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Going Tribal
"Thousands of Smiles"
As stated in the previous story, the words below and the pictures shown are going to be difficult to portray the full experience that I had today in Goroka. And before I go any further, many thanks to Ed for the amazing photos today. I'll back up just a little bit to day 1 at the Goroka Show. There were different attributes in each of the tribes, converging into this one centralized Goroka Show. And some were quite reserved or serious, but one stood out to me as I walked around visiting each tribe. This group was having a blast ! Laughing, smiling, and truly just having a wonderful time with each other, entertaining others, and sharing their customs from their village and tribe. Their name is "Aipos Moko Moko".
I spoke to their chief, Graham, about having a short video of them teaching me their performance/dancing. He immediately suggested that I visit them the following daywhere we can share together and see their village at the same time.
So, early morning departure, and off Ed & I go to their village to see the Aipos tribe. We are greeted warmly by Chief Graham and many other residents. The village is preparing their performers for the 2nd day of the Goroka Show, by painting their bodies with clay paint. We watch the process and take photos, while learning about their history and traditions.
This is only the 4th time in over 50 years for Aipos Moko Moko to perform in the Goroka Show.
Aipos Moko MokoDuring World War II, with a great deal of battles fought in and around Papua New Guinea, the Australian/US Allied Forces had bases in the Goroka region. On the same land this tribe now owns and occupies, there was an Allied Forces "Aid Post". For years following the war, with the local tribe dialect and pronunciation differences, the words Aid Post slowly turned into "Aipos". And the term "Moko" in Papua New Guinea refers to sex. In their traditional culture, after defeating an enemy or a battle, the men would return and chant the song to call the women for Moko Moko -- to celebrate the victory, and have sex. It was also used when the population of their tribe was decreasing, and to formally call for procreation, and make some more babies. This Aipos tribe is the original Moko Moko tribe in Goroka.
They speak English very well in the Aipos tribe, and they also speak Pidgin, widely spoken throughout PNG & Solomons. And with 852 different languages in Papua New Guinea (the most of any country in the world), this tribe/village also has their own language -- Alecano (spelling ?).
I was careful to not be culturally insensitive or disrespectful, and asked if it would be possible to be painted with them. They were excited and immediately brought me over to start painting my body with the clay paint. They explained that I will be painted with the vertical striping, which is only for the tribal leaders, while the others have horizontal stripes. I'm getting the leader painting, as it turns out, I'll be the honorary chief today ! I wasn't sure how involved I would be in this process, but it's looking like I'm going to be performing with them and everyone's excited about this. So, after the full body painting in their orange & white clay paint, one asked why am I wearing the trousers (my cargo shorts), instead of the tribal hominy & cloth in the groin area. Well . . . I just wasn't sure about that. And then, I'm thinking, if I'm going to do this, I need to do it -- all the way, right ? Right .
So, I then went back over and told them that I changed my mind, and I'm ready to go for the traditional men's dress. But I can't go barefoot like the others, as I've still got that open wound in my heel from Solomon Islands -- and with all the mud around the area, I didn't need to breed an infection. So, away we go, to customize the materials for my privates ! As shown in the pictures, they build a waistband out of dried husks, and wrap it tightly. I've got just my underwear on, so I'm not completely commando, but pretty close, and they paint my underwear on each side to match. Hike the underwear up around the buttocks, and we're ready for the next stage -- putting on that waistband / loin cloth unit (I don't know the name).
We get my legs through, and start going up, and . . . eeekk it's not going past my hips or my butt. Now, I don't have a big butt, but this thing was tight !! It didn't seem possible to get onto my waist, except the men were determined -- and they pulled and pulled, so much that I was getting lifted in the air -- then they stepped on my feet to keep me down, and torqued it up to the point where it barely slid past my butt and hip. Ouch !! Yeah, this thing isn't moving anywhere !
Now, all the performers are ready to make our way to the show grounds, and make our entrance into the show for the VIP ticket holders. This is the first time the Aipos Moko Moko have ever had a guest or foreigner to dress and perform with their tribe. I'm excited and honored ! And, I found out from Pondo that in the last 2 years, and 100+ tribes per year, that this is only the 2nd time he knows of any foreigner performing with a tribe at the Goroka Show. Wow ! It's no wonder that word apparently gets out as the crowd thickens, that there's an American performing with the Moko Moko tribe -- and the crowds build more and more. You can see in the photos at the bottom, how big of a crowd we had for hours. And everyone is not only excited to see the Moko Moko tribe perform, but also to see someone unusual to the picture.
I just can't tell you what it was like, and you have to see the dance and performance -- so soon, I'll have the video production with footage of our performances.
A lot of constant shaking of the body, with feathers on the head and the butt, so white boy has got to move his butt a little more to get that feather to shake. I got better, and the guys said I was doing well. They put me up front, since I was honorary chief today, and it was a blast ! One performance after another, back to back, and it was exhausting. Full sun blazing, painted in clay paint, shake shake shake, constantly, and then the Moko Moko pelvic thrusts while shouting "Moko Moko". Once to the front, once to the right, right again, and right again -- 4 sides, and jump to the nearest woman, and give a quick Moko Moko shaking and some crazed eyes to go along with it. Girls, boys, women, men were all smiling, laughing, and requesting to take pictures with me. Thousands of smiles. It was so fun ! I was ripping through water bottle after another, heart pounding out of my chest at times, and concerned about passing out at some point. So, I took a couple breaks and drank plenty of water, but I still performed about 80% of the time with them, all day. Different audiences as we rotate around the show grounds, and keep attracting more spectators. Judges came by at some point, and we'll find out on Tuesday if the Aipos Moko Moko finished in the top 4. We're feeling like they have a chance, as Ed & Pondo said we were attracting the biggest crowds of the entire day.
It was such fun as I was dancing or performing with them, to make direct eye contact with the many locals, and bring a big smile to their face, or giggles and laughter.
During our last performance, the neighboring tribe merged right into our performance with singing & dancing, a sign of unity and friendship, with crowds everywhere watching -- it was so cool ! After the performances were over, and the body couldn't take much more, we walked out of the show grounds back toward their village. I was invited to go back with them and spend time at their village, and also bathe in the river. Oh, remember how tight the husk waistband was ? No way that was coming off, so out came the knife and they carefully got the blade in there and cut it off -- the waistband that is ! Au naturale, Graham and I took a bath in the river next to their village -- while I had never taken a bath with another man before, it worked out quite well -- as he scrubbed the clay paint off my back, and I'm not quite sure how I would've done that on my own at the hotel ! Then, back for a couple beers, talking, and learning about each other's culture & daily lives.
The Tribal Committee wanted to have me out in the common area with the residents gathered, to share a few things. The magistrate, an elder, and the chief each spoke, in their language and in English, to share their gratitude for my time with them. It was so heartfelt, and I felt honored to be there. One person after another brought gifts to me -- handmade bilums, a dress for your daughter, a dress for your wife, and a "bilum with a picture of me & email contact information for your son". I felt like I was the one that was honored to be there and for them to be so welcoming to me. But they felt the same way, that I spent time with them, talked with them, shared stories, shook hands with them, and hugged them -- this meant a lot to them, and there were so many sincere smiles and acts of gratitude, all in a short time period -- it was incredible. And Chief Graham then announced that he is formally initiating me into the tribe as a member of the family, and that myself and my wife are welcome to come and stay with them anytime. Rosanna, it sounds like I have a good reason to come back and bring you to visit Goroka, Papua New Guinea and the Aipos Moko Moko tribe-- you'll love them !
In all, I spent 11 hours today with the Aipos Moko Moko tribe. Wow, it was such a great day. I am so glad that I came to visit Goroka and Papua New Guinea, and to meet the truly genuine and giving people here in this country.
Time to sleep for 5 hours before leaving to the airport -- 2 flights tomorrow, over to Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea for scuba diving at Walindi Plantation Resort. Farewell to the wonderful people I have met here in Goroka, and until we meet again !
As stated in the previous story, the words below and the pictures shown are going to be difficult to portray the full experience that I had today in Goroka. And before I go any further, many thanks to Ed for the amazing photos today. I'll back up just a little bit to day 1 at the Goroka Show. There were different attributes in each of the tribes, converging into this one centralized Goroka Show. And some were quite reserved or serious, but one stood out to me as I walked around visiting each tribe. This group was having a blast ! Laughing, smiling, and truly just having a wonderful time with each other, entertaining others, and sharing their customs from their village and tribe. Their name is "Aipos Moko Moko".
I spoke to their chief, Graham, about having a short video of them teaching me their performance/dancing. He immediately suggested that I visit them the following daywhere we can share together and see their village at the same time.
So, early morning departure, and off Ed & I go to their village to see the Aipos tribe. We are greeted warmly by Chief Graham and many other residents. The village is preparing their performers for the 2nd day of the Goroka Show, by painting their bodies with clay paint. We watch the process and take photos, while learning about their history and traditions.
This is only the 4th time in over 50 years for Aipos Moko Moko to perform in the Goroka Show.
Aipos Moko MokoDuring World War II, with a great deal of battles fought in and around Papua New Guinea, the Australian/US Allied Forces had bases in the Goroka region. On the same land this tribe now owns and occupies, there was an Allied Forces "Aid Post". For years following the war, with the local tribe dialect and pronunciation differences, the words Aid Post slowly turned into "Aipos". And the term "Moko" in Papua New Guinea refers to sex. In their traditional culture, after defeating an enemy or a battle, the men would return and chant the song to call the women for Moko Moko -- to celebrate the victory, and have sex. It was also used when the population of their tribe was decreasing, and to formally call for procreation, and make some more babies. This Aipos tribe is the original Moko Moko tribe in Goroka.
They speak English very well in the Aipos tribe, and they also speak Pidgin, widely spoken throughout PNG & Solomons. And with 852 different languages in Papua New Guinea (the most of any country in the world), this tribe/village also has their own language -- Alecano (spelling ?).
I was careful to not be culturally insensitive or disrespectful, and asked if it would be possible to be painted with them. They were excited and immediately brought me over to start painting my body with the clay paint. They explained that I will be painted with the vertical striping, which is only for the tribal leaders, while the others have horizontal stripes. I'm getting the leader painting, as it turns out, I'll be the honorary chief today ! I wasn't sure how involved I would be in this process, but it's looking like I'm going to be performing with them and everyone's excited about this. So, after the full body painting in their orange & white clay paint, one asked why am I wearing the trousers (my cargo shorts), instead of the tribal hominy & cloth in the groin area. Well . . . I just wasn't sure about that. And then, I'm thinking, if I'm going to do this, I need to do it -- all the way, right ? Right .
So, I then went back over and told them that I changed my mind, and I'm ready to go for the traditional men's dress. But I can't go barefoot like the others, as I've still got that open wound in my heel from Solomon Islands -- and with all the mud around the area, I didn't need to breed an infection. So, away we go, to customize the materials for my privates ! As shown in the pictures, they build a waistband out of dried husks, and wrap it tightly. I've got just my underwear on, so I'm not completely commando, but pretty close, and they paint my underwear on each side to match. Hike the underwear up around the buttocks, and we're ready for the next stage -- putting on that waistband / loin cloth unit (I don't know the name).
We get my legs through, and start going up, and . . . eeekk it's not going past my hips or my butt. Now, I don't have a big butt, but this thing was tight !! It didn't seem possible to get onto my waist, except the men were determined -- and they pulled and pulled, so much that I was getting lifted in the air -- then they stepped on my feet to keep me down, and torqued it up to the point where it barely slid past my butt and hip. Ouch !! Yeah, this thing isn't moving anywhere !
Now, all the performers are ready to make our way to the show grounds, and make our entrance into the show for the VIP ticket holders. This is the first time the Aipos Moko Moko have ever had a guest or foreigner to dress and perform with their tribe. I'm excited and honored ! And, I found out from Pondo that in the last 2 years, and 100+ tribes per year, that this is only the 2nd time he knows of any foreigner performing with a tribe at the Goroka Show. Wow ! It's no wonder that word apparently gets out as the crowd thickens, that there's an American performing with the Moko Moko tribe -- and the crowds build more and more. You can see in the photos at the bottom, how big of a crowd we had for hours. And everyone is not only excited to see the Moko Moko tribe perform, but also to see someone unusual to the picture.
I just can't tell you what it was like, and you have to see the dance and performance -- so soon, I'll have the video production with footage of our performances.
A lot of constant shaking of the body, with feathers on the head and the butt, so white boy has got to move his butt a little more to get that feather to shake. I got better, and the guys said I was doing well. They put me up front, since I was honorary chief today, and it was a blast ! One performance after another, back to back, and it was exhausting. Full sun blazing, painted in clay paint, shake shake shake, constantly, and then the Moko Moko pelvic thrusts while shouting "Moko Moko". Once to the front, once to the right, right again, and right again -- 4 sides, and jump to the nearest woman, and give a quick Moko Moko shaking and some crazed eyes to go along with it. Girls, boys, women, men were all smiling, laughing, and requesting to take pictures with me. Thousands of smiles. It was so fun ! I was ripping through water bottle after another, heart pounding out of my chest at times, and concerned about passing out at some point. So, I took a couple breaks and drank plenty of water, but I still performed about 80% of the time with them, all day. Different audiences as we rotate around the show grounds, and keep attracting more spectators. Judges came by at some point, and we'll find out on Tuesday if the Aipos Moko Moko finished in the top 4. We're feeling like they have a chance, as Ed & Pondo said we were attracting the biggest crowds of the entire day.
It was such fun as I was dancing or performing with them, to make direct eye contact with the many locals, and bring a big smile to their face, or giggles and laughter.
During our last performance, the neighboring tribe merged right into our performance with singing & dancing, a sign of unity and friendship, with crowds everywhere watching -- it was so cool ! After the performances were over, and the body couldn't take much more, we walked out of the show grounds back toward their village. I was invited to go back with them and spend time at their village, and also bathe in the river. Oh, remember how tight the husk waistband was ? No way that was coming off, so out came the knife and they carefully got the blade in there and cut it off -- the waistband that is ! Au naturale, Graham and I took a bath in the river next to their village -- while I had never taken a bath with another man before, it worked out quite well -- as he scrubbed the clay paint off my back, and I'm not quite sure how I would've done that on my own at the hotel ! Then, back for a couple beers, talking, and learning about each other's culture & daily lives.
The Tribal Committee wanted to have me out in the common area with the residents gathered, to share a few things. The magistrate, an elder, and the chief each spoke, in their language and in English, to share their gratitude for my time with them. It was so heartfelt, and I felt honored to be there. One person after another brought gifts to me -- handmade bilums, a dress for your daughter, a dress for your wife, and a "bilum with a picture of me & email contact information for your son". I felt like I was the one that was honored to be there and for them to be so welcoming to me. But they felt the same way, that I spent time with them, talked with them, shared stories, shook hands with them, and hugged them -- this meant a lot to them, and there were so many sincere smiles and acts of gratitude, all in a short time period -- it was incredible. And Chief Graham then announced that he is formally initiating me into the tribe as a member of the family, and that myself and my wife are welcome to come and stay with them anytime. Rosanna, it sounds like I have a good reason to come back and bring you to visit Goroka, Papua New Guinea and the Aipos Moko Moko tribe-- you'll love them !
In all, I spent 11 hours today with the Aipos Moko Moko tribe. Wow, it was such a great day. I am so glad that I came to visit Goroka and Papua New Guinea, and to meet the truly genuine and giving people here in this country.
Time to sleep for 5 hours before leaving to the airport -- 2 flights tomorrow, over to Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea for scuba diving at Walindi Plantation Resort. Farewell to the wonderful people I have met here in Goroka, and until we meet again !
- comments
rosannah201 WOW!! I don't even know what to say. The pictures say a thousand words! Get our tickets now for Sing Sing 2017 because you're taking me there next year! I can't believe how welcoming the locals were to you. It must have been an incredible experience performing with the Aikos Moko Moko tribe. More importantly is how they initiated you into their tribe. An experience of a lifetime for sure!!! Safe journey and hopefully no cancelled flights as you move on to the next stop of your adventure, Kimbe Bay. I love you!!!
Bob Wow! What an experience! I can't wait to see the video with you dancing. This is quite a unique experience. Continue having fun. Dad
Judy Spectacular photos, what an experience! Can't believe you went completely tribal. Photos look so professional, you will have great memories, we'll never see that! Wonder what they use as paint, and women need implants, breasts will reach their knees! I guess Ed didn't have nerve to get painted. Glad you're having so much fun. Love & still missing you a lot. mom
Graham Peter Wow! That was really amazing I will show the tribe members. We can't stop talking about you... If you are already in Kimbe please enjoy your self Thanks
Solano, Frank That's the best story I've heard. You are a true modern explorer. I don't think too many people would pull this off with the energy level and positive attitude that you have. Thanks for sharing.