Every year in August, the Mt. Hagen Cultural Show is the place to see tribal culture in Papua New Guinea. During my visit there were about 100 Singsing groups with some 2000 dancers. It was a fantastic festival.
Outside preparation area. (976k) Getting dressed. (1082k) Trial dance. (1221k) Painting face. (850k) Painting face. (1117k) Painting face. (1319k) Preparing headdress. (1129k) Painting face. (765k) Preparing headdress. (922k) Cellphones are just as ubiquitous at the festival as elsewhere. (928k)
Various Dancers and Singsing groups
View of the festival grounds. (1001k) Singsing group. (1265k) Singsing group. (1420k) Singsing group. (1357k) Singsing group. (1258k) Singsing group. (1159k) Singsing group dancing up a storm on the festival grounds. (1106k) Singsing group. (1185k) Singsing group. (1141k) This group did parade ground weapons drill. (806k) Singsing group. (1205k) This group dragged a log onto the festival grounds. (1154k) Dancer. (1172k) Drumming dancer. (795k) Dancer chanting and drumming. (937k) Dancer. (1054k) Dancer. (985k) Dancer. (949k) Dancer. (985k) Dancer. (923k) Drumming dancer. (1031k) Dancer with elaborate headdress. (993k) Dancer. (968k) Youngster caught eating. (816k) Young dancer. (1319k) Dancer playing the flute. (801k) Dancer playing the flute. (830k) Dancer. (1159k) Dancer with huge headdress. (1038k) Dancer with huge headdress. (996k) Dancer close-up. (1040k) Dancer close-up. (835k) Dancer close-up. (904k)
Singsing Group
Singsing Group. Some where painted black, some red, and some yellow. (1309k) Getting painted. (1196k) Black faced. (843k) Black face. (1058k) Red face. (903k) Yellow face. (880k)
Singsing Group
Singsing Group. (1133k) Singsing Group. (1262k) Dancers in the group. (835k) Dancers in the group. (849k) Dancer in the group. (929k) Dancer in the group. (748k)
Singsing Group
Elaborately decorated Singsing Group. (1.5M) Dancing on the festival grounds. (1464k) Dancers in the group. (1306k) Dancers in the group. (1193k) Dancer in the group. (1047k) Close-up of dancer in the group. (948k) Chanting dancer in the group. (871k) Close-up of dancer in the group. (936k) Close-up of dancer in the group. (1171k)
Singsing Group
Singsing Group. (1260k) Dancers in the group with elaborate headdress. (1313k) Dancer in the group with elaborate headdress. (1091k) Dancer in the group with elaborate headdress. (1057k) Close-up of dancer in the group. (1233k)
Omo Mashai Singsing Group
This group had skeletons painted on their bodies. They were stalking and attacking a beast.
Getting painted. (1269k) Getting painted. (1125k) Getting painted. (792k) Getting painted. (1282k) The Beast. (1259k) Stalking the beast. (1258k) Attacking the beast. (1278k)
Mindima Mudmen Singsing Group. (1175k) Mindima Mudmen. (1118k) Mindima Mudmen. (1082k) Mindima Mudmen. (1193k) Mindima Mudman. (1226k) Close-up of Mindima Mudman. (736k) The mask are made right at the festival. (1019k)
Laipan Women Singsing Group, Laiagam
Laipan Women Singsing Group. (1204k) Laipan Women Singsing Group. (1126k) Laipan Women Singsing Group. (1104k) Close-up of a dancer of the Laipan Women Singsing Group. (919k) Close-up of a dancer of the Laipan Women Singsing Group. (858k)
Silimuli Mens and Girls Singsing Group
This group was impressive with their synchronized movements and dancing. The kept a tight formation during their dance.
Silimuli Mens Singsing Group. (1232k) Silimuli Girls Singsing Group. (1229k) Dancer in the Silimuli Girls Singsing Group. (1041k) Dancer in the Silimuli Girls Singsing Group. (1071k) Close-up of a dancer in the Silimuli Girls Singsing Group. (842k)