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PNG Highlands West Expedition

Central Highlands - Bigla Ingu Festival
Pig Killing & Tribal Ceremonial Exchange & Sipuu-Waa ( Simbu ) Cultural Festival

2 -11 Juy 2024

Welcome to the Central Highlands of New Guinea known as the Last Frontier.

Papua New Guinea is the land to many tribes and diverse cultures with more than 800 languages.

This journey can begin with Central Highlands - Bingla Ingu Festival in Simbu & Sipuu-waa (Simbu) Cultural Festival.

Welcome to the 2 days Bigla Ingu Festival that was an ongoing ceremonial exchanges that involves Killing many Pigs, exchanges of Red Pandanus, White Pandanus, Bananas and Sugar Canes and brides (Virgin girls) with the neighboring tribes.

I have been participating as a child with my parents and tribes until 1979, the ceremonials exchanges no longer practised.

We are reviving this Cultural Ceremonial Tribal Exchanges in 2024.

We welcome you to this part of the Mysterious Land that your experience will be a Mind Blown Away and you will never see anywhere in the world.

Visiting Neighboring Tribes with full family travel to the host tribal SINGSING Ground and live there for one week and Singing goes on for one (1) week and host Tribes gives food to their friends and courting in the night to choose the groom and bride for exchanges at the end part of the program.

The host tribes build very long houses around the ceremonial ground where Singing, Pig Killing, Raw food exchanges, Bride Prices exchanges will take place.

The visiting tribes dress in their traditional costumes and singsing every morning and compete with their Host tribes in Singsing until to the last day and all Tribal Ceremonial Exchanges finishes with more 100 pigs killed and exchanges done.

The Visiting Tribes travel back with MUMU Pigs, Raw food and Bride and Groom as well. The Ceremonial Exchange will happen again after two years in 2026.

Let me welcome you to Papua New Guinea, the land of true diversity, with more than 800 distinct tribes and languages.

SUMMARY

Departure Dates: 2 July 2024 - 11 July 2024 - 9 Nights /10 Days
2024: Starts in Port Moresby - Mount Hagen - Simbu ( Bingla Ingu Festival ) & Sipuu-Waa ( Simbu) Cultural Festival

COST:
$6,189 per person twin share
$7,120 solo traveler
***based on today’s current rate of exchange subject to change

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Papua New Guinea

You will touch down in Port Moresby – Capital of PNG at Jacksons International Arrival and you will be met by our guide and porter and transfer to Stanley Hotel and Suites on the Shuttle Bus. Have late breakfast and rest. After lunch we will tour the city of Port Moresby only sight seening tours.

Day 2: Port Moresby/ Mount Hagen - Air Transfers and half day tours of Central Highlands

Early after breakfast, you will be tranfered to the Domestic Deaprture Terminal for your early morning flight to Mt Hagen.

Arrive Mt Hagen, (PX 182 0800/0955 POM/HGN). Meet and greet and assist with transfer with luggage car to the Highlander Hotel for unpack. At 11 am you will be transferred down through the fertile Waghy and Central Hagen Valley, past coffee plantations, vegetable Gardens, interplant with sweet potato, banana, taro cassava, sugar cane with other leaf vegetables and neatly laid out homesteads to the Urup Kiap Village for the tour of the Melpa Tribes.

You will have full village Experience of the Melpa Tribes, Women’s Singsing and Village Study and Experience of the Melpa Tribes in Mount Hagen.

You will also have a chance to visit the Widows House (wife still waiting for freedom - in the Highlands of PNG according to the customs. Highlander Hotel (BLD)

Mt Hagen Women at the Sipuu-waa (SImbu) Cultural Festival

Day 3: Transfers to Simbu Province & Tours

Early after breakfast, we will have you transferred from Mt Hagen to Simbu and tours along the highway. We will continue to Mindima Village “Skeleton dancers” demonstrating hunting and food gathering skills, how hunting is done in the old days and arriving at Chanty town in Kundiawa and have lunch at Mt Wilheam Hotel and have lunch.

We will check in at Green Land Motel. We will have afternoon of the Nego Mongo Culture of the Kamane Ku Tribes and Sightseening Tours. And rest for the evening. GREEN LAND MOTEL (BLD)

Day 4: Bigla Ingu Festival Tour ( Inaugl Tribes), Gembogl District, Simbu, PNG

Early after breakfast as early as 6:30 am you will be tranfered to Gembogl station where the Festival will be held, it s another 45 minutes drive to the Ceremonial Grounds of the Inaugl Tribes.

As soon as you get to the Bigla Ingu Ceremonial Grounds, you will notice the Long houses built around the ceremonial grounds where the visiting tribes has been living in it for 1 full week and Singsing and receving raw food unti the Pig Killing day.

You will witness the tribes moving into the main ceremonial ground with raw food such as Taro, banana, Sweet potato, firwood and also the main animal which is the PIG. As they move in, they will do it with pride to expose their pretisges like Pigs will be coming forward before them.

As they are moving into the main aren, KUAKUMBA ( Mouth Organs will welcome them and Singsing groups in the best attire will compete to welcome the visiting tribes into the main arena.

The hosting tribes will welcome by their sound language ( Men will say ..Sipuuuwaa and Women will shout Ayawuuuuu.. This is mind blown away moment where the both tribes ( Host and Visiting tribes) meet and Visiting tribes will move to their location of the MUMU PITS ( Ground Oven Open Pit) and stand there with all their prestiges display ready to begin.

You will see among the crowd in thei own moments, two men will be going above the roof to start the KITNE ( Fir making) for the Smoke to go to the East and let the Community and tribes know that Bi8ngla Ingu Festival is starting. The fire will be transferred to the ground for the Pig Killing to start.

You will be surprised that Pigs will be hammered with special log sharpened for this ceremony, Village Buthery will begin and Singsing groups will be performing to the best calling the names of the hosting tribes mountians, rivers, Chiefs name and the clan. This is a moment where all will be happy and dancing until all pigs are slaughtered and women will come forward with the BUSH KUMO ( Jungle greens) for the MUMU ( Stone Oven Pit).

Enjoy the full day Singsing and you will see the full festival by opening of the MUMU and all cooked pork will be removed and shared with the raw food, as you will see their Chiefs in Full Chieftancy Attire to bless the Tribes and Speech will be made and Pig Killings will be shared to the Visiting Tribes. The hosting tribes young virgin girls are exchanged during this ceremony if love is at first sight too.

The visitng tribes will host the Bingla Ingu Festival in the next two years. END OF THE PROGRAM

You will drive back into town between 5pm – 5:30 pm and rest. GREEN LAND MOTEL (BLD)

Long houses built for the Bingla Ingu Festival, the Visiting Tribes come in one week earky to have singsing, courting in the night and eat food that is giving by the Hosting tribes until the Bingla Ingu Festival begins.

Hosting Tribes starting to Bring in their prestiges to demosnatrte to the other tribes that we are fit to participate in this Pig KILLING Ceremony, they are going into the Ceremonail Grounds

Singsing Groups Dance and Welcome the Crowds and Visitors and happy for the Ceremony to Begin

Bingla Ingu Festival includes Bride and Groom Exchange at the end part of the Ceremony

History of Nakane Pig Killing Festival

Day 5: Sipuu-waa (Simbu) Cultural Festival

We recommend that you enjoy early breakfast to start at 7:00 am and we depart early at 7:30 for Early Bird Tours, visit singsing groups from different provinces in their camps to very closely see how their body decorations of colourful traditional costumes and very colourful face painting is done. Explanations will be given to you on the types of costumes and their significances in the cultures of these people.

Enjoy a full day exploring the Sipuu-Waa ( Simbu ) Cultural Festival. This Festival will be outstanding to both Goroka Show and Mt Hagen Show, Tumbuna Pasin ( Long Houses with all the traditional food cooking, wapon making all the daily chores of the Highands & Simbu People will be displayed).

You will also have the full Early Bird Tours where you will witness the Ealry dressing of the Performers wearting their colorful Headdress and to face painting ready ready to get to the Festival main Arena.

After the Early Bird Tours, We will proceed into the Show grounds to witness thousands of warriors, all dressed in their very finest traditional regalia, dancing and singing, each group in their own culture with languages with intention to outclass all the other groups. Walk among dancers, shake hands and meet them.

Sipuu-waa performance at Simbu Festival

Pikinini Sow ( Children’s Show) is also included in this festival where you will witness proud parents dressing ther children in the best attire to the arena. This is a moment where you will see how proud Papua New Guineans are in their Cultural and best cutumes displayed.

As soon as you are in the main arena, all Singsing Groups will be Competiting with eacfh other and performing to their best to win the hearts of the crowds. The Main arena is a full SINGSING.

Be overwhelmed as you meet and learn about the many diverse tribes which still populate the highlands. Traditional clothing, dance and song will all be on show. It really is a sight to behold. The show contines today for the second day, there will be more than 5-70 groups of Singsing comepeting with each other in the show ground with Judges judging toady for the winner group. You experience will be overwhelming that will be a mind blow away. The show contine today and finishes . Green Land Motel (BLD)

Day 6: Continue of the Sipuu-waa (Simbu) Cultural Festival

Enjoy a full day exploring the Sipuu-Waa ( Simbu ) Cultural Festival. This Festival will be outstanding to both Goroka Show and Mt Hagen Show, Tumbuna Pasin ( Log Houses with all the traditional food cooking, wapon making all the daily chores of the Highands & Simbu People will be displayed).

You will also have the full Early Bird Tours where you will witness the Ealry dressing of the Performers wearting their colorful Headdress and to face painting ready ready to get to the Festival main Arena.

Kalam Tribes – The Beetle Heads… ( Early Bird Tours during Goroka Festival)

Pikinini Sow ( Children’s Show) is also included in this festival where you will witness proud parents dressing ther children in the best attire to the arena. This is a moment where you will see how proud Papua New Guineans are in their Cultural and best cutumes displayed.

As soon as you are in the main arena, all Singsing Groups will be Competiting with eacfh other and performing to their best to win the hearts of the crowds. The Main arena is a full SINGSING.

Be overwhelmed as you meet and learn about the many diverse tribes which still populate the highlands. Traditional clothing, dance and song will all be on show. It really is a sight to behold. The show contines today for the second day, the morethan 5-70 groups of Singsing comepeting with each other in the show ground with Judges judging toady for the winner group. You experience will be overwhelming that will be a mind blow away. The show contine today and finishes . Green Land Motel (BLD)

Small Children at the Goroka Festival

Day 7: Transfers Simbu to Goroka by Road

At 8:30 – 09:00 am, you will be transferred from Simbu Province to Goroka.

Depart your hotel after breakfast. We will travel along the Okuk Highway through the Asaro Valley, past tea and coffee estates, and up to Daulo Top ( 2344m) above sea level and you can have a panoramic view of the Bena valley in the horizon.

You will slowly decend down to Goroka and rest at your hotel. Pacific Grdens Hotel (BLD)

Day 8: Asaro Mudman Tour & MOKOMOKA

Enjoy a private full day tour including; Goroka Cultural Tours & Cane Swallowing/Nose Bleeding – Boys Indication Ceremony Tours – Full day touring including visiting the Asaro Mudmen, one of the most fascinating tribes in the whole of Papua New Guinea. Their traditional ritual is a site to behold, as numerous men covered in mud emerge silently from the forest. Covering their heads are enormous mud masks depicting quite unique faces.

Your will also get to witness the traditional method of cooking in the earth before point the villages for lunch . After lunch, You will have the Mt Gurupoka Hikking and MOKA MOKA Dance. Overnight: Pacific Gardens Hotel Premier Wing (BLD)

Our Goroka Tour – Asaro Mudman by Americal Girls Visiting

Day 9: Goroka Cane Swallowing (Boys Ceremonial )

After lunch you will witness the Cane Swallowing (Cane swallowed into the stomach and nose bleeding) of the Bena people of Keeya Tribes (Boys Initiation ceremony). After this ceremony you will learn about Simbu Culture, where the tribe will tell you about their face painting rituals, weaving Bilum’s (a traditional PNG bag) as well as treating you to traditional songs. End the day with a visit to coffee factory. Town Sight Seening tours and Tumbuna Market. PACIFIC GARDENS HOTEL (BLD)

Day 10: Transfers Goroka /Port Moresby by Air and connect to your International Departure

You will be tranfered to the Airport for departure to Port Moresby/International Departure. Pacific Gardens Hotel (B)

******** End of Services **********

Download Detailed Itinerary [pdf]