Burning your eyes hurts. My eyes are my everything and my greatest fear is not death, not even deep water, but blindness. Being blind really seems like the worst of all. 

On the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea I burned my eyes for the first time in my life. Now I have lived on the equator for almost a year, I didn’t have sunglasses. I sailed for days across the Atlantic Ocean, I had no problems with the glare in the water. But, 1 full day on the Sepik River, 160km sailing in Papua New Guinea and I wake up screaming in the night of the pain. My eyes burn, sting, tears.

It feels like the front layer of my eyes is slowly being pulled off, as if my eyelids have turned into razor blades that glide painfully slowly over my eyes. I don’t dare to rub my eyes with my hands because this afternoon I caught a fish that accidentally jumped into our boat. Then just the sheet, but it cannot be kept. Yuri is soon awake from my moans. Just put some painkillers in it. Lying down is not possible, my eyes open either. Fear strikes; what if i go blind?

In the morning everything seems to work fine again. Until I want to transfer something from my mobile to the iPad. I don’t see clearly at all. The pain is reasonably gone. A soft whine of little men with little hammers gather behind my eyes, but I can see, I can see. But not yet sharp. As if all of life takes place in motion blur. Something that really annoys a photographer, of course, because motion blur is not done. But I’m glad I see something, I’m not blind!

Today I wear Yuri’s glasses, because Yuri sat down on my glasses during the first week of the trip. So I don’t have that anymore. But luckily Yuri still has beautiful mismatched glasses which I now love to put on my head. It gives my eyes some rest.

Dutch missionaries

Armed with glasses, we set off for a nearby village. Here we will take a look at the spirithouse, a house where only men are welcome. I only laugh when I ask why women are not allowed in. And whether women have such a house themselves? No, don’t be crazy, they are too busy with the household, children, cooking and working the land.

Upon arrival we climb a hill and are welcomed by Samson, the head of the village. When he hears that we are Dutch, we get a second extra strong handshake. In 1945 a number of Dutch religious people came here to impose their faith on the local population. They did it, everyone here has become a Christian.

But they are happy that the Dutch came because, in addition to religion, they also brought knowledge and development. Thus they not only built a church but also a medical center. The largest in the small region. In addition, the Dutch considered it important to maintain their own traditions and culture, in addition to becoming Christians of course. As a result, the village is still almost untouched and the church also has a local and cultural touch due to the totem poles it contains. The church looks a bit like the spirit house we walk to.

Church in the village, thanks to the Dutch

The man cave, also known as Spirithouse

This one is also built with totem poles. The largest two represent the largest two clans in the region, the smaller ones are the subclans. Inside, the men gather to smoke, tell tall stories and sometimes sleep.

Close-up of totem poles

You will even have to stay here for a few months to become a man. A large tattoo is then applied. Not really a tattoo; the skin is cut open with a razor blade, then the flesh is removed from under the skin. With this tattoo you not only lose a lot of blood but also meat. Maybe something for me too, because when I got into the boat yesterday I got the big chair. Why? Because I am ‘big in size’ according to our skipper. Anyway, despite the unflattering comments I sometimes hear here, I let this tattoo pass me by.

Traditional tattooing in Papua New Guinea

In the Spirithouse they also come together to make masks, walking sticks and other freubels. Of course we will buy a few. Then it is time to move from the man cave to the women.

Sing-sing

They have prepared themselves for a sing-sing to welcome us. Of course the men are welcome here now. Sometimes not, these are times when women are allowed to break the law, and when girls become women. I am curious which law will be broken, but that question remains unanswered.

The women are dressed in a skirt of leaves and a necklace of shells for which they have had to trade things with the people of the coast. They have their bodies smeared with mud and so have their faces. Some still have some flowers in their hair.

The young girls also have a tattoo, which is something new in the culture hence the older women don’t have it. Nice to see that old traditions and cultures are still changing.

Girl with traditional tattoos

We get to see two dances. A welcome dance and a dance for happiness and hope. It seems a bit messy and you can’t really call the dance beautiful, but it is fun to watch. The older women dance with pride, the young girls with a little shame. That will be fine. The little one dances in boxer shorts and with a pig bone on her head.

Cannibalism

We continue our tour through the village. Will still be told that the Dutch evangelists were almost eaten by cannibals. But they were spared that by the word of god. Of course. The Dutch were, according to these local sources, the first to dare to enter and exit the dangerous Sepik area. They made friends here.

One Mr. Jansen who built the medical center here is especially popular. And cannibals are long gone. “My grandpa ate humans, but only enemies, not whities like you”. Fortunately. And with this reassurance we walk back to the canoe. We get another coconut for thirst.

Govermas, our residence

Once back in Govermas, we prepare for a visit to the village. I am very curious because it looks beautiful from afar. It is a short walk along, or rather because it is so dry, the river bed. We walk around this fantastic village and see one beautiful house after another.

All built on stilts, against flooding and cold of the ground. Palm trees and banana plants are everywhere. There are dogs, cats and pigs around. We even see a tame hawk. There are also a lot of children running around, naked with big bellies. The latter is due to the worms in their stomachs because there is plenty of food here. Mosquitoes too, by the way and I’m going crazy.

Govermas

We decide to go to the waterfall. But after a very short dive we think it is enough. Too many mosquitoes gather around this wonderful water source. So we quickly walk back to the village. And here we are welcomed by an interesting drum sound. It almost sounds like a sign of war. But it is not, it is a sing-sing.

Men and one woman are ready, jumping and singing in a circle. This sing-sing also looks a bit uncomfortable but fun. The men are nicely dressed with a headdress and a penis sheath. Something that we have not seen before but expected. But don’t worry, no bare bottom. The men all have a boxer or shorts under their skirt.

Ook een toeschouwer van de sing-sing

After the performance we slowly walk back to the hut. A thunderstorm is approaching and we can’t wait for it to cool down a bit. My eyes need some rest and I decide to go to bed early and get some sleep. Hopefully this night without waking up from the pain.