by cutting down the tree 289 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,600 and sectioning it into workable trunk sizes. 290 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,360 The outer layer is pulled back 291 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:17,000 and the inner fibres are pulverized by the men. 292 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,760 The ladies collect those fibres and put them in a basket. 293 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:22,880 The women then run water through the fibres, 294 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,800 collecting the runoff in hand-hewed troughs. 295 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,000 Only the sediment is saved 296 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,800 while the rest of the fibre is discarded. 297 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,240 It is the sediment that is used as sago flour. 298 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:39,720 This complicated process is repeated until the whole sago palm is used up. 299 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,960 This all-day labour yields enough sago for a family of four to six 300 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,960 to eat for one to two weeks. 301 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,640 I could not imagine how the first person came up with the idea 302 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,520 of making sago flour. 303 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:58,120 The process is so complicated that it seems unnatural. 304 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,440 Now, our Western three meals a day doesn't really apply here. 305 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,400 Sago is eaten whenever the villagers get hungry. 306 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,640 That could be once a day or five times a day. 307 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:12,800 Eating is not a formal affair here 308 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,200 except during celebrations and festivals. 309 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:17,640 During the days of conflict, 310 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,880 an elaborate feast called a Moka was used to cement peace. 311 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,400 When two warring tribes finally negotiated a truce, 312 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,400 they threw a dual celebration, 313 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,200 giving each other large numbers of pigs and farm produce. 314 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,600 Neither dare break the treaty after so much had been sacrificed. 315 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:36,520 Each is more extravagant than the last 316 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,240 with gift-giving and feasting over several days. 317 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:50,200 The preparation may be even more important than the actual ceremony. 318 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:51,760 The men of the village begin 319 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,520 by starting a sacred fire the old-fashioned way, 320 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,480 by literally rubbing two sticks together. 321 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,680 There's no matches or artificial starters here. 322 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,200 Once the fire is stable, they gather in the men's house 323 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,600 where they hold counsel, 324 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,400 planning the elaborate show of peace and friendship. 325 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,440 Once the plans are set, they emerge from the house and perform a ritual 326 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:18,440 that acts as a contract between themselves and the village 327 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:20,560 for whom the Moka is being held. 328 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:21,880 With so much on the line, 329 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,120 each step - gift and greeting - 330 00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:27,400 is carefully planned to ensure success. 331 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,640 (CHANTING) 332 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,240 Modern-day people of Papua New Guinea are resourceful and self-sufficient, 333 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:38,960 just as their ancestors were. 334 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:40,440 They live off the land 335 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,280 and that dependency has made them very spiritual, 336 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,720 which is manifested in special dances. 337 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,360 One of those is the crocodile dance. 338 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:51,320 This is performed when the people are about to embark 339 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:55,040 on a dangerous hunt for the biggest predators in Papua New Guinea. 340 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:59,240 And to my great surprise, I was asked to join them. 341 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,280 (DRUMMING) 342 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,320 I've just come out of a meeting here at the spirit house. 343 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,600 This is where the men set policies for the village, 344 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,680 where they do their rituals and where they plan their hunting trips. 345 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:10,760 And they've just told me 346 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,280 that they're going to go on a traditional crocodile hunt, 347 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,120 and they've invited us to join. 348 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:18,280 This may be the very first time this has ever been captured on camera. 349 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,280 Crocodiles are revered, feared and eaten 350 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,040 in the river cultures of Papua New Guinea. 351 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,640 In one of the world's most extreme initiation ceremonies, 352 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:31,320 men have their backs, shoulders and upper torsos sliced 353 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:32,560 by sharpened bamboo 354 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,200 to leave long, raised welts 355 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,200 resembling a crocodile's hide. 356 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:39,360 There are two species of crocs here. 357 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:43,080 One, the saltwater crocodile, is the biggest reptile in the world 358 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:47,080 and the most dangerous, killing numerous people every year. 359 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,920 Before any hunt, the villagers have a crocodile dance. 360 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,640 The dance has many purposes - to help assure success in the hunt, 361 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:56,760 to return safely, 362 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,280 and to get spiritual permission and forgiveness 363 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,080 for hunting the big predator. 364 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,000 Hunts are conducted at night to help spot the crocs. 365 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,320 During the day, you never see these big reptiles. 366 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,600 In fact, I thought there were no more in the area. 367 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,280 At night, though, the crocs are easy to see by a spotlight 368 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:19,560 to create eye glow. 369 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,280 The downside - at least for the croc - 370 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,120 is that the eye glow makes them easy to see. 371 00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:29,440 The hunters patrol the shoreline with a spotlight and a spear. 372 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,960 After a couple of near misses, the men corner a youngster 373 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:33,800 not more than a week or two old. 374 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:35,040 No meat here. 375 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:36,640 The hunters release their prey. 376 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,240 Another eye glow is seen in the grass ahead. 377 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,520 The driver shuts down the motor. 378 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,240 After a tense moment, the hunter strikes. 379 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,840 They've captured a three-foot-long croc. 380 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,720 They place it in a bag and we head for home. 381 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,000 On board our home away from home, 382 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,240 the villagers proudly display their catch. 383 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,880 Hunting here is not for fun or sport. 384 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,880 It is a way of survival. 385 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,240 There are no grocery stores or food shipments 386 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,640 to these remote sections of Papua New Guinea. 387 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,200 A family eats what it grows and hunts. 388 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,160 Unsuccessful hunt, bad crops - 389 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:23,600 the family goes hungry. 390 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,080 The croc is not injured 391 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,560 and our host declared that they will turn it loose. 392 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,240 Well, the croc we caught was a little bit too small to keep. 393 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:34,240 And to be honest, I'm not too upset about that at all. 394 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,960 Now, I'm under no delusions. 395 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:38,760 They're going to go back out and they're going to be looking for some bigger ones, 396 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:40,600 because for them, it's a matter of survival. 397 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,000 That's how they eat. 398 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,920 But I'm happy that ours is going to get let go. 399 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,800 That intense spirituality manifests itself in the devotion of the people 400 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:53,160 to a relatively new faith of Christianity. 401 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,680 Many mainline Christian churches have sent missionaries 402 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:57,840 and have built schools or hospitals. 403 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,480 The people of Papua New Guinea have found a unique way 404 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,760 to incorporate their ancient beliefs and lifestyles 405 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,080 into the Christian Church. 406 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,200 One of the traditions most of the villages follow 407 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,840 is using bird parts in their ceremonies. 408 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,040 That raises a troubling question for conservationists - 409 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:18,680 preserve the birds 410 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,960 or preserve the ancient culture of the Highland people? 411 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,800 Life expectancy is up and infant mortality is down 412 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,480 with the introduction of modern medicines, 413 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,400 putting more pressure on wildlife. 414 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,040 Conservation groups and the government have attempted 415 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:37,200 to set hunting regulations, export restrictions, 416 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,440 and create reserves to stem the decline in the bird populations. 417 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,680 Birders are a new source of income that may entice locals to preserve 418 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,480 rather than hunt for economic reasons. 419 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,400 Better care of the head dresses and their feathers 420 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:53,160 can reduce the need to replenish 421 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,760 the most important parts of their outfit. 422 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,720 All this is an attempt to find a balance between the cultural needs 423 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,440 and the needs of wildlife. 424 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,040 Being able to visit and experience Papua New Guinea firsthand 425 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:07,800 was the thrill of a lifetime. 426 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:09,760 Though pretty much frozen in time, 427 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:14,040 it may be changing as outsiders visit their isolated villages. 428 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,840 Even so, New Guinea is populated with a diverse people 429 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,760 whose traditions and culture endure. 430 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:22,960 (NATIVE SINGING) 431 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:29,760 Captions by Red Bee Media (c) SBS Australia 2023 34120

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