PAPUA NEW GUINEA#4: Honor to the visitor !

After a rather tiring navigation spent fighting for 36 hours against the current and storms of the channel of St Geroges, I finally find calm by entering the Jacquinot Bay, and I anchor in front of the village of Sallel around midday. The banks of the village are as usual unpopulated. But accustomed to the fact, I suspect that behind this barrier vegetation is hiding most of the homes. I go down on the ground to introduce myself and do not find many people until I reach the central square of the village. On a slow and monotonous rhythm, dozens of women dressed in foliage, flowers and necklaces of shells evolve around a figurine raised by pieces of wood and dressed in old clothes representing the old now disappeared. This ceremony symbolizes a belief that the spirits of the dead remain among the living. Suddenly, farther into the forest, heavy and severe cries arrive. Men are approaching ... At the same time the pace of women is accelerating moderately. Closer the group of men come, more the women's group moves around. Now in sight, some men stand out from the group to threaten the women with their spears. The reunification of the two groups will generate the rise of a rhythm that will have nothing to envy the most furious sambas. The "Sings Sings", as they are called here, will be done all afternoon, and for several days.

I finally meet Francis, the village chief who as usual gives me a few fruits and vegetables and invites me to visit the village scheduled for the next day.

After a good night's recovery, I go to the ground and follow my hosts to the four corners of the village. A church here, a tomb over there, the house of an elder, I find all this very nice but a little disconnected ... And for good reason! As I followed Francis politely out of the village, a large part of the village was preparing a reception in my honor. What honor can I represent, will you tell me, ten years later I still do not know it! It was only on the way back that our road was suddenly blocked by three individuals covered with branches and proceeding with gestures similar to those of the day before. I was then invited to follow the group to a table that the women and children had prepared while I was distracted to follow my hosts at the other end of the village. Good game ! A table of about forty cutlery was then erected in front of me. One by one, all the guests will come to greet me. There will be a flag raising, the national flag, the flag of Jerusalem, and the Australian Navy ... Do not ask me to describe a possible link between the three! What a welcome !