6 March 2016

PNG pig exchange

During the '70s while we lived in Papua New Guinea, we had the honour of witnessing a ritual between two neighbouring tribes called a Pig Exchange. Where the tribes would settle disputes by exchanging carefully calculated amounts of pig.

The pig is their wealth so this is a great honour.

This happened on the oval at the end of our suburban street!

Afterwards the neighbourhood dogs had a feast and cleaned up the remains.

I am struck by all the use of natural materials...no plastic. Although some western dress creeping in.

We kids were not impressed. We thought it stank! Respect for traditions and culture comes with age and experience.

Are you impressed?

Should we use this system today in our society?

Maybe with chocolate?!

Love,

Jazzy Jack

PS Today is my birthday. Maybe that is what present giving is all about subtly. Settling old disputes, although sometimes it starts new ones!

...maybe I'll have some chocolate today...

5 comments:

  1. All my best wishes for your birthday, I hope both today and the coming year bring much joy.
    I have enjoyed your photographs of your time in Papua New Guinea.I think the chocolate sharing has great merit, less messy than a pig.
    Happy Birthday. xxx

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  2. Haappy birthday my lovely! I hope you have had an amazing day!!!

    This is so interesting! I've always been fascinated by Papua as it is so far from my experience. When I lived in Bali, we met some girls from Irian Jaya which is the other side of that large island (the Indonesian part) and we were so fascinated by their culture!!x

    By the way, I meant to reply to your comment on my world book day post but it kept alluding me- my World Book day ideas have been emailed out to parents and staff for the past two years and several people have told me they were a life-saver- one Teaching assistant told me that she'd dressed all her children in my ideas as well as herself and I saw several of my ideas in action- hee hee!!!x

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  3. happy happy birthday my friend!!! bit belated..... but from my heart!
    i hope you already had lots of chocolate and much wonderful presents - and a pretty celebration with your family!!!!
    fascinating pictures!!!
    much love! xxxxxx

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  4. Oh yeah, this could make a better world to change chocolate or other things instead of using guns and bombs...
    Only today I read this and I'm to late, but:
    Congrats and my best wishes for your new life year

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  5. Yes, a Peaceful Exchange of something truly Valued to me seems the most Ideal way to settle Disputes and show mutual Respect towards those we are reconciling with. How much carefully calculated amounts of Chocolate do you suppose would be the Ideal Offering I Wonder? *Winks* As you can see I'm catching up on all the missed Blog Posts since I haven't been online quite so much lately. Dawn... The Bohemian

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