Madang
The capital of Madang Province, Madang is an ideal starting place for many of the tours round the islands and up the Sepik River. It has a variety of shops, hotels, restaurants and markets, where storyboards depicting myths and legends can be bought. In nearby Bilbils and Yabobs, traditional pottery-making can be seen.
There are four main population groupings in the province: island, coastal, river and mountain, each with its own diet, traditions and customs. The Manam islanders make houses out of sago trees and toddy palms with leaves and leaf stems tied into each other. The Ramu River people make similar houses, but on stilts, and their carving traditions are influenced by the cultures of the Sepik River. The mountain people are physically smaller and grow familiar crops such as lettuce, radishes, cabbages and potatoes. The families of the coastal population place a special value on dog’s teeth necklaces, tambu shell headbands and pig tusk amulets. These items are sometimes still used as currency in tribal transactions.
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