TRIBES OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Papua New Guinea is an island in the Pacific Ocean located north of Australia and east of Indonesia. Papua New Guinea has a rich diverse cultural landscape and developed independently, as the first contact from the outside world was only in the 1930’s. There is an estimated 7000 different cultural groups in Papua New Guinea and the diversity of these groups is fascinating and beautiful, all speaking different languages and performing unique customs. Nowhere else in the world is there this many tribal communities who partake in body painting and adorn themselves with beautiful designs and costume pieces: from the Huli wig men to the Chimbu skeleton tribe. The customs and artistic style vary dramatically, each tribe having a beautifully strong visual identity, and taking pride in their artistry.

Mendi girl adorned with vibrant face paint.
Artwork by Lizzie Rigby. Photograph by Malcolm Kirk.

There is something quite enthralling about the disparity between the beauty of the costumes, paint, cultural traditions, and the reason behind the high level of artistry and creativity – gruesome survival.