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BILL: Over the years,
I've heard incredible tales
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of a Pacific Island wilderness
where time has literally frozen.
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A country of immense
cultural and biological diversity...
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..with over 800 languages spoken,
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and where dancing and music
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is performed as a way
of passing their history and legends
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to the next generation.
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Join me as we explore this remote,
mysterious destination
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known as Papua New Guinea.
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00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,760
Since I was young,
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I had an intense desire
to discover the world around me.
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That hasn't changed,
just the level of adventure.
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Now every journey has a purpose
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00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:03,920
and each time I venture out
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to explore new destinations
around the globe,
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I am following my travel quest.
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Papua New Guinea once formed part
of the supercontinent Gondwana.
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Fierce tectonic forces
began to crash into each other
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over 65 million years ago.
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New Guinea faced a violent
geologic upheaval
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that created the valleys,
massive flowing rivers,
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large lakes,
and the mountainous spine,
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a central range that reaches
heights of 15,000 feet,
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making this the highest island
in the world.
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This rugged and untamed landscape
was an inviting destination
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for many life forms.
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These early visitors
evolved into new species
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specifically adapted to the rigors
of life in this hot,
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wet, tropical environment.
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It was as if a barrier prevented
colonization by animal families
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00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,000
that could trace their roots
to Africa and Asia.
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That barrier is now known
as the Wallace Line,
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named for wildlife biologist
Alfred Russell Wallace,
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who spent his life studying
the animals in the South Pacific.
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Wallace found that an imaginary line
could be drawn through Indonesia
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where no African or Asian mammals
crossed after the last ice age,
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00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,320
when sea levels were much lower
than they are today.
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But of all the unique aspects
of New Guinea,
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00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,280
none is more so
than the human population.
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00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,520
Humans began to migrate
from South Asia into New Guinea,
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00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,120
the surrounding islands,
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00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,520
the Australian mainland and Tasmania
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00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,600
about 40,000 years ago.
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Of all these migratory pathways,
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none produced as much diversity
as the settlers of New Guinea,
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and of these, the Highlands people
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were both the most isolated
and diverse.
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Through the early 20th century,
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Europeans believed
the interior mountains
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were too steep and treacherous
for anyone to settle there.
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Many maps just labelled it unknown.
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00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,120
A gold strike in Australia
would set in motion
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00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:18,040
a series of events that would change
Papua New Guinea forever.
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00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,480
Gold prospecting
exploded in Australia,
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and as the number of prospectors
increased, they went further afield,
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ultimately making it
to Papua New Guinea.
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00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:30,480
By the late 1920s,
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00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,360
the goldmines discovered
along the coast were played out.
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00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,440
Many Australians gave in
and moved back home.
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00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:43,000
But not so for the Leahy brothers -
Nick, Danny, Jim, and Patty.
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00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,800
Led by their eldest brother,
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these four siblings
ventured into the unknown interior
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00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,120
in search of gold.
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Though they didn't strike it rich,
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what they did discover
was a vast land of fertile valleys
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00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,920
inhabited
by a multitude of different tribes.
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00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,920
These would be the first white men
they ever saw.
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00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,360
Most thought the white men were
spirits from the land of the dead.
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00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,240
They were feared and respected
at the same time.
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00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,040
In a land once thought by Westerners
as uninhabited,
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00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,840
it soon became evident that nearly
a million people lived here.
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00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,160
The best way to observe
the Highlanders' life
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00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,320
much as it had been
for hundreds of years
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00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,240
is to visit a village.
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00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:34,440
In the Tari area
of the central mountains
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00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,840
lives a distinct and unusual
tribal people called the Huli.
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(SINGING AND DRUMMING)
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The Huli have a lifestyle
like none I have ever come across
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anywhere else in the world.
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00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,720
The men and women
live in separate dwellings
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and are not allowed
to enter each other's house.
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So the only way a man and his wife
can be intimate
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00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,280
is to meet in the farming areas
or the rainforest.
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00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,360
Until recently,
this was a warrior society
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and conflict
was almost a daily occurrence.
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00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:20,760
The Huli have developed
elaborate head dresses
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made for special ceremonies
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00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:24,720
from the feathers
of birds-of-paradise,
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00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,280
cassowaries and other avians.
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00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,440
One of those ceremonies
is a victory dance,
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which not only includes
the huge head dresses,
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00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,400
but beautifully painted faces
and decorated clothing.
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Called a sing-sing,
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these dances are a way of celebrating
a victory over an enemy
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and a way to thank the spirits.
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00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,920
Likewise, if a husband
is killed in battle or dies,
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the mourning ritual
is also quite unique.
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00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,680
Widows cover their bodies
in white clay
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00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,560
and always have a relative with them
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00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,800
during the nearly year-long
mourning period.
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00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,960
The white clay and escort
disguises the wife
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00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,480
so the deceased husband's spirit
will not recognise and kill her.
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00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,520
When all that is left
of the husband's body is the skull,
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00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:18,080
the spirit won't return,
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00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,280
and the wife can end her masquerade
and remarry.
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00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,680
Masquerades seem to be a Huli trait
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00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,480
as it is the centre
of their spirit dance.
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00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,680
In a cultural contradiction,
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the greatest warriors of the village
dress as women,
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00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,280
wearing the grass skirts
and facial paints
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that would normally be
in the providence of the ladies.
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The reason is to attract
the benevolent river spirits
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to the village, to cure an ailment
that has overtaken the tribe.
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It could be a sick person,
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00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,440
the children or pigs
aren't growing properly,
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or infertile soil -
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pretty much any calamity.
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The men dance and sing until
the spirit is attracted to them.
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00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,840
The dancers then promise
to marry the male spirit
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00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:02,640
in exchange for a cure.
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00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,400
Once the spirit completes the task,
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00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,200
the men quickly disrobe
and wash the make-up off
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00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,640
so the spirit
can't find their promised bride.
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00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,400
This strange twist on cross-dressing
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00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:19,120
is only one of the odd
apparel choices for the Huli.
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00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:23,520
Probably the most famous and unique
is the wig school.
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Young men enter the wig school
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00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:29,960
with the sole purpose of growing hair
to make their own wig.
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00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,240
The participants
actually pay for this privilege
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00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,080
and commit the next 18 months to
this men's hair club of New Guinea.
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00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,480
During the 18 months,
they cannot visit their village
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or family, except in the case of war,
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00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,520
have sex or wash their hair.
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00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,960
They do ritually sprinkle water on it
from a blessed stream
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00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:54,280
and they bathe by spitting mouthfuls
of water on themselves.
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00:07:56,320 --> 00:08:00,200
They must sleep
lying down on an elevated log
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00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,080
to keep their hair from matting.
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00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:03,600
At the end of the 18 months,
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00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,880
they cut the hair
and sew it together
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00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:07,560
to form a permanent headpiece
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00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,720
that can be decorated with feathers,
leaves and other adornments.
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00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,680
If they want a ceremonial wig,
one worn at festivals and holidays,
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00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,320
they need another 18 months
of growing,
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00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,000
since it requires combining two wigs.
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00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,400
During each 18-month period,
the rules are the same -
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no returning home, no sex
and no washing the hair.
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00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:30,480
If it is not enough
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00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,000
to give three years of your life
for a ceremonial wig,
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00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:39,200
the students can stay on and grow
hair for a wig for someone else.
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Why would they want to do that?
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00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:48,720
Most men gave up three years
of their lives for their own wigs.
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Some then started growing hair
for other men.
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00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:54,960
Why would they want to do that?
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00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,320
Well, a wig brings in the grower
about 500 kina,
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00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,120
Papua New Guinea's currency,
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00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,440
or about US$200.
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00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,320
This individual has spent seven
growing seasons in the school
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and is now leaving to marry a woman
selected for him
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00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:15,840
with a small nest egg
to purchase pigs and chickens
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00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,760
so he can live a comfortable life
as a farmer.
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00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,680
The Highlands are one of the most
diverse areas in Papua New Guinea.
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Each region is completely different
from the next
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that may be only
just a couple of miles away.
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A mountain or a river
may separate cultures,
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languages, and tribes
that are vastly different.
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Even to this day,
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inter-tribal conflicts may erupt,
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00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,400
especially when one group
feels wronged by another.
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00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,640
This ditch looks like it would be
a natural run-off from the river,
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00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,240
but, in fact, it was all
hand hewed out by the local tribes.
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This was the dividing line.
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One tribe on this side
and one tribe on this side.
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But it served
a more insidious purpose -
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00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,680
it was also the trenches
that the warriors used
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00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:04,480
to sneak up on their enemies.
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00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,360
One of the anomalies
of the Hagen region is the Mudmen.
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00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,800
The oversized clay masks resembling
creatures from another world
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would be enough to make
the Asaro people
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one of the most interesting visits,
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00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:22,640
but the story behind the Mudmen dance
elevates this tribe to superstardom.
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00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,800
The legend that has been passed on
from generation to generation
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is that the Mudmen tribe,
before they became the Mudmen,
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were driven from their land
by a larger, more warlike tribe.
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00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:36,880
To celebrate their land grab,
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00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:41,360
the victors built a huge fire
and began to party.
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00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:43,680
The Mudmen were enraged by the insult
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00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:45,800
and vowed to reclaim their land,
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but they knew it would be futile
against a more powerful enemy.
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00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:52,640
So they came up with
an ingenious plan.
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They would fashion clay masks
that resembled spirits
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to scare their enemies away.
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00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,400
Remarkably, their plan worked,
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00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,880
and the invaders fled so fast
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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
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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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