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Harvest and Ceremony

Lae and Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea 1986

By Barbara Jo Shipka

February 24^th, 2015

We began the day with a short drive to the farm of my host family.

They were in the midst of harvesting bananas, coconuts, papaya, and cassava.

I had asked my host if he could arrange a day trip to the Eastern Highlands for that day as well.

In addition to organizing a car and driver, he introduced me to two young men from the Highlands who would accompany me. In fact, he said, we would be visiting their village.

Their lineage was of the famed headhunters…of generations past.

Or so I was assured.

When we arrived at their village, a ceremony was in progress.

No other outsiders were present.

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