The Beat of Kalam

Getting immersed in a cultural phenomenon
by Betrand Linet

Simbai is the home of the Kalam tribe in the heart of the highlands of Madang. It is one of Papua New Guinea’s undeveloped places where people still live a subsistence lifestyle in traditional villages scattered through pristine wilderness territory and untouched by westernisation.

With a unique, authentic, living and breathing showcase of Kalam culture, staged for no one but themselves, their ancestors would definitely have turned in their graves in pride and joy.

When my French friend Marc Dozier, a Papua New Guinea specialist, described Simbai to me, I knew it would be my next destination in PNG. So, when I landed at the tiny airstrip in Simbai recently to watch the festival , I was so excited. I didn’t know I would spend one of my most memorable experiences in Papua New Guinea.

A Kalam sing sing welcomed me at the airstrip and escorted me all the way (a 20-minute walk) to the ecofriendly Kalam Guesthouse (120 kina a/night, three meals a day and activities included). It was a reception I didn’t dream of. It was mind-blowing, awesome and unique.

Once a year, the week-long cultural festival, which is normally hosted in the third week of September, features the initiation of young boys by nose piercing (“sutim nus” in tok pidgin). Young boys about 10 to 17 years old go into a “hausboi” (men’s house) to learn about initiation rites from village elders and get their noses pierced.

This initiation ceremony is slotted in concurrence with bride price payments, pig killings - culminating in feasting and all-night dancing and chanting extravaganzas.

Traditionally, a major initiation ceremony using over 100 pigs is held every three to six years. It is a genuine cultural phenomenon when all the surrounding villagers flow into Simbai station for the occasion.

Visitors simply stand and watch in amazement or in awe (or join in if you want to kill a pig or have your nose pierced...) as Kalam men parade around the station with their huge head-dresses decorated with bright green beetle exoskeletons (more than 1000 on each).

The crowns of the head-dresses are decorated with bird feathers comprising those of the cockatoo, parrots, lorikeets and bird of paradise species. Small round kina shells are hooked on to and hang suspended from the hole in the nose while others insert King of Saxony bird of paradise feathers.

There is no other place in PNG that has such unique head-dresses. When it comes to body decorations, their bodies are heavily donned with “bilas” (body ornaments) such as large kina shells, hornbill (kokomo) beak necklaces, cuscus fur, wild garden flowers and arm bands. Pig fat provides the final shine.

This festival is a ‘real heaven’ for photographers.

This year, a top female photographer (twice World Press Award), Isabel Munoz, from Spain, was there to record all this beauty.

After being immersed in this unique cultural phenomenon and four days of feasting on pig meat every day during breakfast, lunch and dinner and making many local friends, I was ready to leave but by then, I had developed an emotional attachment to Simbai, its culture and people.

On the plane and with the mountains of Simbai in the background, I told myself, ‘Simbai, I will definitely return!’