A portrait made many years past by myself when travelling in the South Pacific. Unless I am mistaken in my recollection, it was taken on the remote island of Kwaiwata in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. He was more friendly than he appears here. (I was relieved to be able to say).
🙂 He also offered me his boar's tusk septum ornament in exchange for my camera. I politely declined........................ very politely. 😕
The people on this island are a part of the famous "Kula Ring" ceremonial gift-exchange system whereby the inhabitants of various islands regularly trade ritual objects as a means of keeping peace and maintaining peaceful social contact with each other. This often involves long voyages in open ocean conditions using traditionally made outrigger canoes. Historically, at least some people from this part of the world originally did have a reputation for head hunting (literally) so diplomatic rituals of this nature appear to have evolved as a more peaceful alternative. The main village in this island was located on a high plateau in the middle of the island - a defensive choice which was no doubt made because reaching it involved climbing a 20 metre high cliff on a rickety wooden ladder. An interesting place and people. (Also, despite my initial doubts they were much more friendly than many isolated Papua Highland tribes which still have some reputation for a fractious and war like nature.)
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