The area I visited on the main island of New Guinea were the Mendi and Tari Districts in the west of the province.
The largest group in these areas is the Huli people.
The Huli are an indigenous people that live in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. They number over 65,000 and have been living in the area for at least 600 years. They speak Huli, Tok Pisin (pidgin), and English. The Huli are grouped in clans (hamigini) and subclans (hamigini emene). Clans have residential rights within a specific territory and membership is based on hereditary descent. Up until recently they have been a very warlike people waging war on each other.
Subclans are smaller groups within the larger clan and are the basic unit of Huli society. Subclans operate autonomously and may make war or peace, or pay indemnities without consulting the larger clan. Membership to a subclan is restricted to those who are directly related to the subclan founder or another member of the subclan. Huli may belong to several subclans at a time depending on their kinship and ancestry.
The Huli have a wide concept of family. Half-brothers, half-sisters, and cousins are all considered brothers and sisters.
They live by hunting, gathering plants and growing crops. The Huli are exceptional farmers and have accepted many introduced crops, initially sweet potatoes, but more recently, corn, potatoes, cabbage etc. The Huli are also very interested in private business, and have established businesses throughout Papua New Guinea. Men and women still live separately; unmarried men historically lived in large group houses, although this is exceptionally rare nowadays and they usually live with their father and brothers. When wearing traditional dress, the men decorate their bodies with colored clay and wear elaborate headdresses for ceremonies.
Huli society is polygynist. Men may take multiple wives but women may only have one husband at a time.
Yeah, can't believe I'm the second to comment. Great gallery. Therre are some fantastic shots in here. I gotta get to PNG...
Did you use the one lens (24-105) for the whole trip? Just curious.
Nice work.
John