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Photo Samples, Papua New Guinea
In all respects, Papua New Guinea is a kind of
"lost world". For thousands of years, the country has been completely isolated,
and only in the 1930'ies, Australian gold diggers and missionairies found their way into the rugged
highlands. There, they found hundreds of tribes who didn't have a clue about the rest of
the world - and not even other the existence of other tribes. Consequently, despite
Australian colonial heritage, PNG is one of the least westernized countries in the world;
one of the very best if you like "wild" people, and I doubt very
much that it's going to change within years to come. With regards to "development",
PNG just seems to be beyond reach, and that's what makes the country so
fantastic from a travellers point of view.
As usual, all photos are, of course © Claus
Qvist Jessen, and none of them are to used without my permission. |
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The rugged and rickety coast-line of Port Moresby, the small-scale
capital of PNG. It looks quiet, but the crime rate is probably the worst
in the world. © Claus
Qvist Jessen |
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| Port Moresby
is one of the most crime-infested towns on Earth, and it shows! Everything is behind thick
bars and barbed wire, so general advice says: "Never go anywhere". © Claus
Qvist Jessen |
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| On the south
coast of PNG, the village of Gabagaba is built on stilts for defensive purposes. ©
Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| In Gabagaba,
the main spare time activity is chess, and I even managed to spend some time there as a
coach. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Local market
in the pleasant coastal town of Madang on the Eastern part of the PNG
mainland. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Carrying goods to the market; Madang, PNG. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Fishy
business; Madang Bay, PNG. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Home-made bags, te so-called "bilums" at the market of Madang, Papua New
Guinea. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Bilbil
Village, close to Madang, is a center of pottery, and all is made by hand. © Claus
Qvist Jessen |
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| Traditional
hut on Kranket Island; Madang Region. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Happy
woman; Kranket Island off the east coast, close to Madang, Papua New Guinea. © Claus
Qvist Jessen |
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wildest place in PNG are the highlands. The eastern Highlands, with Goroka as it's
capital, is the "easiest" to deal with, while the Central and Western Highlands
are much more dangerous. This venerable and wild-loking warrior is from
the central market in Goroka, PNG. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Election time
is the time of happiness and/or violence, adding to the normally high tension. These guys,
though, look like winners.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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"Hello!" PNG man joining the election celebrations in Goroka, PNG.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Small stuff sold at the market of Goroka. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Fried roots
for sale at a small market outside Goroka. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Anywhere
in the highlands of PNG, the goods are carried in delicate "bilums". ©
Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Small village outside Goroka; Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The main crop
in the PNG Highlands is coffee, and the locals produce some of the best anywhere in the
world. Sadly, everything is exported, and they only drink coffee as Nescafé. ©
Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The romantic
and friendly village of kegsugl is the stepping stone for people who want to climb the
Mount Wilhelm, the highest point in PNG. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| Smoking
heavily, this highland gentleman
is eagerly listening to the election results, sent by the noisy radio;
Kegsugl, PNG. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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Coly little girl in the village of Pandambai, a full days of hiking down
from Kegsugl towards the lowlands; Eastern Highlands, PNG.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
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| The lowlands
west of Madang are fertile and friendly. Here, in the small town of Brahmin, it's time for
the weekly bath. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
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