In the 1950's the National Geographic Society sent an expedition to cross the island along the North/South axis, the shortest distance possible. I remember seeing some of this documentary on that new invention of the time: the TV. These were black and white images of men running across handmade ropes with nothing on other than Penis sheaths which were two feet long and tied to their waists. (I later met a man who had been sent to Papua to teach these same tribal men to drive huge tractors to push a whole mountain down its rivers to collect its deposits of gold. He had a large collection of these sheaths which he had exchange for the overalls they had to wear when driving or working on the site.)
For centuries life in Papua New Guinea was very stable with more than 400 different languages being found when missionaries started to explore its interior in the mid-twentieth century. Many small independent groups lived side by side yet isolated in the rough mountainous terrain of the interior. Trading of goods was usually carried out along river areas while hunting and gathering and limited cultivation was the main occupation of the groups. Tribal conflicts did occur and Papuans where known to the outside world to be cannibalistic at times. This practise was suspected as late as the early 70's when two white men looking for artefacts went missing; one of them was from the Rockefeller family of the US. This trade in artefacts was supposed to have stopped in 1963 when it was declared that nothing made before this date could be taken from the country.
For centuries life in Papua New Guinea was very stable with more than 400 different languages being found when missionaries started to explore its interior in the mid-twentieth century. Many small independent groups lived side by side yet isolated in the rough mountainous terrain of the interior. Trading of goods was usually carried out along river areas while hunting and gathering and limited cultivation was the main occupation of the groups. Tribal conflicts did occur and Papuans where known to the outside world to be cannibalistic at times. This practise was suspected as late as the early 70's when two white men looking for artefacts went missing; one of them was from the Rockefeller family of the US. This trade in artefacts was supposed to have stopped in 1963 when it was declared that nothing made before this date could be taken from the country.
It seems that the Papuans haven't taken to well to the exploitation that came with the joys of civilization. Although people lost their homeland to the river silting up and had to move to Port Moresby after 10 years of mining the mountain, Papua was never paid during this period by the consortium of countries that operated the mining, even though it is/was one of the riches deposits of the 20th century. So even though Papuan gold has taught them about the concept of money and the missionaries have taught them to wear pants and buy their beef from Australia, the people of Papua are still considered the poorest on this earth.
Yet, the rich traditions of the past still hang on. Like in tribal Africa, the rich tradition of decoration and especially images carved from wood, still flourishes in Papua. The lifestyle outside Port Moresby is still one of tribal isolation with traditions still well in place. The artefacts of this country are still one of the most collectable art forms available, even if one does not have to worry about being served up in the soup to collect them. The introduction of the concept of money may not have helped the tribesmen of Papua but it will not go away. I cannot think of a more noble export than the cottage industry of making passionate images of a world lost to us.I personally feel that this creating this collection has been a rare opportunity for me to help preserve the art of the last true enclave of primitive man on Earth. It goes without saying that the tradition, art and way of life in Papua will not remain as it has for the past 20,000 years. Civilizations are remembered through their art while undeveloped peoples are often forgotten for the lack of an art form that identifies them. The creativity of primitive Africa, the totems of the Hiadas, the weaving of the Plains Indians and the obsessive need for decoration of the Papuan will mark their place in history for future humans. It is with this thought in mind that I have tried to organize and protect this collection of the arts of Papua.
