No.1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1956-2016

59 SING-SING №1 NEIGHBOUR the intricacy and wisdom, and the connectedness, colour and dynamism of Tolai ceremony. Through the installation, they will be immersed in sounds that will immediately transport them to ples (place). They will sense the importance of buai (betel nut) and tabu (shell money), and of Tubuan ceremonies, land and gardens. For us, the project represents several significant themes: the artistry of deception inherent in Tubuan ceremony and the way key signals are secret (pidik) and revealed through smoke and mirrors; the use of babat (powder) and malira and lili songs, as well as special leaves and buai (betel nut), to protect individuals from perceived malice and evil intent; and the way in which the Tolai have continually asserted themselves. Even though world wars were brought to their ples (place), the Tolai knew it was their ples, not the Germans’, not the Australians’, not belonging to the Japanese. The survival of Tolai clan ceremonies, land arrangements and law in the face of a century of turmoil is an astonishing achievement and a key tenet of the installation. Tolai ceremonies, such as Minamai (honouring ancestors), Nidok (initiation) and Kinavai (a show of strength), are stronger — and more frequently enacted — now than ever before. 1 Jack Emanuel was an Australian District Commissioner in Papua New Guinea. Between 1969 and 1971, he worked with the Tolai people of the Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain, resolving local conflicts. He was killed on 19 August 1971 during one of these negotiations. 2 Julie Toliman, quoted in ‘Papers from Ivilikou: Papua New Guinea Music Conference and Festival, 1997’, The Contemporary Pacific , vol.14, no.1, January 2002, pp.284–5, <https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/240294646_Papers_from_Ivilikou_Papua_New_Guinea_ Music_Conference_and_Festival_1997_review>, viewed June 2016. 3 Apinpidik, malira, lili and aut are the names of customary song forms. TOP, LEFT A Bit na Ta, or Blanche Bay, Rabaul; Mount Tavurvur, the smallest of the volcanoes in the region, has been the most damaging over the past 200 years BELOW, LEFT Moab Stringband’s Wargi Apelis working a Varvalaruai (re‑enactment) TOP, RIGHT Women urging on participants at a Gitgit Vudu, Raluana, East New Britain BELOW, RIGHT Men throw babat (powder) at a DukDuk (ancestor spirit) as part of the Matamatam at Raluana, East New Britain Images courtesy: David Bridie