Today I had to take the road to Madang (pronounced MedEng) except that some guys from the Western Highlands province killed a teacher from the Eastern Highlands. So, the road to the north coast is closed, and will remain closed until Friday. I visit the Museum of Goroka. After two pictures they come to tell me that photography is forbidden. Here is one of the two photos I took - a necklace made of dried fingers...
FINGER NECKLACES: MOMENTOES OF GRIEF Commonly called finger necklaces, but more properly called mourning necklaces, these necklaces were collected in the Simbari linguistic area, Kokenara district, during the late 1960's. Human remains, fingers and small bones were worn by members of the deceased's family and relatives. Their purpose was twofold: to signify a state of mourning and to protect those who wore them from evil spirits and the vagaries of warfare. Fingers were cut off after death and dried over a fire in the deceased's house. When completely dry, they were strung as a necklace for wearing. Human bones were taken from the decayed body and painted with red ochre before being dried in the sun. Once dry they were rubbed with ashes collected from the remains of burnt rats. This symbolised the passing of the stink of decay. These customs have their parallel in the European custom of cutting a lock of hair from the head of a deceased loved-one and wearing it in a locket strung around the neck in the form of a necklace. Just as the wearing of lockets of hair went out of fashion amongst Europeans earlier this century, so did that of wearing mourning necklaces go out of fashion amongst the Anga people during their progress towards modernisation which overtook them during the 1960's.
At the market I find a local jaw harp.
On the net I found this little video that shows how to play it.
