National Mask Fetival 2010

16th National Mask Festival was held in Kokopo, East New Britain Province from 14-17JUL 2010. As usual, the event was opened up by the beat of Kundu Drum from the shore in the dawn by Tolai's Kinavai ceremony.

Lots of tourists visited the festival, including USA, Germany, French, Japan, Australia etc.. and enjoyed the indigenous mask culture of Papua New Guinea.

Body Paint

Body Paint is important for Traditional Dance in Papua New Guinea.
Different color is used in different cultures/tribes, such as Red, Brown, Yellow, Black, White etc....
Here in Madang, Body is painted with Red color before being decorated by leaves and feathers.

This is the secret of the red color. The fruit is smashed and red juice inside is used to paint the body, then rub the oil to make the body shiny.

Baby boy was looking at how elders are being painted and he started painting himself.
Yes, I am also a boy and need to dress up !!

German vs England

World Cup match between German and England on Sunday ended with historical win for Germans and left a question about introducing the Video Referee. Video ref does not deny the human referee but helps to make a fair decision in a crucial moment, and it has proven very helpful in Rugby. FIFA should seriously consider it.
However, even the goal was admitted, the score would have been 2-4, so Capello should accept the defeat. - Simply Germany was too good for England this time.

Papua New Guinea was colonized by UK & Germans in November 1884 and for us, the game was between former colonial masters. Although Germans officially withdrew after World War 1 defeat, we have lots of German remains, including names like Bismark Sea, Mt Wilhelm, New Hanover, Alexishafen, Finschhafen, to name a few.

Congratulations for Germany and keep going for the World Cup !!

Reef & Rainforest

Papua New Guinea is where Tropical Reforests meet with Coral Reefs.
Coral Reef is mother for all kinds of fish & marine life, while Reforest provides food & shelter for insects, birds, reptiles and mammals alike.

Local people are fishing on a dugout canoe, just enough for their family to eat for the day.
Very peaceful....
Due to the western influence, life is changing dramatically here but many people still live on the gift of "mother nature".

Best Cot in Papua New Guinea

This is the Best cot in Papua New Guinea.
The baby is in a Bilum (string bag) hanging under the High-post house - it's cool, soft and tender.
I wish I could go back to baby and sleep like this......

Future for PNG Football

Soccer World Cup is around the corner.

While Papua New Guinea is not doing well in the FIFA ranking -ranked 202 ----last on the list !! - at Club level, PNG's Hekari United won the Oceanic Club Cup Championship recently. (See Oceania Football Website for more detail.) Congratulations for Hekari !!

At Junior level, inter-school football match is going on in Port Moresby.

(Photo - Under 6 Koroboro Hunters vs. TEMIS Tigers)

During the colonial era, Football was brought by Germans to New Guinea. After the change of colonial master, Rugby League is the most popular sport across the nation.
But there are lots of young kids playing football these days. By the time these kids become senor level, PNG may be going for World Cup -- who knows ??

Parasitic Plants

Parasitic Plants are type of plants that lives on other plants.

Here in tropical climate, we can see a lot of parasitic plants on the trunk or branch of a large tree. It is amazing how different plants live together under a "house" of usually larger "Host Plant".The photo was taken at NCD Botanical Garden in Port Moresby.

By the way, I thought that Orchids were also parasitic.
But, according to the expert, none of the orchids are parasitic.
"In nature, many orchids cling to trees and bushes as a growth habit; but they take nothing from the host plant and do not injure it in any way. Orchids that can grow on trees are called epiphytes or, more commonly, air plants" ---- from website of "Orchid House"