Economic Botany Collections

Papua New Guinea girl in traditional dress

The opening of a new school in Aiyura village is celebrated with a traditional 'sing-sing', with dancing, singing and displays of traditional dress. This girl's beautiful costume is created mostly from fur and feathers.

On the side of her headdress, the bright blue feathers of the Superb Bird of Paradise (Lophorina superba) make a colourful addition to the piece. This bird is known locally as the "fourpela wing" as the blue feathers protruding from its chest give it the appearance of an extra set of wings. The dense, woolly fur around the girl's neck is from a species of cuscus; a marsupial which is hunted for its meat and fur.

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