59 Women in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea
Women in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea
Rural women in Papua New Guinea highlands suffer a derogatory village life. PNG one of the least developed countries in the world is made up of over 800 plus tribes scattered over the eastern half of New Guinea Island. Two physical regions contain different cultural and social attributes, Highland and Lowland.
Physical map of Papua New Guinea from creative commons
The highlands begin with an elevation over 5000 feet occupying the center of the country. The Bismarck range reaches over 14000 feet. At these chilly elevations, highland tribal cultures of hardworking hunters and farmers have grown to over two million people. Animosity between neighboring tribes is endemic and tribal wars are frequent
Home in the PNG highlands, Photo by Rick Bein 1998.
The lowland people, subsisting on fishing and garden crops, are more laid back and less warlike.
Recurring tribal wars happen every five years or so as acts of vengeance and begin with a surprise attack raiding a village with stone axes, spears and bows and arrows. (In 2000 there were no guns on the island.) Few deaths occur, but enemy men and women are beaten, and raped. As a retribution between warring tribes, the weaker of the tribes negotiate with gifts of women or pigs to the stronger tribe.
In 1998 my wife, Maryellen was traveling into the highlands on a mission and at the first stop, a tribe of warriors entered the plane with paint all over their bodies. One of them sat in the seat next to her. He sat very stoic and took no heed of her. After a while, curiosity got the better of her and she asked if they were going to a “sing-sing,” (a dance competition created by the missionaries to substitute for war,) At first, he refused to answer, but she kept pestering and he suddenly stated, “Going to war”!
“Sing-sing” competition Madang, PNG. Photo by Rick Bein 1996
(We learned afterward that when tribes prepare for war, the warriors believe that speaking to women will deplete their fighting resolve.)
At the next stop the tribe got up, collected their spears, bows and arrows from the attendants and got off the plane.
In years past, the war would have involved a long hike over the mountain before surprising the enemy tribe. Now with modern technology the price of airplane tickets was no obstacle, and the fighters would not be worn out from the hike.
Women throughout the country are subservient to the men, but, in the highlands, woman experience more hardships. Here women are considered property and forced into hard labor, doing most of the farming and carrying heavy loads.
Highland woman and the family garden. Photo by Rick Bein 1999.
In the highlands women are beaten by their husbands on a regular basis and those that resist are severely punished or even killed. During their menstrual period they are forced to sleep in the pigsty. Women are so submissive to this treatment that beatings are considered acts of love. Wome