Alekano

The Alekano are an ethnic group that lives in the highlands of Papua New Guinea . Their territory is here to the north and west of Goroka . The Alekano share many traditional ideas and customs with their neighbors.

The Gaheisi

The Gaheisi are the ceremonial dance shields of the Alekano. They were originally worn and danced at the pig festivals following the initiations . They were made in secret. They consist of a frame made of bamboo and cane, which is covered with bark fiber. This is sewn in place with plant fibers. The shields are then painted with a paint made from plant leaves. To make these, the leaves are chewed and mixed with the juice of wild lemons and charcoal. Geometric patterns are painted, which are inspired by the dreams of the dancers. The red color is said to come from the faces of the mythical birds. This is why the sacred flutes, which symbolize the sounds of birds, are played during the making of the gaheisi. Finally, feathers from various birds are attached to the edges and the gaheisi is tied to the dancer's shoulders, but in such a way that the arms remain free so that the dancer can hold weapons or a drum.

The ceremonial dance shields are often seen on the Goroka Show today. Here they were also adopted by other participating groups.

Today modern materials are also used for the manufacture of the shields.

literature

• N. Wilson: Plumes and pearlshells Art of the New Guinea Highlands. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 2014, ISBN 978-1-74174-105-6 .