Dear laurie2-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.
It appears that the details of this closed society are sketchy at
best. The sacredness of this practice makes it quite difficult for
anthropologists, sociologists and other western academics and
curiosity seekers to study or fully document and understand. After a
great deal of research, I found only one reference to the final day of
the “school”, however, there are many documents available that
describe the Huli and Haroli societies in general and make reference
to other practices, including the bachelor clan.
“The Huli boy was removed from the household of his mother to that of
his father at a very early age. His progress to full manhood was
marked by elaborate ceremonies, culminating in the bachelor's ritual
in his late teens. During this period of his life the young Hull was
expected to avoid all association with women, particularly sexual
association. For eighteen months or so, the young initiates of the age
group received instruction and training from well skilled elders, and
then were entitled to wear the elaborate, beautifully made red wig of
the young bachelor. Their faces carefully painted in identical
patterns with red and yellow ochre, their bodies a shiny red with
applications of tigaso tree oil, groups of the young bachelors would
stalk silently throughout the land, their crescent shaped wigs trimmed
with strips or cuscus fur and the iridescent blue breast shield of the
Superb Bird-of-Paradise, and with the plumes of the cassowary -
objects of admiration to all. The young bachelors would parade, at
regular intervals over periods of twelve months.”
“The Tege rites were also of great significance to the young men.
These rites, often extending over a period of years, involved the
sacrifice of pigs to the deities Ne (regarded by the Huli as the
creator), to Korimogolo and others. They culminated in a week-long
ceremony called Tege, involving hundreds of participants, climaxing in
a spectacular ordeal of fire walking, where young men ran, bare
footed, through a lane of red-hot embers while on either side the
elders struck at them with switches.”
TARI – THE WIGMEN COUNTRY
http://members.eunet.at/a.kucera/png/tari/
I hope you find that that my research exceeds your expectations. If
you have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga
INFORMATION SOURCES
TARI – THE WIGMEN COUNTRY
http://members.eunet.at/a.kucera/png/tari/
THE HULI PEOPLE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
http://www.accsoft.com.au/~drgcjlom/huli1.htm
PAPUA NEW GUINEA TRAVEL GUIDE – INFORMATION ON HULI WIGMEN
http://www.bugbog.com/exotic_places/papua_new_guinea_travel/papua_new_guinea_2.html
ADVENTURING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
http://www.peachin.com/mar_nlt.htm
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
TEGE RITES
WIGMEN RITES
HAROLI RITES
HULI RITES
BACHELOR RITES "NEW GUINEA"
WIGMEN CEREMONY
WIGMEN CEREMONIES
WIGMEN SCHOOL
TARI WIGMEN
HULI PEOPLE
BACHELOR CLAN
BACHELOR CLAN “NEW GUINEA” |
Request for Answer Clarification by
laurie2-ga
on
09 Mar 2003 09:24 PST
Dear tutuzdad-ga,
Thank you for your prompt reply. I am a children's author, writing a
"coming of age" story about a young Huli's bachelor training at Wigman
School. I have already found (and used) much of Google's research in
the story; but have not found much about the last night's ceremony in
the men's hut. As you said, the information about this society is
scanty but if you can add anything on this specific aspect, I would be
most grateful.
I had not seen the BUGBOG article before and some of those details
will be useful. Thank you for your help.
Regards,
laurie2-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
09 Mar 2003 17:08 PST
Dear laurie2-ga;
I search high and low for something that gave any kind of indication
as to the final day of the ceremony, but had no luck beyond what
little I have already passed on to you. I decided to take a long shot
at emailing one of the most prominent and widely recognized experts on
the Huli culture on the off chance that he'd actually email me back.
To my suprise, within the hour I recieved a response from noted
anthropologist, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Laurence Goldman
of the School of Social Science University of Queensland Brisbane,
Queesnland, Australia. He advised me to direct you to find a book
entitled, "Talk Never Dies: The Language of Huli Disputes" (1983
Tavistock:London). He says you will find what your are seeking in this
book which covers the Huli culture and some of the bachelor clan
rites.
I wondered why his response was so brief. Did it indciate that he has
read the book and therefore knows how valuable it might be to you, or
that he uses it, perhaps, as reference in his anthropology classes?
My questions were answered when I went to AMAZON.COM and found it
there...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0422782106/qid%3D1047258053/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/102-6633485-1501713#product-details
I guess he should know more about this book than most people
because,...
...as it turns out, HE WROTE IT! (surprise!)
Good luck.
Regards
tutuzdad-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
10 Mar 2003 16:52 PST
Since my last post, I have also received a response from another
notable person who is trying to do more research. He advised he'd work
on it and get back to me if anythnig of substance develops. I can't
promise anything as of yet, but I am waiting with my fingers crossed.
Regards;
tutuzdad-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
laurie2-ga
on
11 Mar 2003 05:31 PST
Thank you, tutuzdad-ga,
I have looked at Laurence Goldman's book, Talk Never Dies. However, I
was not specifically looking for initiation rites at the time I read
it. On the strength of your response, I have re-ordered the book from
our interlibrary loan and will research the subject again.
I am grateful for your persistence.
Regards, laurie2-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
laurie2-ga
on
11 Mar 2003 06:01 PST
Thank you, tutuzdad-ga,
Earlier this year,I looked at Laurence Goldman's book, Talk Never
Dies. However, I was not specifically looking for initiation rites at
the time I read it. On the strength of your response, I have
re-ordered the book from our interlibrary loan and will research this
specific area again.
I am grateful for your persistence.
Regards, laurie2-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
11 Mar 2003 06:41 PST
I hope to get something back from my other source today as well.
Regards;
tutuzdad-ga
|
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